All the latest injury news ahead of this weekend's fixtures
Saturday, September 25th
Arsenal (2) v West Brom (10)
Arsenal will hand fitness tests to midfielders Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky (both ankle) as well as utility man Emmanuel Eboue (knee). Midfielder Alex Song is available again after suspension but Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), Kieran Gibbs (foot), Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie (both ankle), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (leg) remain sidelined.
West Brom defender Gabriel Tamas (calf) and winger Jerome Thomas (groin) are fitness doubts. Tamas is likely to be replaced by Pablo Ibanez, while Somen Tchoyi is on stand-by to replace Thomas.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Arsenal D W W W D; West Brom L W L D W
Top scorers (all competitions):Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 4; Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 2
Match odds:H 1-5 A 5-1 D 14-1
Referee:Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Birmingham (12) v Wigan (18)
James McFadden has undergone successful surgery on the anterior knee ligament injury he suffered a week ago but midfielder Michel is ruled out with a dead leg. Boss Alex McLeish has to decide whether to give a first league start to winger Jean Beausejour who impressed in the midweek Carling Cup win over MK Dons, while skipper Stephen Carr returns after resting the broken toe he has played with so far this season.
Wigan midfielder Hendry Thomas is set to miss out after suffering a badly cut shin in Carling Cup action. Ronnie Stam and Franco Di Santo also suffered knocks in the win over Preston but should be fit while Victor Moses, who made his comeback from an ankle injury last weekend, is also pushing for a squad place.
Last season:Birmingham 1 Wigan 0, Wigan 2 Birmingham 3
Last five league matches:Birmingham D W D D L; Wigan L L W D L
Top scorers (all competitions):Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 3; Antolin Alcaraz and Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 1
Match odds:H 5-6 A 7-2 D 12-5
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Blackpool (9) v Blackburn (14)
Blackpool are without defender Alex Baptiste, who is out for up to six weeks with a recurrence of an old knee ligament injury. His absence could see Wales international Neil Eardley, replaced at half-time at Chelsea last week, come in at right back. Billy Clarke (knee) is a long-term absentee.
Rovers are without David Dunn, Keith Andrews, Vince Grella and Jason Roberts. Grella injured a hamstring in the draw at Fulham and did not feature in the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Aston Villa, Dunn has not played since the end of August while injury means Andrews and Roberts have yet to feature this season.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Blackpool W L D W L; Blackburn W L L D D
Top scorers (all competitions):Marlon Harewood (Blackpool) 2; Nikola Kalinic (Blackburn) 4
Match odds:H 9-4 A 5-4 D 11-5
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral)
Fulham (7) v Everton (19)
Fulham’s Moussa Dembele is out for two weeks because of an ankle injury, joining fellow striker Bobby Zamora (broken leg) in the treatment room. With Andrew Johnson (knee) and Diomansy Kamara (foot) back in training but unavailable for selection, Eddie Johnson, Clint Dempsey or Zoltan Gera will start up front. Damien Duff (calf) is expected to return after missing the 2-0 Carling Cup defeat by Stoke in midweek.
Everton have doubts over midfielders Tim Cahill (knee) and Leon Osman (rib) while full back Tony Hibbert is also unlikely to feature due to a groin strain. Forwards Louis Saha (calf) and Victor Anichebe (knee) remain on the sidelines while Jack Rodwell (ankle) is out long term.
Last season:Everton 2 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Everton 1
Last five league matches:Fulham D D D W D; Everton L D L D L
Top scorers (all competitions):Moussa Dembele (Fulham) 2; Tim Cahill (Everton) 2
Match odds:H 6-4 A 9-5 D 11-5
Referee:Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Liverpool (16) v Sunderland (11)
Reds boss Roy Hodgson will most likely drop all the players who played in Wednesday’s Carling Cup loss to Northampton, with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Joe Cole and Jose Reina set to return. Forward Dirk Kuyt may be back after a shoulder injury but defender Fabio Aurelio (Achilles) is still out.
Titus Bramble is set to start for Sunderland despite being questioned by police over an allegation of rape in midweek. Kieran Richardson and Anton Ferdinand have joined John Mensah (calf) on the sidelines with hamstring problems, although Michael Turner (ankle) has returned to training. Asamoah Gyan (hamstring) is also a major doubt but Lee Cattermole returns from suspension.
Last season:Liverpool 3 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches:Liverpool D L W D L; Sunderland D L W D D
Top scorers (all competitions):Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 2; Darren Bent (Sunderland) 3
Match odds:H 4-9 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee:Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Man City (4) v Chelsea (1)
City defenders Micah Richards (hamstring), Wayne Bridge (thigh) and Aleksandar Kolarov (ankle) are out and the fitness of Joleon Lescott (groin) and Jerome Boateng (knee) will be checked before Roberto Mancini can name his line-up. Emmanuel Adebayor returns after a dead leg but Shaun Wright-Phillips (knee) is out.
Chelsea are without Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun, who suffered thigh and calf injuries respectively in the Carling Cup defeat by Newcastle, while Frank Lampard has not shaken off his hernia problem. Paulo Ferreira drops to the bench to make way for captain John Terry and Nicolas Anelka replaces Kalou up front.
Last season:Chelsea 2 Man City 4, Man City 2 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches:Man City D W L D W; Chelsea W W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions):Carlos Tevez (Man City) 3; Florent Malouda (Chelsea) 6
Match odds:H 5-2 A 23-10 D 11-10
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
West Ham (20) v Tottenham (5)
Thomas Hitzlsperger he has still not recovered from a thigh injury and remains sidelined along with long-term Hammers absentees Zavon Hines, Jack Collison and Peter Kurucz (all knee). Valon Behrami (knee) could return after missing the midweek Carling Cup win over Sunderland while Tal Ben-Haim is back in the squad after missing last Saturday’s draw with Stoke to observe the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.
Luka Modric returns to the Spurs squad after missing the last three outings due to a foot injury, along with Rafael van der Vaart and Vedran Corluka, who have overcome groin and back injuries respectively. Heurelho Gomes has failed to recover from a groin injury while doubts remain over Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee). Ledley King is likely to be rested ahead of next week’s Champions League tie with FC Twente.
Last season:Tottenham 2 West Ham 0, West Ham 1 Tottenham 2
Last five league matches:West Ham L L L L D; Tottenham D W L D W
Top scorers (all competitions):Scott Parker (West Ham) 2; Gareth Bale (Tottenham) 2
Match odds:H 11-4 A 1-1 D 12-5
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Sunday, September 26th
Bolton (13) v Man Utd (3)
Owen Coyle must decide whether to recall Jussi Jaaskelainen. The Bolton boss has been impressed by the form of Adam Bogdan during Jaaskelainen’s suspension. Kevin Davies will be back from his ban to spearhead the Trotters attack. However, Gary Cahill serves the final game of a three-match suspension.
Alex Ferguson is expected to ring the changes following United’s midweek Carling Cup triumph over Scunthorpe. It would be no surprise if only Rio Ferdinand kept his place at the Reebok Stadium. Ferguson has reported an encouraging return to training for Owen Hargreaves after his knee problems, although he is not under consideration for this game and fellow midfielder Michael Carrick (Achilles) is still sidelined.
Last season: Bolton 0 Man Utd 4, Man Utd 2 Bolton 1
Last five league matches:Bolton D W D L D; Man Utd W D W D W
Top scorers (all competitions):Johan Elmander (Bolton) 3; Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 6
Match odds:H 6-1 A 1-2 D 3-1
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Newcastle (6) v Stoke (17)
Magpies defender James Perch is back from suspension and Sol Campbell will also hope for a start. Tim Krul deputises in goal for Steve Harper (shoulder) but the game comes too soon for Danny Simpson (ankle) and Danny Guthrie (knee) despite their return to training, while Steven Taylor (shoulder) is expected to resume in two weeks’ time. Dan Gosling (knee) is still some way away.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis will make changes after using fringe players in the Carling Cup win over Fulham. Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen returns and winger Jermaine Pennant (hamstring) should also be in the squad, while the likes of defender Abdoulaye Faye and forward John Walters are also set to reclaim their places.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Newcastle L W D L W; Stoke L L L W D
Top scorers (all competitions):Andy Carroll (Newcastle) 4; Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 2
Match odds:H 19-20 A 3-1 D 23-10
Referee:Michael Jones (Cheshire)
Wolves (15) v Aston Villa (8)
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has no new injury or suspension concerns and will likely revert to the side which played at Tottenham last weekend after a much-changed team struggled to beat Notts County in the Carling Cup. Michael Kightly (knee), Stephen Hunt (foot) and Ronald Zubar (ankle) remain sidelined.
Villa skipper Gabriel Agbonlahor is winning his battle to be fit after being substituted during the first half of the Carling Cup win over Blackburn with tight calves. Midfielder Stephen Ireland is also making good progress after suffering a dead leg in training but defender Richard Dunne (knee) is again out, although boss Gerard Houllier is optimistic he will be fit to return against Tottenham next weekend.
Last season:Aston Villa 2 Wolves 2, Wolves 1 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches:Wolves W D D L L; Aston Villa W L W L D
Top scorers (all competitions):Sylvan Ebanks-Blake & Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 2; Stewart Downing (Aston Villa) 2
Match odds:H 15-8 A 6-4 D 11-5
Referee:Mark Halsey (Lancashire).