Soccer:All the latest on injuries, suspensions, new signings and who's likely to be in action this weekend.
Saturday, August 25
Aston Villa (15) v Everton (7)
Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso will boost manager Paul Lambert's attacking options after recovering from a thigh injury, while defender Chris Herd will also be included. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor (knee), defender Richard Dunne (groin)and winger Marc Albrighton (foot) are still sidelined while youngster Samir Carruthers has an ankle problem.
Everton manager David Moyes will make a late decision on whether to include Kevin Mirallas in his squad. The Belgium international has only had a couple of days’ training since signing on Sunday and although he has had intensive sessions Moyes is unsure about the player’s fitness. Sylvain Distin (back) and Nikica Jelavic (groin) are minor injury concerns.
Last season:Aston Villa 1 Everton 1, Everton 2 Aston Villa 2
Last five league matches:Aston Villa L D D L L; Everton W D D W W
Top scorers:Marouane Fellaini (Everton) 1
Match odds:H 15-8 A 6-4 D 11-5
Referee:Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Chelsea (1) v Newcastle (6)
Chelsea are likely to be without captain John Terry (neck), although David Luiz is expected to be fit after sitting out the 4-2 victory over Reading in midweek. Marko Marin remains unavailable because of a hamstring injury.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will make late checks on skipper Fabricio Coloccini and striker Demba Ba after the pair were among nine men who missed or were rested for the 1-1 Europa League play-off draw at Atromitos, the Argentinian with a thigh problem and the Senegal international with a sore shin. Pardew is hoping both will be fit after training in London this evening, although Cheick Tiote (calf) and Shola Ameobi (hamstring) remain doubts.
Last season:Chelsea 0 Newcastle 2, Newcastle 0 Chelsea 3
Last five league matches:Chelsea L L W W W; Newcastle L W L L W
Top scorers:Frank Lampard & Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea) 2; Hatem Ben Arfa & Demba Ba (Newcastle) 1
Match odds:H 1-2 A 11-2 D 16-5
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Man Utd (16) v Fulham (2)
Robin van Persie is set to make his first start while fellow Dutchman Alexander Buttner will be involved, most likely starting on the bench. United will once again be without the defensive quartet of Phil Jones (back), Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling (both foot) and Rio Ferdinand (leg) that was unavailable for the Everton game.
Clint Dempsey will be missing from Fulham’s squad once again while Kerim Frei (pelvis) and Philippe Senderos (foot) are unavailable, but Zdenek Grygera (knee) has been passed fit.
Last season:Man Utd 1 Fulham 0, Fulham 0 Man Utd 5
Last five league matches:Man Utd D L W W L; Fulham L W W L W
Top scorers:Mladen Petric (Fulham) 2
Match odds:H 7-20 A 8-1 D 19-5
Referee:Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Norwich (19) v QPR (20)
Norwich will be without winger Elliott Bennett, who has a knee problem, although new signings Sebastien Bassong and Javier Garrido, who now has international clearance on his season-long loan from Lazio, are both in contention. Steven Whittaker (ankle), midfielders Jacob Butterfield (knee) and David Fox (knee) and defender Elliott Ward (ankle) all continue their rehabilitation.
New signing Jose Bosingwa could make his QPR debut after last week’s embarrassing 5-0 home defeat to Swansea. Only Alejandro Faurlin and Kieron Dyer are definite absentees as they both lack match sharpness following long injury lay-offs.
Last season:QPR 1 Norwich 2, Norwich 2 QPR 1
Last five league matches:Norwich L L D W L; QPR W L W L L
Match odds:H 11-8 A 19-10 D 12-5
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Southampton (13) v Wigan (17)
Jack Cork remains Southampton’s only injury concern and Tadanari Lee could be involved after he played 70 minutes for the development team this week following a foot injury.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is monitoring the fitness of wide man Jean Beausejour who missed last Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea due to a soft tissue problem. Fellow midfielders James McArthur (back) and Shaun Maloney (dead leg), who both had to be substituted during the Chelsea contest, could also play a part.
Last season:No Corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Southampton L W L W L; Wigan L W W W L
Top scorers:Steven Davis & Rickie Lambert (Southampton) 1
Match odds:H 23-20 A 9-4 D 5-2
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Sunderland (11) v Reading (12)
Steven Fletcher could make his Sunderland debut after he joined from Wolves for an undisclosed fee although Wes Brown (knee ligaments), Phil Bardsley (ankle) and David Vaughan (ankle) are still recovering from injuries and will miss out.
Reading boss Brian McDermott has no fresh injury doubts. Jem Karacan is still working his way back from a broken ankle while Jimmy Kebe (hamstring) will not be available until after the international break. Striker Jason Roberts is back from suspension but a calf problem, coupled with a lack of match fitness, means the 34-year-old is unlikely to be involved from the start.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Sunderland D D L L D; Reading W D L D L
Top scorers:Adam Le Fondre, Danny Guthrie & Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) 1
Match odds:H 17-20 A 10-3 D 5-2
Referee:Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Swansea (3) v West Ham (8)
Defender Chico Flores is a doubt for Swansea with a groin problem and will undergo a fitness test, with Alan Tate, Garry Monk and Kyle Bartley all potential replacements. Striker Itay Shechter will miss out as Swansea are still awaiting the completion of the paperwork for his loan move from Kaiserslautern.
Matt Jarvis will go straight into Sam Allardyce’s squad for the match in the only change from last weekend’s win over Aston Villa. Midfielder Jack Collison (knee) remains sidelined while Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga are in contention to break into the starting team.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Swansea D D L W W; West Ham W D W W W
Top scorers:Miguel Michu & Nathan Dyer (Swansea) 2; Kevin Nolan (West Ham) 1
Match odds:H 11-10 A 5-2 D 12-5
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Tottenham (14) v West Brom (4)
Defender Jan Vertonghen is likely to make his Tottenham debut but Luka Modric will not feature. Michael Dawson is available despite holding talks with QPR over a potential move while Emmanuel Adebayor is available after his transfer from Manchester City.Scott Parker (Achilles), Giovani Dos Santos (muscle) and Heurelho Gomes (ankle) are out.
West Brom manager Steve Clarke hopes to have a full squad to choose from and may be able to call on Graham Dorrans as the midfielder’s daughter continues to make progress as she recovers from meningitis in hospital.
Last season:Tottenham 1 West Brom 0, West Brom 1 Tottenham 3
Last five league matches:Tottenham W W D W L; West Brom W D D L W
Top scorers:Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham) 1; Peter Odemwingie, Zoltan Gera & Romelu Lukaku (West Brom) 1
Match odds:H 11-20 A 5-1 D 3-1
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral).
Sunday, August 26
Liverpool (18) v Man City (5)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, striker Luis Suarez and defenders Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson all return to the squad after they were rested for the Europa League clash against Hearts. Andy Carroll, who travelled but missed out with a hamstring problem, will be assessed in the next 48 hours. Centre-back Daniel Agger is suspended after his red card last weekend but fellow defender Jose Enrique could return after a knee injury kept him out at The Hawthorns.
Champions Manchester City are without last season’s top scorer Sergio Aguero after he suffered a knee injury in last week’s defeat of Southampton and is expected to be sidelined until mid-September. Midfielder Gareth Barry (abdominal) is set for a reserves outing but defender Micah Richards (ankle) is still out of action.
Last season:Man City 3 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 1 Man City 1
Last five league matches:Liverpool W L W L L; Man City W W W W W
Top scorers:Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko & Samir Nasri (Man City) 1
Match odds:H 19-10 A 11-8 D 12-5
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Stoke (9) v Arsenal (10)
Tony Pulis has no fresh injury concerns but will be without Dean Whitehead who is serving a one-match ban after he was dismissed in last weekend’s opening league game at Reading. American summer signing Geoff Cameron is available after he was cleared to enter the country, while Jermaine Pennant could return to the squad after recovering from the thigh injury which kept him out from the game against the Royals.
Arsenal will assess goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who has a minor rib problem, but England winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (ankle) is fit again, along with reserve keeper Lukasz Fabianski (back). Defender Laurent Koscielny (calf) will again miss out, along with Tomas Rosicky (hamstring). Midfielder Jack Wilshere continues his rehabilitation from an ankle injury, as does defender Bacary Sagna (broken leg).
Last season:Stoke 1 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 3 Stoke 1
Last five league matches:Stoke D D L D D; Arsenal D D D W D
Top scorers:Michael Kightly (Stoke) 1
Match odds:H 23-10 A 6-5 D 23-10
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire).
