Saturday, January 11th
Cardiff (17) v West Ham (19)
Striker Craig Bellamy is back for Cardiff after being sidelined for two months with hamstring and knee problems. New signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem looks set to be named on the bench after arriving from Heerenveen earlier in the week.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will give Andy Carroll as much time as possible to prove his fitness. The club-record signing has yet to play this season due to a foot injury but could play some part in south Wales. Loan recruit Roger Johnson is set to make his league debut with fellow defenders James Collins (groin) and Winston Reid (ankle) still absent, and Joey O’Brien sidelined after taking a knock in midweek. Captain Kevin Nolan is suspended and Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) also misses out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Cardiff W L L D L; West Ham D L L D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff) 5; Ravel Morrison (West Ham) 5
Match odds: H 19-20 A 3-1 D 23-10
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Everton (5) v Norwich (15)
Midfielder Ross Barkley is one of four injury doubts for Everton boss Roberto Martinez. The 20-year-old has a swollen toe on his right foot and will be assessed but Martinez retains hope he can feature along with full-back Leighton Baines (back). Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin (both hamstring) are thought to be a week away from full fitness so John Stones and Antolin Alcaraz could continue their central-defensive partnership. On-loan Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu is still on course for a February comeback from his hamstring injury, while midfielder Darron Gibson (knee) has targeted a return by April.
Norwich will have Dutchman Leroy Fer back from a one-match suspension while fellow midfielders Wes Hoolahan and Bradley Johnson also return to the squad after sitting out last weekend’s FA Cup third-round draw with Fulham, as does captain Sebastien Bassong. Centre-back Michael Turner (hamstring) and Jonny Howson (back) are still sidelined, while Alex Tettey (knee) and Anthony Pilkington (hamstring) have both returned to light training following their own injury lay-offs. Winger Elliott Bennett (knee) is a long-term absentee.
Last season: Norwich 2 Everton 1, Everton 1 Norwich 1
Last five league matches: Everton W W L W D; Norwich D D L L D
Top scorers (all competitions): Romelu Lukaku (Everton) 9; Gary Hooper (Norwich) 7
Match odds: H 4-11 A 8-1 D 7-2
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Fulham (16) v Sunderland (20)
Fulham captain Brede Hangeland could return after a three-month absence. The Norway defender underwent surgery in December to clear sciatic nerve trouble and is back in full training with the Cottagers. Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg will have an ankle complaint assessed before the match, while full-back Kieran Richardson is available after hamstring tightness. Steven Fletcher is set to keep his place in Sunderland’s starting line-up after shrugging off a slight knock sustained in the midweek Capital One Cup win over Manchester United.
Black Cats boss Gus Poyet does not expect any fresh injury concerns and could keep faith in the side that secured their 2-1 first-leg win, although Adam Johnson is pushing for a recall after being singled out by Poyet for special praise.
Last season: Sunderland 2 Fulham 2, Fulham 1 Sunderland 3
Last five league matches: Fulham L L W L W; Sunderland D D W D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham) 5; Fabio Borini, Adam Johnson, Phil Bardsley, Steven Fletcher & Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) 3
Match odds: H 6-5 A 12-5 D 11-5
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Hull (10) v Chelsea (3)
As many as nine Hull players have shown symptoms of a sickness bug over the past week but most are expecting to be fully fit. Paul McShane is out for three to four weeks with an ankle injury sustained at Middlesbrough last weekend, while Sone Aluko (Achilles) and Robbie Brady (groin) remain out. Chelsea have no fresh fitness concerns.
Kevin de Bruyne is unlikely to be included after negotiations for the Belgium forward’s exit gathered pace, midfielder Frank Lampard (calf) and right-back Branislav Ivanovic (knee) are out until the end of the month and Marco van Ginkel (knee) is continuing his rehabilitation.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Hull D D L W L; Chelsea W D W W W
Top scorers: Matt Fryatt (Hull) 5; Eden Hazard (Chelsea) 10
Match odds: H 5-1 A 4-7 D 11-4
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Manchester United (7) v Swansea (13)
Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie will again be missing for United. Rooney has been sent for some warm-weather training as he tries to overcome a groin problem that has kept him out of United’s last two games, while Van Persie has not recovered from a thigh strain which has sidelined him for a month. In addition, Rio Ferdinand (knee), Phil Jones (knee), Marouane Fellaini (wrist), Nani (hamstring) and Ashley Young (shoulder) are injured, while Fabio is suspended.
Swansea’s injury woes have deepened, with Jonathan de Guzman, Roland Lamah and Dwight Tiendalli joining Nathan Dyer, Pablo Hernandez, Garry Monk, Michel Vorm and Michu on the sidelines. Ashley Williams, Ben Davies and Angel Rangel will return to the back four with Jose Canas and Leon Britton set to start together as deep-lying midfielders.
Last season: Man Utd 2 Swansea 1, Swansea 1 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W L; Swansea D L L D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 11; Wilfried Bony (Swansea) 12
Match odds: H 1-2 A 11-2 D 16-5
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Southampton (9) v West Brom (14)
Artur Boruc could be available for the first time since fracturing his hand in the defeat at Chelsea on December 1 but forward Dani Osvaldo (suspension) and midfielder Victor Wanyama (shin) will definitely miss out. Gaston Ramirez and Rickie Lambert are recovering well after sustaining knocks in the FA Cup victory against Burnley, while Guly do Prado is training well after knee surgery.
West Brom full-back Billy Jones will miss out with an eye injury for caretaker manager Keith Downing’s last game in charge. Goran Popov (neck) is another defensive absentee, while Youssouf Mulumbu and Victor Anichebe are back in training but unlikely to feature. Downing has “one or two” unspecified others who are rated 50-50 to be fit for the match.
Last season: Southampton 0 West Brom 3, West Brom 2 Southampton 0
Last five league matches: Southampton D L W L L; West Brom L D D D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Jay Rodriguez (Southampton) 10; Saido Berahino (West Brom) 8
Match odds: H 8-11 A 7-2 D 11-4
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Tottenham (6) v Crystal Palace (18)
Toronto FC-bound striker Jermain Defoe has overcome a hamstring injury and is available. Midfielder Lewis Holtby (knee), winger Andros Townsend (hamstring) and forward Gylfi Sigurdsson (calf) have overcome their respective injuries and could feature. Erik Lamela (thigh) is a doubt, while Younes Kaboul (thigh), Jan Vertonghen (ankle), Sandro (calf) and Paulinho (ankle) are definitely out.
Striker Cameron Jerome could return up front for Palace after he missed last weekend’s FA Cup win at West Brom with a knee injury. Winger Jimmy Kebe is not in the squad as he has been allowed to leave on loan. Stephen Dobbie was on the bench at the Hawthorns but is not in the Eagles’ 25-man Premier League squad after spending the first half of the season on loan at Blackpool.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Tottenham L W D W W; Crystal Palace L L W L D
Top scorers (all competitions): Roberto Soldado (Tottenham) 10; Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace) 5
Match odds: H 4-11 A 8-1 D 7-2
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Sunday, January 12th
Newcastle (8) v Manchester City (2)
Goalkeeper Tim Krul (shoulder) and midfielder Yohan Cabaye (Achilles) could both return to the Newcastle squad after both missed the FA Cup third round defeat by Cardiff last weekend. However, full-back Davide Santon is a doubt with a thigh problem and is set to join fellow defenders Fabricio Coloccini (knee) and the suspended Mathieu Debuchy on the sidelines.
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure is fit after overcoming a minor ankle knock suffered in midweek. Top scorer Sergio Aguero (calf) remains on the sidelines but could be close to a return while fellow forward Stevan Jovetic and midfielder Jack Rodwell (both hamstring) are also still out. Winger Jesus Navas returns after resting a knee problem while defender Dedryck Boyata is available again after suspension. Defenders Micah Richards and Martin Demichelis are available after injury.
Last season: Man City 4 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 1 Man City 3
Last five league matches: Newcastle D W W L L; Man City W W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Loic Remy (Newcastle) 10; Sergio Aguero (Man City) 19
Match odds: H 7-2 A 7-10 D 3-1
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Stoke (12) v Liverpool (4)
Goalkeeper Jack Butland could make his first Premier League start for Stoke, though Thomas Sorensen is back in training. With Asmir Begovic having broken a finger, Butland came off the bench to replace Sorensen (Achilles) against Everton and started the FA Cup third-round win over Leicester. Robert Huth (knee) also trained with the first team this week but may not be ready, and Andy Wilkinson (heel) remains sidelined. Oussama Assaidi is unavailable to face his parent club.
Striker Daniel Sturridge is set to return to the Liverpool squad after seven weeks on the sidelines with an ankle sprain. The England international returned to full training this week having not featured in a matchday squad since the Merseyside derby on November 23rd. Centre-back Daniel Agger has been ruled out for three to four weeks with a calf strain, but Mamadou Sakho is back after a hamstring injury.
Last season: Stoke 3 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 0 Stoke 0
Last five league matches: Stoke D W L L D; Liverpool W W L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Peter Crouch, Kenwyne Jones & Charlie Adam (Stoke) 5; Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 20
Match odds: H 4-1 A 8-13 D 3-1
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Monday, January 13th
Aston Villa (11) v Arsenal (1)
Aston Villa will assess the condition of defenders Ron Vlaar (calf) and Nathan Baker (hamstring) after both sat out the FA Cup defeat to Sheffield United last Saturday. Forward Gabriel Agbonlahor, who also missed the cup tie, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan are fit despite having had niggles, but the game is too soon for midfielder Chris Herd and defender Joe Bennett to make their comebacks after injury.
Arsenal expect to have forward Olivier Giroud back from an ankle problem and illness, but England forward Theo Walcott has been ruled out for the rest of the season and the World Cup after suffering knee ligament damage in the FA Cup third-round win over Tottenham. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, fit again following his own serious knee injury, could be back in the squad having played for the under-21s on Thursday. Fellow midfielder Aaron Ramsey (thigh) and defender Kieran Gibbs (calf) are also closing in on a return. Captain Thomas Vermaelen (knee) is doubtful, while Nicklas Bendtner (ankle), Yaya Sanogo (back) and Abou Diaby (knee) continue their rehabilitation.
Last season: Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa L L L D W; Arsenal L D W W W
Top scorers: Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) 5; Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) 13
Match odds: H 5-1 A 8-15 D 3-1
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
