Premier League weekend team news, kick-off times, TV details

The top three sides are all in action on Saturday with Liverpool welcoming back Steven Gerrard


Saturday (3pm unless stated)

Manchester City (1) v Wolves (8), 12.30 – Live BT Sport 1
Manchester City will check on Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Nathan Ake. Forward Jesus missed the midweek game at Leipzig with a knock while midfielder Foden (ankle) and defender Ake (back) were substituted. Ferran Torres remains on the casualty list with a broken foot.

Wolves have Willy Boly back available after the defender recovered from a muscle injury. Marcal, who has been absent following a positive coronavirus test, can also be called upon again. Conor Coady and Rayan Ait-Nouri sustained knocks in the 1-0 loss to Liverpool last weekend but are fit.

Last season: Manchester City 4 Wolves 1, Wolves 1 Manchester City 3
Last five league matches: Manchester City W W W W W; Wolves L W D D L
Top scorers: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) 9; Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves) 4
Match odds: H: 1-7; D: 13-2; A: 18-1
Referee: Jon Moss

Arsenal (7) v Southampton (16)
Arsenal could have Emile Smith Rowe back in contention after the England international returned to training on Thursday. Bernd Leno is being assessed ahead of the game after suffering a groin problem in training last week. Gabriel Martinelli is fit and available.

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Veteran goalkeeper Willy Caballero will make his Southampton debut after signing a short-term deal until January 5th. Caballero, the former Manchester City and Chelsea goalkeeper, comes in with Alex McCarthy (hamstring) and Fraser Forster (hip) both ruled out. Jan Bednarek is available after a calf problem, but Che Adams is a doubt and Oriol Romeu is suspended.

Last season: Southampton 1 Arsenal 3, Arsenal 1 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal W L W L L; Southampton W L L D D
Top scorers: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) 7; Armando Broja (Southampton) 5
Match odds: H: 8-13; D: 29-10; A: 9-2
Referee: Jarred Gillett

Chelsea (3) v Leeds (15)
Jorginho will play through the pain of a back problem to ease Chelsea's midfield injury issues. Mateo Kovacic continues isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, while N'Golo Kante could make a tentative return to training next week after knee trouble but will not feature at Stamford Bridge this weekend. Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring) and Ben Chilwell (knee) will also be missing.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is facing up to an injury crisis of his own after losing three players in last week’s draw with Brentford. Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford all sustained hamstring injuries in the fixture and are expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks. Rodrigo is also expected to be absent with a heel injury.

Last season: Leeds 0 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 3 Leeds 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W D W L; Leeds D L D W D
Top scorers: Mason Mount, Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner & Reece James (Chelsea) 5; Raphinha (Leeds) 6
Match odds: H: 3-10; D: 4-1; A: 10-1
Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Liverpool (2) v Aston Villa (10) – Live Premier Sports 1
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota will be assessed, having missed some training this week. The Portugal international – along with a number of rested players – did not travel to Milan for the midweek Champions League tie because of a knock sustained at Wolves last weekend.

Former Liverpool striker Danny Ings could return to the Aston Villa matchday squad. Ings has not featured since a 2-1 victory over Brighton on November 20th because of an unspecified injury, but is now back in full training. Morgan Sanson has recovered from a bout of illness but Bertrand Traore and Leon Bailey remain out.

Last season: Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 7 Liverpool 2
Last five league matches: Liverpool L W W W W; Aston Villa L W W L W
Top scorers: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 20; Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) 4
Match odds: H: 2-9; D: 5-1; A: 12-1
Referee: Stuart Attwell

Norwich (20) v Manchester United (6), 5.30pm – Live on Sky Sports
Norwich are waiting on the PCR tests of a couple of unnamed players. Meanwhile, on-loan Manchester United defender Brandon Williams is not able to play against his parent club, so Dimitrios Giannoulis could come in at left back.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic are fitness doubts for United. Wan-Bissaka suffered wrist and knee injuries during the Champions League draw against Young Boys on Wednesday, and Diogo Dalot is a strong possibility to return at right back. Matic is struggling with a cold and will be assessed, but has tested negative for Covid-19. Edinson Cavani (tendon) and Raphael Varane (hamstring) are back in training but will not feature at Carrow Road.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Norwich W W D D L; Manchester United L L D W W
Top scorers: Teemu Pukki (Norwich) 5; Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 12
Match odds: H: 6-1; D: 17-5; A: 4-9
Referee: Darren England

Sunday (2pm unless stated)

Burnley (18) v West Ham (4)
Burnley forward Maxwel Cornet is a doubt. He limped off with a thigh injury during last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle and has an outside chance of making the game. Manager Sean Dyche will make a late decision on Ben Mee (shoulder), but Connor Roberts has not trained this week because of illness and is doubtful while Ashley Barnes (thigh) and Dale Stephens (Covid-19) are still out.

West Ham will recall their big guns following their midweek night off. David Moyes made 11 changes as the Hammers lost 1-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, with their place in the next round already assured. Aaron Cresswell is a doubt for the trip to Turf Moor, with Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna, Ben Johnson and Ryan Fredericks all injured.

Last season: Burnley 1 West Ham 2, West Ham 1 Burnley 0
Last five league matches: Burnley W D D D L; West Ham W L L D W
Top scorers: Chris Wood & Maxwel Cornet (Burnley) 5; Michail Antonio (West Ham) 7
Match odds: H: 5-2; D: 5-2; A: 21-20
Referee: Graham Scott

Leicester (11) v Newcastle (19) – Live on Sky Sports
Leicester continue to monitor their players amid a Covid outbreak. Kelechi Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez, Jannik Vestergaard, Daniel Amartey, Ademola Lookman, Filip Benkovic and Vontae Daley-Campbell all missed the defeat to Napoli due to illness or for coronavirus-related reasons.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe hopes to have Fabian Schar and Ryan Fraser available after respective rib and hamstring problems. Ciaran Clark returns from suspension but fellow defender Paul Dummett continues to work his way back from a calf injury.

Last season: Leicester 2 Newcastle 4, Newcastle 1 Leicester 2
Last five league matches: Leicester D L W D L; Newcastle D D L D W
Top scorers: Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 9; Callum Wilson (Newcastle) 6
Match odds: H: 7-10; D: 3-1; A: 18-5
Referee: Peter Bankes

Crystal Palace (14) v Everton (12) – Live on Sky Sports
Crystal Palace could be boosted by the return of Joel Ward and Joachim Andersen. Right back Ward missed the 1-0 defeat at Manchester United last weekend due to a one-match suspension but is available. Andersen has been absent since November with a hamstring injury but returned to training this week.

Everton defender Yerry Mina is sidelined again after a calf problem sustained in his comeback match against Arsenal on Monday. The centre back had been out for two months with a hamstring problem but now faces another spell in the treatment room. Striker Salomon Rondon has recovered from the knock which kept him out of the Arsenal game but manager Rafael Benitez has yet to decide whether to bring dropped left-back Lucas Digne back into the squad.

Last season: Everton 1 Crystal Palace 1, Crystal Palace 1 Everton 2
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace W D L L L; Everton D L L L W
Top scorers: Odsonne Edouard (Crystal Palace) 6; Richarlison (Everton) 8
Match odds: H: 5-4; D: 11-5; A: 23-10
Referee: Andrew Madley