Saturday, October 14th
Liverpool (7) v Manchester United (2)
Forward Sadio Mane has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring problem sustained on international duty with Senegal. Philippe Coutinho is likely to be pushed forward to replace him with Emre Can coming back into midfield. Midfielder Adam Lallana continued his recovery from a thigh strain in Qatar this week as he edges closer to a comeback.
Marouane Fellaini looks set to miss out for United after suffering a knee injury on international duty with Belgium. He joins fellow midfielders Michael Carrick and Paul Pogba on the sidelines. Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic continue to recover from serious knee ligament injuries, but Jose Mourinho indicated that Phil Jones and Romelu Lukaku are available.
Last season: Man Utd 1 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
Last five league matches: Liverpool W L D W D; Man Utd W D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 6; Romelu Lukaku (Man Utd) 11
Match odds: H 17-10 A 8-5 D 9-4
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Burnley (6) v West Ham (15)
Burnley remain without Jonathan Walters, Nahki Wells and Dean Marney. The latter has been out since January with knee ligament damage, and recent arrival Wells (foot) is being phased into the under-23 set-up to continue rehabilitation. Walters is several weeks away with a knee problem, leaving Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Sam Vokes to contest the attacking roles.
James Collins is West Ham’s only absentee for the trip to Lancashire after suffering an ankle injury in last month’s 0-0 draw at West Brom. Pedro Obiang and Edimilson Fernandes are again in full training, so manager Slaven Bilic’s only concern surrounds Javier Hernandez. He must determine if the Mexican is sufficiently fresh to start following his return on Thursday from international duty.
Last season: Burnley 1 West Ham 2, West Ham 1 Burnley 0
Last five league matches: Burnley D W D D W; West Ham L W D L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Chris Wood (Burnley) 3; Javier Hernandez & Diafra Sakho (West Ham) 3
Match odds: H 6-4 A 15-8 D 11-5
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Crystal Palace (20) v Chelsea (4)
Wilfried Zaha is expected to return for Crystal Palace having recovered his fitness following a knee injury. The forward’s availability is particularly crucial given the absence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Benteke. Loftus-Cheek is ineligible against his parent club, and Benteke also has a knee injury. Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey faces a late fitness test having hurt his calf while on international duty with Wales.
Chelsea are missing N’Golo Kante, Alvaro Morata and Danny Drinkwater. Kante (hamstring) and Drinkwater (calf) could be out for the next three weeks, but Morata (hamstring) should return for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Roma. Boss Antonio Conte is considering giving starts to youngsters Kyle Scott and Ethan Ampadu.
Last season: Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 2, Crystal Palace 0 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace L L L L L; Chelsea W W D W L
Top scorers (all competitions): James McArthur (Crystal Palace) 2; Alvaro Morata (Chelsea) 7
Match odds: H 9-1 A 4-11 D 7-2
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Manchester City (1) v Stoke (13)
Sergio Aguero could be in contention for City after recovering well from a broken rib suffered in a road accident a fortnight ago. He returned to light training this week and could have a chance of featuring. Captain Vincent Kompany is still out with a calf injury but City have no fresh injuries following the international break. Left-back Benjamin Mendy (knee) is a long-term casualty.
Stoke will be without midfielder Joe Allen, who suffered concussion after taking a blow to the head while on international duty for Wales this week. Defensive duo Ryan Shawcross (back) and Bruno Martins Indi (groin) are also sidelined. Jese Rodriguez, who was given compassionate leave for the win over Southampton before the international break.
Last season: Man City 0 Stoke 0, Stoke 1 Man City 4
Last five league matches: Man City W W W W W; Stoke D D L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Sergio Aguero (Man City) 7; Peter Crouch (Stoke) 3
Match odds: H 2-13 A 16-1 D 13-2
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Swansea (18) v Huddersfield (11)
Renato Sanches is set to miss out for Swansea after suffering a thigh strain on international duty with Portugal. Swans boss Paul Clement will also make a late decision on Wilfried Bony who has been troubled by a nerve problem in his calf which has caused him to experience tightness in his hamstring. But there is better news on Nathan Dyer (Achilles) and Ki Sung-yueng (knee) who are available for the first time this season.
Danny Williams is expected to return to Huddersfield’s squad after recovering from a foot injury. Head coach David Wagner must decide whether to rest Australia international Aaron Mooy. Club record signing Steve Mounie is back in training after missing three league games due to an inflamed heel and may be involved. Collin Quaner (calf), Kasey Palmer (hamstring) and Michael Hefele (Achilles) are still out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Swansea W L D L L; Huddersfield D L D D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Tammy Abraham & Jordan Ayew (Swansea) 3; Steve Mounie (Huddersfield) 2
Match odds: H 11-10 A 11-4 D 21-10
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Tottenham (3) v Bournemouth (19)
Mousa Dembele is struggling to be fit in time for Tottenham. He is more likely to return next week as he nears recovery from an ankle problem while Victor Wanyama is still out with a knee injury. Danny Rose and Erik Lamela are back in training following knee and hip injuries respectively but both are still a few weeks away from full fitness.
Bournemouth will be without Brad Smith after the defender suffered a hip muscle problem on international duty with Australia. Scotland midfielder Ryan Fraser has picked up a hamstring injury, as did Norway forward Josh King, but neither are expected to be long-term absentees.
Last season: Tottenham 4 Bournemouth 0, Bournemouth 0 Tottenham 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham D W D W W; Bournemouth L L W L D
Top scorers (all competitions): Harry Kane (Tottenham) 11; Josh King (Bournemouth) 2
Match odds: H 1-5 A 12-1 D 11-2
Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire)
Watford (8) v Arsenal (5)
Watford manager Marco Silva will take a late decision on the fitness of Andre Carrillo. The winger, on a season-long loan from Benfica, played for Peru in their 1-1 World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Wednesday night. Forward Isaac Success has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury, while Sebastian Prodl (thigh) is a doubt and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) remains sidelined.
Arsene Wenger will assess Alexis Sanchez’s physical and mental condition ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road. Sanchez only arrived back in London on Thursday after missing out on World Cup qualification with Chile but Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck are available, having overcome knee and groin injuries respectively. Shkodran Mustafi suffered a thigh strain over the international break and is set to be out for four to six weeks while Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) and Sead Kolasinac (hip) will be given late fitness tests.
Last season: Arsenal 1 Watford 2, Watford 1 Arsenal 3
Last five league matches: Watford D W L W D; Arsenal L W D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Abdoulaye Doucoure & Richarlison (Watford) 3; Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) 4
Match odds: H 4-1 A 8-13 D 16-5
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Sunday, October 15th
Brighton (14) v Everton (16)
Holland midfielder Davy Propper is fit for Brighton after a hip injury. Sam Baldock (calf) and Beram Kayal (broken leg) are still unavailable, although both are due to play for the under-23s on Monday to step up their comebacks. Striker Tomer Hemed is suspended and midfielder Steve Sidwell has a back injury.
Phil Jagielka is fit again after missing nearly a month for Everton with a hamstring problem and could replace Ashley Williams, whose shaky form continued with a crucial mistake for Wales on Monday. James McCarthy will make his return from a knee injury for the under-23s on Tuesday while Seamus Coleman, Ramiro Funes Mori, Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon and Yannick Bolasie are also sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Brighton D W L W L; Everton L L L W L
Top scorers (all competitions): Tomer Hemed & Pascal Gross (Brighton) 2; Dominic Calvert-Lewin & Oumar Niasse (Everton) 3
Match odds: H 21-10 A 7-5 D 21-10
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Southampton (12) v Newcastle (9)
Forward Shane Long will be available for Southampton. He was absent from the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Wales with a hip injury, but is available for Mauricio Pellegrino.
Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey will be available despite breaking a finger as he intervened in a training ground bust-up. Shelvey was hurt as he intervened between skipper Jamaal Lascelles and Mohamed Diame as tempers flared during the international break, but will play, if selected, wearing a special cast. Manager Rafael Benitez otherwise had no fresh injuries with only defender Paul Dummett (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee) still missing.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Southampton D L W L L; Newcastle W W W L D
Top scorers (all competitions): Charlie Austin, Steven, Dusan Tadic, Maya Yoshida & Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton) 1 ;Mato Joselu, Aleksandar Mitrovic & Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle) 2
Match odds: H 17-20 A 10-3 D 5-2
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Monday, October 16th
Leicester (17) v West Brom (10)
Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi will be fit for Leicester. Vardy was left out of the England squad due to an ongoing hip problem but the striker has recovered during the international break, while a suspected hamstring injury sustained by Ndidi while playing for Nigeria turned out to be just cramp. Defender Ben Chilwell (knee) was withdrawn from the England Under-21 squad as a precaution but he is also fit. Robert Huth (ankle) and Matty James (Achilles) remain unavailable.
Nacer Chadli, James Morrison and Hal Robson-Kanu are all doubts for West Brom. Midfielders Chadli and Morrison have back and calf complaints respectively while Robson-Kanu has a strain which could see him miss out. Oliver Burke will be assessed after playing for Scotland Under-21s while Salomon Rondon will return from South America after international duty with Venezuela to link up with the squad on Saturday.
Last season: West Brom 0 Leicester 1, Leicester 1 West Brom 2
Last five league matches: Leicester L L D L D; West Brom D L D L D
Top scorers (all competitions): Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 5; Salomon Rondon & Jay Rodriguez (West Brom) 2
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 12-5
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
