Team news ahead of the weekend's Premier League action.
Saturday, May 2
Chelsea (3) v Fulham (7)
Chelsea are without midfielder Deco and defender Ricardo Carvalho, who are struggling to regain fitness following hamstring problems. Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira are out for the season with knee injuries.
Fulham striker Andrew Johnson has a knee injury so Bobby Zamora will partner Erik Nevland up front. Simon Davies will miss the remainder of the season as he needs surgery on a foot problem while Giles Barnes misses the game with an Achilles injury and will return to training next week.
Last season:Fulham 1 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 0 Fulham 0
Last five league matches:Chelsea L W W D W; Fulham W L W D W
Top scorers:Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 21; Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 10
Match odds:H 4-9 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee:Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Man City (9) v Blackburn (15)
City boss Mark Hughes will give Micah Richards every chance to recover from a knee injury. With Shaun Wright-Phillips (ankle) almost certainly ruled out, Hughes is set to name an unchanged line-up if Richards can prove his fitness. Gelson Fernandes stands by to replace the England defender.
Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has confirmed that David Dunn will miss the remaining four games of the season after an operation on his Achilles. Rovers will again be without strikers Roque Santa Cruz (knee) and Jason Roberts (fractured metatarsal).
Last season:Man City 2 Blackburn 2, Blackburn 1 Man City 0
Last five league matches:Man City W L L W W; Blackburn D W L L W
Top scorers:Robinho (Man City) 14; Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 12
Match odds:H 10-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral)
Middlesbrough (19) v Man Utd (1)
Only Emanuel Pogatetz (knee) and Chris Riggott (ankle) have been ruled out of the game at the Riverside and Boro boss Gareth Southgate is hopeful they will be the only absentees. Midfielder Didier Digard, a substitute at Arsenal after a lengthy lay-off, will again be in contention, although he is short of full match-fitness.
With Rio Ferdinand ruled out by a rib injury, Wes Brown has been drafted into the United squad as cover for Jonny Evans following his recovery from a foot injury.
Last season:Middlesbrough 2 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 4 Middlesbrough 1
Last five league matches:Middlesbrough L L W D L; Man Utd L W W W W
Top scorers:Afonso Alves, Marlon King & Tuncay Sanli (Middlesbrough) 7; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 23
Match odds:H 13-2 A 4-9 D 16-5
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Portsmouth (14) v Arsenal (4)
Jermaine Pennant and Younes Kaboul (thigh) could be recalled to Pompey’s starting line-up but midfielder Niko Kranjcar (ankle) is out for the rest of the season. David Nugent aggravated a hip injury at Newcastle while boss Paul Hart admits “a few other bumps and bruises” among his squad. Armand Traore is ineligible.
Arsenal are without Robin van Persie, striker Eduardo and defender Mikael Silvestre (all groin). However, Andrey Arshavin is available again having been cup-tied for the midweek European tie at Manchester United. Left-back Gael Clichy (back) remains sidelined, while centre-half William Gallas (knee) and long-term absentee Tomas Rosicky will miss the rest of the campaign.
Last season:Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 3 Portsmouth 1
Last five league matches:Portsmouth D D W L D; Arsenal W W W D W
Top scorers:Peter Crouch (Portsmouth) 16; Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) 17
Match odds:H 13-5 A 21-20 D 23-10
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Stoke (12) v West Ham (8)
Stoke striker James Beattie faces a fitness test on his injured thigh after sitting out the defeat by Fulham. Full-back Andy Wilkinson remains doubtful with a back problem while Amdy Faye, Danny Higginbotham, Mamady Sidibe and Salif Diao are all ruled out.
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has no fresh injury worries. Jack Collison (knee) is back in full training and Carlton Cole (groin) is undergoing a specialised programme but neither will be ready.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Stoke W W D W L; West Ham D W L D L
Top scorers: James Beattie (Stoke) 18; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 11
Match odds:H 7-5 A 15-8 D 23-10
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
Tottenham (10) v West Brom (20)
Spurs have strikers Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko back in the squad. Defoe missed the defeat at Manchester United because of a family bereavement,
while Pavlyuchenko returns after a back injury, giving Spurs options as Darren Bent (knee) is out. Michael Dawson (ankle) will also miss out but Fraizer
Campbell is in contention after being ineligible for the Old Trafford game.
Defender Abdoulaye Meite is ruled out after picked up a hamstring injury against Sunderland — youngster Shelton Martis is set to deputise. Graham Dorrans is battling to overcome a foot injury while fellow midfielder James Morrison is again ruled out with a heel problem.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Tottenham W L W W L; West Brom D L D L W
Top scorers:Darren Bent (Tottenham) 17; Chris Brunt (West Brom) 7
Match odds:H 1-2 A 11-2 D 3-1
Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire)
Wigan (11) v Bolton (13)
Wigan striker Mido is recovering well from a shoulder problem and should be fit. Fellow striker Amr Zaki may be given his first start alongside his compatriot since March 4.
Bolton defenders Ricardo Gardner and Danny Shittu should be available. Gardner has been nursing a hamstring and Shittu has been troubled by a calf strain. The pair should be passed fit along with Andy O’Brien (cramp), leaving midfield knee injury victims Mark Davies and Joey O’Brien as the only absentees.
Last season: Wigan 1 Bolton 0, Bolton 4 Wigan 1
Last five league matches:Wigan W W L L L; Bolton D W L L D
Top scorers: Amr Zaki (Wigan) 11; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 12
Match odds:H 23-20 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Sunday, May 3
Liverpool (2) v Newcastle (18)
Steven Gerrard will return from injury to lead Liverpool. Gerrard has missed four games with a groin problem but has returned to full training this week and will be back in midfield. The Reds have no other injury problems.
Magpies boss Alan Shearer is without key defenders Jose Enrique and Steven Taylor. Enrique is out with the hamstring problem picked up against Portsmouth, while Taylor (ankle) remains on the sidelines. Jonas Gutierrez (ankle) is fit and Joey Barton is included in the squad once again.
Last season:Liverpool 3 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 0 Liverpool 3
Last five league matches:Liverpool W W W D W; Newcastle L L D L D
Top scorers:Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 21; Michael Owen (Newcastle) 10
Match odds:H 2-7 A 10-1 D 4-1
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Sunderland (16) v Everton (6)
Sunderland could be without #9million record signing Craig Gordon (knee) for the rest of the campaign. Nyron Nosworthy (hamstring) will definitely not play again this season, while Northern Ireland defender George McCartney has a calf injury.
Midfielder Jack Rodwell is doubtful for Everton with a hamstring injury. Centre-back Phil Jagielka is recuperating after surgery on a ruptured knee ligament but on-loan Manchester City striker Jo returns to the squad after being ineligible to face his parent club last Saturday.
Last season:Sunderland 0 Everton 1, Everton 7 Sunderland 1
Last five league matches:Sunderland L L L W L; Everton L W D D L
Top scorers:Djibril Cisse (Sunderland) 11; Tim Cahill (Everton) 9
Match odds:H 6-4 A 9-5 D 11-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Monday, May 4
Aston Villa (5) v Hull (17)
Villa’s Luke Young will have to play through the pain barrier if he is to figure. The right-back has a foot injury which has dogged him for several weeks despite painkilling injections but Villa hope he can return to training tomorrow. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker may be involved after recent hamstring and knee setbacks.
Hull striker Caleb Folan is suspended but captain Ian Ashbee returns after two games suspended. Folan’s absence could see Daniel Cousin make his first start since suffering a back injury since last month while left-back Andy Dawson is also in contention.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Aston Villa L L D D D; Hull L D L L L
Top scorers:Gabriel Agbonlahor & John Carew (Aston Villa) 13; Geovanni (Hull) 8
Match odds: H 1-2 A 11-2 D 3-1
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
