Weekend Premier League team news.
Blackburn (18) v Wolves (13)
Midfielder Steven N’Zonzi is a doubt for Rovers after picking up an unspecified injury with France Under-21s. Brett Emerton (thigh) is fit, Franco Di Santo is back in full training after hamstring trouble and Ryan Nelsen should figure after knee trouble, although Steven Reid (ankle) is still struggling.
Wolves are still without Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (hamstring), Michael Kightly and Chris Iwelumo (both metatarsal) and Kevin Foley (knee). Defender Stephen Ward and goalkeeper Matt Murray (both knee) are long-term absentees, while new signings Segundo Castillo and Stefan Maierhofer could both make their debuts.
Last season:
No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
Blackburn L D L L D; Wolves W L W L D
Top scorers:
Gael Givet (Blackburn) 1; Andy Keogh & Richard Stearman (Wolves) 1
Match odds:
H 17-20 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee:
Steve Bennett (Kent)
Liverpool (7) v Burnley (10)
Liverpool expect to have Fabio Aurelio back in their squad for the first time this season, after the full-back’s recovery from summer knee surgery. Manager Rafael Benitez does not expect any injury problems from the international matches his players have been involved in this week.
Burnley boss Owen Coyle will check on the fitness of internationals Steven Fletcher, Graham Alexander, Martin Paterson and Cameroon defender Andre Bikey, who were not due to resume training until today. Steven Caldwell is again out with groin trouble but fellow defenders Richard Eckersley (suspension) and Michael Duff (ankle) are back and on-loan David Nugent, a former Liverpool youth academy player, hopes to feature.
Last season:
No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
Liverpool W L W L W; Burnley W L W W L
Top scorers:
Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 3; Robbie Blake & Wade Elliott (Burnley) 2
Match odds:
H 1-6 A 16-1 D 11-2
Referee:
Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Man City (4) v Arsenal (6)
Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez tweaked his knee on World Cup qualifying duty last weekend and is out, while City will wait for the results of scans on Robinho’s ankle injury before deciding whether the Brazilian will face the Gunners.
Arsenal are without midfielder Andrey Arshavin (groin), but captain Cesc Fabregas is expected to return from a hamstring problem. Winger Tomas Rosicky may still be short of full match fitness, but Theo Walcott (back) has returned to training. Defender Johan Djourou (knee), winger Samir Nasri (broken leg) and reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (knee) are all out.
Last season:
Arsenal 2 Man City 0, Man City 3 Arsenal 0
Last five league matches:
Man City L W W W W; Arsenal D W W W L
Top scorers:
Emmanuel Adebayor (Man City) 3; Abou Diaby, Cesc Fabregas & William Gallas (Arsenal) 2
Match odds:
H 19-10 A 7-5 D 23-10
Referee:
Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Portsmouth (20) v Bolton (19)
Goalkeeper David James may return from a knee injury but hamstring problems again sideline Papa Bouba Diop and Steve Finnan, while Herman Hreidarsson has a foot injury. Kevin Prince-Boateng, Hassan Yebda, Danny Webber, Tal Ben-Haim, Jamie O’Hara, Mike Williamson and Aruna Dindane could all make their debuts.
On-loan Croatian Ivan Klasnic is set to be named in Bolton’s squad. Fellow striker Johan Elmander picked up a slight strain playing for Sweden but is expected to be fit, midfielder Mark Davies has recovered from a knock but Gavin McCann is a doubt and midfielder Sean Davis serves a one-match suspension.
Last season:
Portsmouth 1 Bolton 0, Bolton 2 Portsmouth 1
Last five league matches:
Portsmouth L L L L L; Bolton D L L L L
Top scorers
: Younes Kaboul (Portsmouth) 1; Tamir Cohen & Kevin Davies (Bolton) 4
Match odds
: H 6-4 A 15-8 D 11-5
Referee:
Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Stoke (5) v Chelsea (1)
Striker James Beattie requires a late fitness test after damaging knee ligaments, although a course of sugar injections has speeded his recovery. Boss Tony Pulis will also assess his international quartet of Thomas Sorensen, Glenn Whelan, Liam Lawrence and Tuncay Sanli before finalising his starting line-up.
Blues midfielder Deco has been ruled out with a calf injury sustained on international duty with Portugal in midweek. Midfielder Yuri Zhirkov is also out with a knee injury, along with defender Alex (groin). Joe Cole (knee) and Paulo Ferreira (knee) are back in training but not considered match fit as yet.
Last season:
Chelsea 2 Stoke 1, Stoke 0 Chelsea 2
Last five league matches:
Stoke L W L D W; Chelsea W W W W W
Top scorers:
Dave Kitson & Ryan Shawcross (Stoke) 2; Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 3
Match odds:
H 8-1 A 4-11 D 18-5
Referee:
Mike Dean (Wirral)
Sunderland (9) v Hull (14)
Wearsiders boss Steve Bruce will make a late decision on whether to hand young goalkeeper Trevor Carson a senior debut, with Craig Gordon (thigh) and Marton Fulop (heel) doubtful. Full-back George McCartney is out with a hamstring injury and Bruce will choose between loan signing John Mensah, Paulo da Silva and Kieran Richardson as a replacement. Midfielder Lee Cattermole should shake off a slight groin injury.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink looks set for his Hull debut, with fellow striker Caleb Folan likely to leave the club on loan. Boss Phil Brown will check on the fitness of Jozy Altidore, who returned from international duty in Trinidad and Tobago this morning. Long-term absentees Ian Ashbee, Jimmy Bullard and Richard
Garcia are still sidelined with knee injuries, as are Dean Marney and Anthony Gardner.
Last season:
Sunderland 1 Hull 0, Hull 1 Sunderland 4
Last five league matches
: Sunderland L W L W L; Hull L L L W D
Top scorers:
Darren Bent & Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland) 2; Stephen Hunt (Hull) 2
Match odds:
H 3-4 A 17-4 D 23-10
Referee:
Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Tottenham (2) v Man Utd (3)
Midfielder Niko Kranjcar is in the Spurs squad following his deadline-day move from Portsmouth. Ledley King will need a final check on his groin injury, while Luka Modric (fibula), Michael Dawson (Achilles), Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and Gareth Bale (knee) miss out. Jermaine Jenas (calf) and Heurelho Gomes (groin) are back in the squad and Sebastien Bassong is available despite a slight knock while on international duty.
Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville are both in contention. Ferdinand has yet to play a competitive match for United this season after a thigh injury but is back in training, while Neville has proved his fitness in a reserve match. Antonio Valencia may be on the bench as the Ecuador winger has had a long journey back
from international duty in Bolivia, while John O’Shea (calf) and Edwin van der Sar (thumb) are out.
Last season:
Man Utd 5 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 0 Man Utd 0
Last five league matches:
Tottenham L W W W W; Man Utd W W L W W
Top scorers:
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 4; Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 4
Match odds
: H 21-10 A 13-10 D 23-10
Referee
: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
Wigan (17) v West Ham (11)
Latics manager Roberto Martinez has almost a fully-fit squad, including Jason Koumas, who has recovered from a muscle problem. Forward Olivier Kapo has returned to training after knee trouble but will take some time to get match-fit. Martinez will assess the fitness of his international players, particularly those who travelled long distances like Hondurans Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa.
West Ham have concerns over midfielder Kieron Dyer’s hamstring. Valon Behrami is back in contention after recovering from a knee problem, while recent signings centre-back Manuel Da Costa and forward Alessandro Diamanti are in the squad. Longer-term absentees Dean Ashton (ankle), Luis Boa Morte (knee) and Herita Ilunga (fractured cheekbone) are still unavailable.
Last season:
Wigan 0 West Ham 1, West Ham 2 Wigan 1
Last five league matches:
Wigan W W L L L; West Ham L W W L D
Top scorers:
Jason Koumas, Hugo Rodallega & Paul Scharner (Wigan) 1; Junior Stanislas (West Ham) 2
Match odds:
H 5-4 A 9-4 D 11-5
Referee
: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Sunday, September 13th
Birmingham (12) v Aston Villa (8)
Blues boss Alex McLeish is weighing up whether to hand a full league debut to striker Christian Benitez after his return from two World Cup qualifiers with Ecuador, while fellow striker Cameron Jerome (ankle) is again sidelined.
New defensive duo Richard Dunne and James Collins could both make their Villa debuts — timely, with Curtis Davies likely to be out until the new year after undergoing surgery on a long-term shoulder problem and Luke Young not yet ready to return from a pre-season thigh setback. Striker Emile Heskey is battling to recover from the tight hamstring suffered in England’s World Cup qualifier against Croatia at Wembley.
Last season:
No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
Birmingham W L W D L; Aston Villa D W L W W
Top scorers:
Lee Bowyer & James McFadden (Birmingham) 2; Gabriel Agbonlahor, Curtis Davies & Ashley Young (Aston Villa) 1
Match odds:
H 12-5 A 6-5 D 11-5
Referee
: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Fulham (15) v Everton (16)
Fulham striker Andrew Johnson will play against his former club after recovering from his collarbone injury. Midfielders Danny Murphy (calf) and Simon Davies (foot) and striker Bobby Zamora (Achilles) are also expected back but goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is a doubt because of a stiff neck, Pascal Zuberbuhler is on stand-by to deputise.
Everton include £16million worth of new talent in their squad. Johnny Heitinga and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov will join two other summer arrivals, fellow defender Sylvain Distin and on-loan Brazilian striker Jo, for the trip to the capital.
Last season:
Fulham 0 Everton 2, Everton 1 Fulham 0
Last five league matches:
Fulham W L W L L; Everton W W L L W
Top scorers:
Bobby Zamora (Fulham) 1; Louis Saha (Everton) 2
Match odds:
H 13-8 A 17-10 D 11-5
Referee:
Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
