Saturday, August 27
Aston Villa (4) v Wolves (3)
Aston Villa strikers Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey have been declared fit after recovering from hamstring and groin injuries respectively. Chris Herd is favourite to replace Luke Young at right-back.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is poised to name an unchanged side for the third successive league game. McCarthy will have to make a change on the bench, though, after striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake suffered medial ligament damage during the midweek Carling Cup tie at Northampton. Sam Vokes is the likely candidate to step up and provide cover for the Kevin Doyle-Steven Fletcher forward partnership.
Last season: Aston Villa 0 Wolves 1, Wolves 1 Aston Villa 2
Top scorers : Eric Lichaj, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey, Darren Bent & Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa) 1; Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolves) 2
Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Blackburn (19) v Everton (17)
Blackburn boss Steve Kean is expecting to have skipper Christopher Samba (groin) available for the first time this season. Ryan Nelsen will undergo a late fitness test on a knee problem, although Grant Hanley is fit after receiving a blow to the head in Wednesday night’s Carling Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday, and Brett Emerton could play his final game for the club before joining Sydney FC.
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is back in the Everton squad having completed a suspension. Tim Cahill and Jermaine Beckford could feature after missing the midweek Carling Cup victory over Sheffield United due to sickness and a knee problem respectively. Seamus Coleman (ankle) and Magaye Gueye (broken toe) remain sidelined.
Last season: Everton 2 Blackburn 0, Blackburn 1 Everton 0
Top scorers (all competitions): Ruben Rochina (Blackburn) 2; Victor Anichebe & Mikel Arteta (Everton) 1
Match odds: H 21-10 A 23-20 D 2-1
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Chelsea (6) v Norwich (10)
Juan Mata is unlikely to start but the Spain winger, who completed his move from Valencia on Wednesday, could be on the bench. Fellow new boy Oriol Romeu is in contention to start, but the game comes slightly too soon for David Luiz (thigh), while Petr Cech and Michael Essien (both knee) remain sidelined and Daniel Sturridge serves the final instalment of his three-match ban.
Norwich will be without defender Daniel Ayala, who is set to miss up to eight weeks with a knee injury. Playmaker Wes Hoolahan (hamstring) will be monitored and centre-back Leon Barnett returns after a one-match ban. Striker James Vaughan and centre-half Elliott Ward are still sidelined after picking up minor knee injuries during pre-season.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Top scorers (all competitions): Nicolas Anelka & Florent Malouda (Chelsea) 1; Ritchie de Laet & Wesley Hoolahan (Norwich) 1
Match odds: H 1-5 A 17-2 D 9-2
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Liverpool (5) v Bolton (8)
Raul Meireles suffered a collarbone injury in the Reds’ Carling Cup second-round victory at Exeter on Wednesday and manager Kenny Dalglish expects him to be sidelined for a few weeks. Dalglish will check on the condition of Glen Johnson (hamstring), while Steven Gerrard (groin) is still working his way back to fitness.
Marcos Alonso has become the latest Bolton defender to be hit by the club’s injury jinx and faces eight to 12 weeks out after suffering a broken metatarsal in the Carling Cup victory over Macclesfield. He joins Tyrone Mears (broken leg), Sam Ricketts (Achilles) and Gretar Steinsson on the sidelines, although the Icelander could come into contention for the visit to Anfield after suffering bruising to his foot against Manchester City. Tuncay Sanli will hope to retain his starting role after scoring on his debut against Macclesfield in midweek, but Ricardo Gardner may miss out again as he struggles to overcome a groin problem.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Bolton 1, Bolton 0 Liverpool 1
Top scorers (all competitions): Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 3; Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 2
Match odds: H 2-5 A 11-2 D 3-1
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Swansea (16) v Sunderland (13)
Garry Monk (foot) and Ferrie Bodde (knee) are the only absentees as Swansea go in search of a first Premier League win. Rodgers is expected to stick with the majority of the side that drew with Wigan last weekend after being unimpressed by the performance of those given a chance in the shock Carling Cup defeat at Shrewsbury.
Summer signing John O’Shea will make his competitive debut for Sunderland. The former Manchester United defender has finally shaken off the hamstring injury which has sidelined him for five weeks and manager Steve Bruce has indicated he will play at the Liberty Stadium. Bruce faces a decision over his goalkeepers after replacing Simon Mignolet with Keiren Westwood for the Carling Cup defeat at Brighton in midweek, but Craig Gordon, Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (all knee) are still sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Top scorers (all competitions): No scorers (Swansea); Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) 1
Match odds: H 6-5 A 2-1 D 2-1
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
Wigan (12) v QPR (9)
Wigan will be without defensive duo Steve Gohouri (calf) and Antolin Alcaraz (muscle tear), with the Paraguayan set to be absent for around two months. Hugo Rodallega has yet to start a Premier League game after featuring for Colombia in the Copa America but he has appeared from the bench in the previous two
matches and is in contention to start this weekend. Victor Moses is rated at 50/50 after suffering a knock at Swansea.
QPR duo Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell are set to return after missing out against Everton last weekend with a virus, which manager Neil Warnock admits is now affecting some of his other players. Warnock will be without Clint Hill (suspension), Kieron Dyer (foot), Jamie Mackie (leg) and Rob Hulse (knee) on Saturday, while Bradley Orr will be handed a late fitness test after limping out of the midweek Carling Cup defeat to Rochdale.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Top scorers (all competitions): Adrian Lopez & Ben Watson (Wigan) 1; Tommy Smith (QPR) 1
Match odds: H 5-4 A 19-10 D 2-1
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Sunday, August 28
Manchester United (2) v Arsenal (14)
Darren Fletcher will return to Manchester United’s squad. The Scotland skipper has struggled to shake off the effects of a virus he was struck down by in March but, after coming through his second 90-minute reserve-team outing on Thursday night against Swansea, has been drafted into manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans. Rio Ferdinand (hamstring) and Antonio Valencia (ankle) have been training, but Nemanja Vidic (calf) and Rafael (shoulder) are definitely out.
Alex Song, Gervinho and Emmanuel Frimpong are suspended for Arsenal. Jack Wilshere saw a specialist today but the club are still waiting for an update on his ankle injury which is expected to keep him out for three more weeks. Nicklas Bendtner is sidelined with an ankle problem and Sebastien Squillaci is also out, along with Kieran Gibbs (hamstring) and Abou Diaby (ankle). Defender Thomas Vermaelen will have a fitness test on Saturday but is expected to be fit and Laurent Koscielny came through a similar check on his back problem on Fridaymorning.
Last season: Arsenal 1 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 1 Arsenal 0
Top scorers (all competitions): Nani & Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 2; Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 2
Match odds: H 4-9 A 5-1 D 14-5
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Newcastle (7) v Fulham (15)
Joey Barton is unlikely to be included in the Newcastle squad with his future still unclear as he mulls over a move to QPR. Central defender Mike Williamson is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury in the 2-1 Carling Cup victory at Scunthorpe, while keeper Steve Harper will miss out with a knee problem and striker Shola Ameobi could be limited by a hip injury.
Fulham pair Bobby Zamora (ankle) and John Arne Riise (groin) are doubts, while Simon Davies could face a further five months out with a knee injury.
Last season: Fulham 1 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 0 Fulham 0
Top scorers (all competitions): Ryan Taylor (Newcastle) 1; Danny Murphy & Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 3
Match odds: H 1-1 A 12-5 D 21-10
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Tottenham (20) v Manchester City (1)
Luka Modric looks set to make his first Tottenham appearance of the season. The wantaway Croatian has been carrying what has been officially diagnosed as a minor hamstring complaint but should be fit, along with Jermaine Jenas (Achilles) and Alan Hutton (knee). William Gallas (calf), Steven Pienaar (groin), Ledley King, Wilson Palacios and Sandro (all knee) miss out while loan signing Emmanuel Adebayor is unavailable to play against his parent club.
New signing Samir Nasri could make his Manchester City debut but midfielder Nigel de Jong is out with a foot problem. Carlos Tevez could also feature but is again likely to be on the bench due to a lack of match sharpness.
Last season: Man City 1 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 0 Man City 0
Top scorers: Rafael van der Vaart, Jake Livermore, Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe & Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) 1; Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) 3
Match odds: H 8-5 A 11-8 D 11-5
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
West Brom (18) v Stoke (11)
West Brom coach Roy Hodgson is considering whether to give a first start of the season to striker Peter Odemwingie, who has recovered from an ankle injury suffered in pre-season and came on as a substitute during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea. Midfielder Zoltan Gera is the only player currently sidelined as he builds up his fitness after ankle surgery.
Stoke have influential duo Robert Huth and Matthew Etherington back after the pair were suspended for the Europa League play-off second leg clash with FC Thun. Manager Tony Pulis withdrew Jermaine Pennant in the second half of that game as a precaution and hopes the winger will be fit to face the Baggies,
while Rory Delap will also be assessed for a hamstring problem.
Last season: Stoke 1 West Brom 1, West Brom 0 Stoke 3
Top scorers: Shane Long & Marc-Antoine Fortune (West Brom) 2; Kenwyne Jones, Jonathan Walters, Ryan Shotton & Danny Pugh (Stoke) 1
Match odds: H 1-1 A 12-5 D 21-10
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
