Monday, December 26
Bolton (19) v Newcastle (7)
Bolton defender Marcos Alonso has been ruled out for four to six weeks to undergo surgery to replace a pin in his foot. Defender David Wheater is back in contention after serving the final game of a four-match suspension. Midfielder Sean Davis and defender Sam Ricketts stepped up their bids for a first-team comeback with a game for the reserves against Oldham this week.
Yohan Cabaye will return to the Newcastle squad after he missed the 3-2 home defeat by West Brom on Wednesday evening through suspension. Full-back Davide Santon (knee) is being assessed after limping out of the Baggies game and midfielder Danny Guthrie (groin) is still a doubt, while striker Peter Lovenkrands could be sidelined for up to three weeks by a calf injury. Central defender Steven Taylor (Achilles) is expected to sit out the rest of the season and midfielder Dan Gosling completes his three-match ban.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Bolton 1, Bolton 5 Newcastle 1
Last five league matches: Bolton L L L L W; Newcastle D L L D L
Top scorers: Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 7; Demba Ba (Newcastle) 13
Match odds: H 11-8 A 8-5 D 11-5
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
Chelsea (4) v Fulham (13)
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is hopeful David Luiz will spare him a defensive crisis for the west London derby. Villas-Boas found himself down to just one centre-half in the 1-1 draw at Tottenham on Thursday night after Branislav Ivanovic limped off injured, along with midfielder John Obi Mikel. Both look set to miss Monday’s match, but Villas-Boas is optimistic Luiz will return from a knee problem, while he may recall Frank Lampard with Ramires suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season.
Fulham have no fresh injury concerns following their 5-0 defeat against Manchester United. The Cottagers have been boosted by Steve Sidwell’s return to training after a hernia operation although he is unlikely to feature against his former club. He will be joined on the sidelines by fellow midfielder Simon Davies (back), goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (spine) and defender Zdenek Grygera (knee).
Last season: Fulham 0 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 1 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W D D; Fulham D W L W L
Top scorers: Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea) 10; Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 11
Match odds: H 3-10 A 13-2 D 18-5
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Liverpool (6) v Blackburn (20)
Midfielder Jay Spearing returns to Liverpool’s squad after serving a three-match suspension. The 23-year-old provides the defensive option in central midfield but the Reds’ problems lie further upfield, which may mean forward Craig Bellamy earns a recall against his former club having been left out against Wigan on Wednesday. Captain Steven Gerrard is training and is edging closer to a first-team return after two months out.
Beleaguered Blackburn manager Steve Kean is hoping his defence will not be further weakened by the absence of goalkeeper Paul Robinson who has a small tear in his calf muscle. Robinson is, however, going to attempt to play through the problem by having it strapped up. Martin Olsson (hamstring) and Ryan Nelsen (knee) are out while Gael Givet, who had a successful operation on his heart yesterday, could be back in training next week.
Last season: Blackburn 3 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 2 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool D L W W D; Blackburn L W L L L
Top scorers: Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 8; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Blackburn) 11
Match odds: H 1-4 A 8-1 D 19-5
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Man Utd (2) v Wigan (18)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expects defender Phil Jones to be available after scans showed he did not suffer a broken cheekbone at Fulham on Wednesday. However, Ashley Young (knee) is out for a few weeks, joining Tom Cleverley (ankle), Michael Owen (thigh) and Anderson (knee) on the sidelines, along with long-term casualties Nemanja Vidic (knee) and Darren Fletcher (bowel condition).
Wigan will assess defender Steve Gohouri (flu) and striker Hugo Rodallega before the short trip to Old Trafford. Rodallega picked up a heavy knock during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, but played against Liverpool in midweek and he will be checked again. James McCarthy is also expected to be available despite also suffering a knock against Liverpool.
Last season: Wigan 0 Man Utd 4, Man Utd 2 Wigan 0
Last five league matches: Man Utd D W W W W; Wigan W L W D D
Top scorers: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 16; Franco Di Santo & Jordi Gomez (Wigan)
Match odds: H 3-20 A 11-1 D 5-1
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Stoke (8) v Aston Villa (12)
Striker Peter Crouch is expected to be back in contention for Stoke after he missed the defeat at Manchester City on Wednesday through illness. Glenn Whelan (calf) is again doubtful but his fellow midfielder Matthew Etherington could return after a slight strain and defender Ryan Shawcross is back from suspension.
Aston Villa are optimistic joint top-scorer Darren Bent will be available having returned to training after being ruled out of the previous two games with a thigh injury. Fellow striker Emile Heskey (Achilles) and central defender James Collins (knee) are also expected to be in contention after missing the midweek home defeat against Arsenal but full-back Alan Hutton will be suspended after his sending-off against the Gunners.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 Stoke 1, Stoke 2 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches: Stoke W W W W L; Aston Villa D L W L L
Top scorers: Kenwyne Jones, Peter Crouch & Jonathan Walters (Stoke) 6; Darren Bent & Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 5
Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 9-4
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Sunderland (15) v Everton (11)
Sunderland striker Connor Wickham is unlikely to make the Boxing Day clash with Everton despite receiving better news of his injured knee. The teenager missed the 3-2 win at QPR and, while encouraged by what he was told by his specialist, he may not be ready for Monday’s game. Striker Fraizer Campbell (knee) played 75 minutes of a practice match on Friday morning, but is still short of match fitness, as is goalkeeper Craig Gordon (knee).
Everton are without winger Seamus Coleman who could be out for two weeks after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Swansea. Midfielder Jack Rodwell and forward Conor McAleny (both hamstring) are battling to prove their fitness.
Last season: Everton 2 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 2 Everton 2
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L W L W; Everton W L L D W
Top scorers: Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) 5; Leon Osman & Apostolos Vellios (Everton) 3
Match odds: H 13-10 A 7-4 D 21-10
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
West Brom (10) v Man City (1)
West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson expects midfielder James Morrison will have recovered from the hamstring injury which forced him to miss the 3-2 win at Newcastle in midweek. But doubts surround full-back Steven Reid (ankle), midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu (groin) and winger Jerome Thomas (ankle) after all three suffered knocks at St James’ Park.
Edin Dzeko is Manchester City’s main injury concern after the Bosnian striker was forced to miss the midweek win over Stoke with an ankle knock. Manager Roberto Mancini does not believe the damage is too extensive though and also thinks defender Micah Richards will shake off a calf injury.
Last season: Man City 3 West Brom 0, West Brom 0 Man City 2
Last five league matches: West Brom L D L W W; Man City D W L W W
Top scorers: Shane Long (West Brom) 5; Sergio Aguero (Man City) 15
Match odds: H 5-1 A 2-5 D 16-5
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Tuesday, December 27
Norwich (9) v Tottenham (3)
Norwich have no fresh injury concerns although defender Kyle Naughton, on loan from Spurs, will miss the match through suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Wolves in midweek. Former Everton striker James Vaughan is on course for a return in the new year from his knee problem, along with centre-back Elliott Ward (knee). On-loan Manchester United defender Ritchie de Laet (back) could return against Spurs.
Tottenham forward Rafael van der Vaart is likely to miss Tuesday’s trip to Norwich after suffering a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Thursday. Spurs will give tests to Jermain Defoe and Younes Kaboul (both hamstring) while Ledley King is unlikely to play having completed two games in five days while Aaron Lennon (hamstring), Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Norwich W L W D D; Tottenham W W L W D
Top scorers: Grant Holt (Norwich) 7; Emmanuel Adebayor & Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 9
Match odds: H 14-5 A 8-11 D 13-5
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Swansea (14) v QPR (16)
Left-back Neil Taylor is Swansea’s only major fitness doubt after he suffered a knee injury in the 1-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park. Scans revealed there is no ligament damage, however, and he still has a chance of featuring against QPR. Winger Nathan Dyer is also set to be available, after missing out with a foot problem against the Toffees.
QPR will again be without Anton Ferdinand despite the defender returning to light training on Friday after a hamstring injury. Shaun Wright-Phillips went for a precautionary scan on a knee complaint on Friday morning, while fellow midfielder Kieron Dyer is out for the season after undergoing foot surgery.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Swansea D L W D L; QPR L D L L L
Top scorers: Danny Graham (Swansea) 5; Heidar Helguson (QPR) 7
Match odds: H 19-20 A 12-5 D 11-5
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Arsenal (5) v Wolverhampton (17)
Arsenal defender Johan Djourou is ahead of schedule in his return from a groin injury and could play against Wolves. Kieran Gibbs (groin), Andre Santos (ankle), Carl Jenkinson (back) and Bacary Sagna (ankle) are unavailable, meaning Francis Coquelin, Ignasi Miquel or Sebastien Squillaci could make a rare start in defence. Alex Song returns from suspension, but Jack Wilshere (ankle), Lukasz Fabianski (knee), Vito Mannone (shoulder), Abou Diaby (hamstring) and Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) are out.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will check on the availability of midfielder David Edwards and defender Jody Craddock. Edwards has missed the past two games with a groin injury while Craddock played in a behind closed doors friendly against Crewe in midweek after a three-match absence with a hamstring problem. Full-back Kevin Foley also appeared against Crewe — his first action since ankle surgery in October — but he is unlikely to be involved against the Gunners.
Last season: Arsenal 2 Wolverhampton 0, Wolverhampton 0 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches: Arsenal D W W L W; Wolverhampton L W L L D
Top scorers: Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 20; Steven Fletcher (Wolverhampton) 6
Match odds: H 1-5 A 17-2 D 9-2
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).
