All the injury news ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League matches where Sunday's meeting of Manchester United and Chelsea takes centre stage.
Saturday, September 20th
Blackburn (18) v Fulham (7)
Rovers could be without key midfielder David Dunn until the new year. Vice-captain Dunn faces surgery on an Achilles injury which will sideline him for three to four months. Vince Grella remains out with a calf injury, but defender Andre Ooijer should return after hamstring trouble.
Fulham midfielder Leon Andreasen returns after a groin strain, while boss Roy Hodgson has no fresh injury concerns and is likely to stick with the side which defeated Bolton last time out. Midfielder Dickson Etuhu could be on the substitutes' bench as he works his way back to fitness.
Last season: Blackburn 1 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Blackburn 2
Last five league matches: Blackburn L W D L L; Fulham W W L W W
Top scorers: Matt Derbyshire and Jason Roberts (Blackburn) 2; Zoltan Gera (Fulham) 2
Match odds: H 11-10 A 5-2 D 23-10
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Bolton (13) v Arsenal (3)
Striker Johan Elmander (hamstring) hopes to return for Wanderers but defender Matt Taylor remains on the sidelines with a broken toe. Gary Cahill is still suspended, while loan signing Ebi Smolarek has only recently linked up with his team-mates and will be given time to settle.
Arsenal are again without midfielder Samir Nasri (knee), while Mikael Silvestre is missing with a muscular problem. Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh), Amaury Bischoff (groin) and striker Eduardo (leg) remain in recovery but there were no fresh injury worries from the midweek trip to Kiev.
Last season: Bolton 2 Arsenal 3, Arsenal 2 Bolton 0
Last five league matches: Bolton D W L D L; Arsenal W W L W W
Top scorers: Kevin Davies (Bolton) 2; Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 4
Match odds: H 5-1 A 8-13 D 13-5
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).
Liverpool (2) v Stoke (19)
Reds boss Rafael Benitez hopes full-back Fabio Aurelio recovers from a calf injury and must decide whether to recall Robbie Keane to partner striker Fernando Torres. Xabi Alonso will contest a midfield role with Lucas, defender Sami Hyypia may win a recall, while winger Albert Riera could replace Ryan Babel.
Only Amdy Faye (suspended) and the injured Andrew Davies are absent for Stoke, while boss Tony Pulis must decide whether to drop Abdoulaye Faye back into defence from midfield. Glenn Whelan will hope for a recall in midfield after excelling there for the Republic of Ireland.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Liverpool W W W D W; Stoke D L W L L
Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 3; Ibrahima Sonko (Stoke) 3
Match odds: H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Sunderland (17) v Middlesbrough (9)
Striker Michael Chopra may return for Sunderland after serving a three-game ban for a pre-season dismissal, although boss Roy Keane may decide one reserve team game is too little football ahead of a Premier League game. Keane otherwise has only long-term absentee Kenwyne Jones (knee) out, with Carlos Edwards back in contention after international action.
Midfield trio Mohamed Shawky (hamstring), Julio Arca (ankle) and Marvin Emnes (hamstring) return for Boro after injury, while defender David Wheater also resumes after missing last week's 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth because of tonsilitis.
Last season: Sunderland 3 Middlesbrough 2, Middlesbrough 2 Sunderland 2
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L W L D; Middlesbrough W W L W L
Top scorers: Phil Bardsley, Djibril Cisse, David Healy and Kieran Richardson (Sunderland) 1; Mido (Middlesbrough) 4
Match odds: H 13-10 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
West Ham (8) v Newcastle (16)
Striker Dean Ashton (ankle) is missing and fellow forward Craig Bellamy is a doubt ahead of Gianfranco Zola's debut in English management because of a hamstring and groin problem.
Magpies midfielder Alan Smith (foot) could be out for three months but winger Damien Duff (knee) and striker Obafemi Martins (groin) may return. Danny Guthrie and Joey Barton are suspended while Mark Viduka and Habib Beye (both Achilles), Jonas Gutierrez (shoulder) and Jose Enrique are still missing.
Last season: West Ham 2 Newcastle 2, Newcastle 3 West Ham 1
Last five league matches: West Ham D W L W L; Newcastle L D W L L
Top scorers: Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole (West Ham) 2; Michael Owen (Newcastle) 2
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 23-10
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Sunday, September 21st
Chelsea (1) v Manchester United (14)
Blues striker Didier Drogba is in contention to play — but is not considered ready for 90 minutes by manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Michael Ballack has recovered from a foot problem but has only trained properly this week. Michael Essien is a long-term absentee with a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov is fit after knee trouble and Cristiano Ronaldo may start after coming off the bench in the Champions League match against Villarreal following two months out following ankle surgery. Defender Nemanja Vidic is suspended and keeper Ben Foster is out for six to eight weeks with ankle ligament damage.
Last season: Chelsea 2 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W W D W; Man Utd W W D W L
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 3; Darren Fletcher (Man Utd) 2
Match odds: H 6-5 A 13-5 D 2-1
Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).
Hull (5) v Everton (11)
Midfielder George Boateng could return — he has not played since Hull's season opener against Fulham due to a thigh injury but is now back in training and in contention. Nick Barmby hopes to shake off a calf problem to face his former club while Richard Garcia has overcome a virus. Daniel Cousin is set to make his debut in place of broken leg victim Craig Fagan.
Everton's Victor Anichebe faces a fitness test on a shin injury but midfielder Marouane Fellaini returns after missing the UEFA Cup match against former club Standard Liege because he was cup-tied. Goalkeeper Tim Howard should be cleared to play despite suffering from a virus but Steven Pienaar (ankle), Andy van der Meyde (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (knee), Joseph Yobo (ankle) and Louis Saha (calf) are still sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Hull L W D L W; Everton W L W L W
Top scorers: Marlon King (Hull) 2; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 3
Match odds: H 9-4 A 5-4 D 9-4
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Man City (6) v Portsmouth (10)
City midfielder Michael Johnson (groin) is doubtful after missing the midweek UEFA Cup win over AC Omonia. Boss Mark Hughes may shuffle his pack but Martin Petrov (groin) is sidelined.
Younes Kaboul and Papa Bouba Diop may return for Pompey at the expense of wingers Armand Traore and John Utaka. Ben Sahar has a knee injury, while Niko Kranjcar (ankle) and Jerome Thomas (back) are still out.
Last season: Man City 3 Portsmouth 1, Portsmouth 0 Man City 0
Last five league matches: Man City L L W W L; Portsmouth L L L W W
Top scorers: Elano (Man City) 3; Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth) 3
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 23-10
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
Tottenham (20) v Wigan (12)
Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka return for Spurs after being ineligible for UEFA Cup action during the week — Corluka may cover for Alan Hutton (foot) at right-back. Luka Modric (knee) is struggling.
Wigan boss Steve Bruce has a selection dilemma with Michael Brown, Olivier Kapo, Jason Koumas and Paul Scharner vying to replace the suspended Lee Cattermole. Ryan Taylor (shin) has almost returned to full fitness but won't be considered, while Erik Edman (knee) is nearing a return.
Last season: Wigan 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 4 Wigan 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham L L L D L; Wigan L L L W D
Top scorers: Darren Bent (Tottenham) 2; Amr Zaki (Wigan) 5
Match odds: H 7-10 A 9-2 D 12-5
Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).
West Brom (15) v Aston Villa (4)
Right-back Gianni Zuiverloon (hamstring), central defender Abdoulaye Meite (calf) and striker Ishmael Miller (knee) are back in training and could be available for Albion.
Villa striker John Carew (ankle), winger Ashley Young (knee) and central defender Curtis Davies (swollen knee) are all undergoing treatment.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom W L L D W; Aston Villa D W L D W
Top scorers: Roman Bednar (West Brom) 2; Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 4
Match odds: H 19-10 A 7-5 D 23-10
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
