Team news ahead of all this weekend's Premiership action in England.
Bolton (6) v Reading (9)
Ivan Campo has been ruled out for Bolton through suspension, following his sending off at Arsenal, with Andranik Teymourian likely to fill in. Defender Tal Ben Haim looks set to miss out with a thigh injury.
Reading are definitely without striker Leroy Lita (banned),
defender Graeme Murty (calf) and winger Glen Little (Achilles).
Striker Kevin Doyle has been passed fit however after receiving
treatment for a hamstring niggle.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Bolton L W W D L;
Reading D L L D W
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) 12; Leroy
Lita (Reading) 14
Match odds: H 10-11 A 12-5 D 9-4
Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).
Charlton (18) v Sheff Utd (17)
Charlton have concerns over striker Darren Bent (thigh) but boss Alan Pardew is confident the England international will be available. Fellow striker Marcus Bent (hamstring) sat out training yesterday but is also expected to be fit, while Hermann Hreidarsson and Jerome Thomas have recovered from knee problems.
Blades boss Neil Warnock is poised to recall Keith Gillespie,
Chris Armstrong and Christian Nade as he is likely to revert to the
line-up that beat West Ham. That will mean Jon Stead also returning
to the side.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Charlton W W D D L;
Sheff Utd L L L W L
Top scorers: Darren Bent (Charlton) 13; Rob Hulse
& Luton Shelton (Sheff Utd) 8
Match odds: H 1-1 A 21-10 D 23-10
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Fulham (16) v Blackburn (10)
Full-back Franck Queudrue is out with a twisted ankle sustained in training. He is likely to be replaced by Liam Rosenior, with Moritz Volz plugging the gap at right-back. Ian Pearce (calf) also misses out.
Jason Roberts is set to retain his place in the Rovers side
after impressing in two starts since his comeback from long-term
injury. Blackburn's only definite absentee is on-loan striker
Shabani Nonda, who has still not recovered from the knee injury
which also kept him out of the midweek victory over Watford.
Last season: Fulham 2 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 2
Fulham 1
Last five league matches: Fulham D D L L L;
Blackburn W L L L W
Top scorers: Brian McBride (Fulham) 12; Benni
McCarthy (Blackburn) 20
Match odds: H 11-10 A 15-8 D 23-10
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Liverpool (3) v Wigan (15)
Liverpool have Craig Bellamy and Xabi Alonso back in the squad after respective knee and thigh problems. John Arne Riise will play his 300th game for the club with goalkeeper Jose Reina in line for his 100th.
Winger Lee McCulloch (foot) is a serious doubt while David
Unsworth (groin) continues to struggle and Antonio Valencia serves
the second game of a three-match ban. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland
(shoulder) and centre-back Fitz Hall (knee) will miss the rest of
the season.
Last season: Wigan 0 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 3
Wigan 0
Last five league matches: Liverpool D W W D W;
Wigan D L L D D
Top scorers: Peter Crouch (Liverpool) 18; Caleb
Folan (Wigan) 14
Match odds: H 4-9 A 11-2 D 13-5
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
Man Utd (1) v Middlesbrough (14)
Alex Ferguson has received good news on the defensive front, with Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and John O'Shea fit after minor knocks. Park Ji-Sung (knee) is still out, along with Louis Saha (hamstring) and Nemanja Vidic (collar bone), although the Serbian is expected to return to training on Monday.
Boro midfielder Julio Arca has returned to training after a
groin tear but boss Gareth Southgate is not prepared to risk him at
Old Trafford. Abel Xavier (back) is doubtful but Robert Huth is
available for selection and striker Mark Viduka has now fully
recovered from a stomach upset.
Last season: Man Utd 0 Middlesbrough 0,
Middlesbrough 4 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W L W;
Middlesbrough L L W L L
Top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 21;
Ayegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough) 16
Match odds: H 1-6 A 11-1 D 9-2
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Tottenham (8) v Arsenal (4)
Robbie Keane has a knee injury and is doubtful for Spurs, but captain Ledley King is set to return to the starting XI after being rested at Wigan, while Tom Huddlestone is available after a knee injury. Defenders Lee Young-Pyo (knee), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Anthony Gardner (fractured leg) miss out and Paul Stalteri (hip) is rated 50-50.
Arsenal will give midfielder Cesc Fabregas every chance to
recover from a virus, while Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) and Abou
Diaby (head) are also in the squad. However, Captain Thierry Henry
(groin and stomach), Robin van Persie (broken foot) and Theo
Walcott (shoulder) are all sidelined.
Last season: Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 1
Arsenal 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham W W W L D;
Arsenal L L D W W
Top scorers: Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham) 20;
Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) 13
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Watford (20) v Man City (13)
Watford hope to have winger Tommy Smith (hamstring) and defender James Chambers (ankle) available. The Hornets, who will be relegated to the Coca-Cola Championship if they are beaten, could be without forward Darius Henderson (calf), while midfielder Gareth Williams (knee ligaments) and forward Moses Ashikodi (broken leg) are long-term casualties.
Emile Mpenza remains Manchester City's major fitness doubt with
a hip injury and manager Stuart Pearce is hopeful rather than
confident the striker will recover in time to face the Hornets.
Micah Richards (ankle and calf) is definitely out, so if Mpenza is
unfit, Pearce is likely to stick with the side which performed so
creditably for 75 minutes at Arsenal in midweek.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Watford L L L W L; Man
City W D W D L
Top scorers: Will Hoskins (Watford) 16; Joey
Barton (Man City) 7
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
West Ham (19) v Everton (5)
West Ham could have Anton Ferdinand back from a groin complaint. Boss Alan Curbishley has no fresh injury worries, though defenders Calum Davenport (foot), Matthew Upson (calf) and Danny Gabbidon (groin) are out.
Full-back Nuno Valente is in contention for Everton after groin
trouble. Mikel Arteta (neck) and Alan Stubbs (thigh) are fit and
Manuel Fernandes is available, but short of match fitness. Striker
Victor Anichebe is fit after an ankle injury but James Vaughan
(severed artery) is out.
Last season: West Ham 2 Everton 2, Everton 1 West
Ham 2
Last five league matches: West Ham W W W L L;
Everton W D W D W
Top scorers: Bobby Zamora (West Ham) 10; Andrew
Johnson (Everton) 12
Match odds: H 13-10 A 6-4 D 12-5
Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).
Aston Villa (11) v Portsmouth (7)
Aston Villa hope striker John Carew (foot) and midfielder Patrik Berger (hamstring) will be fit to return. Midfielder Gavin McCann is available after completing a two-match ban.
Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is set to start Kanu and Benjani
Mwaruwari up front. Striker Svetoslav Todorov is back in training
after a knee injury although not yet match-fit. On-loan Glen
Johnson could return to defence after a similar knock having gone
back to Chelsea for treatment.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 Portsmouth 0,
Portsmouth 1 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches: Aston Villa D D W D W;
Portsmouth D D W L W
Top scorers: Gabriel Agbonlahor & Gareth Barry
(Aston Villa) 9; Kanu (Portsmouth) 12
Match odds: H 23-20 A 19-10 D 11-5
Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Newcastle (12) v Chelsea (2)
Striker Michael Owen (groin) will not make his long-awaited comeback while Shola Ameobi (hip) also needs further time. Shay Given (groin) is still missing while Damien Duff (ankle) is out for the season — but Kieron Dyer (hamstring), Scott Parker (ankle) and Antoine Sibierski (knee) could all return.
Chelsea have no fresh injury worries. Striker Andriy Shevchenko
should shake off a minor leg injury, while Arjen Robben is
recovering from knee trouble but is not ready to return to first
team action.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 3
Newcastle 0
Last five league matches: Newcastle L L W D L;
Chelsea W W W W W
Top scorers: Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 17;
Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 31
Match odds: H 9-2 A 1-2 D 13-5
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).