Premier League team news
All the latest Premier League team news ahead of the St Stephen’s Day fixtures
Aston Villa (16) v Tottenham (6)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert will assess the fitness of striker Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh), winger Charles N’Zogbia (knee) and captain Ron Vlaar (calf). Striker Darren Bent is again ruled out with a hamstring injury while centre back Richard Dunne will undergo rehab work after a third groin operation.
Clint Dempsey is a doubt for Spurs after he missed Saturday’s draw against Stoke with a groin problem. Benoit Assou-Ekotto may make his long-awaited comeback from a knee injury while Scott Parker could also make his first start of the season after coming off the bench in the last two games following his recovery from an Achilles injury.
Last season:Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0.
Last five league matches:Aston Villa W D D W L; Tottenham W W L W D.
Top scorers:Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) 11; Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 13.
Match odds:H 11-4 A 11-10 D 21-10.
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Everton (5) v Wigan (18)
Everton midfielder Darron Gibson will be eligible to play as his appeal against his red card at West Ham cannot be heard until later in the week. Fellow midfielder Marouane Fellaini serves the second of a three-match ban while Seamus Coleman, Tony Hibbert and Kevin Mirallas have all been kept out recently by injury.
Wigan captain Gary Caldwell could make his return from a hamstring problem and fellow centre back Ivan Ramis, who has been nursing a similar complaint, has a chance of featuring as well. Midfielder James McCarthy (ankle) is a doubt and Antolin Alcaraz (groin), Adrian Lopez (hamstring), Albert Crusat (knee), Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) and Ben Watson (broken leg) remain on the Latics’ lengthy casualty list.
Last season:Wigan 1 Everton 1, Everton 3 Wigan 1.
Last five league matches:Everton D D W D W; Wigan L L D L L.
Top scorers:Marouane Fellaini (Everton) 8; Jordi Gomez (Wigan) 5.
Match odds:H 8-15 A 6-1 D 11-4.
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Fulham (13) v Southampton (17)
Bryan Ruiz could return for Fulham after a hamstring injury, but is rated 50-50 by manager Martin Jol. Mahamadou Diarra and Mladen Petric are doubts and Damien Duff is definitely out. Simon Davies (hip) is also unavailable, while Steve Sidwell returns from suspension.
Southampton skipper Adam Lallana was not fit for Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland due to a knee injury and is expected to miss out again. Nigel Adkins’s side appeared to come through the defeat to the Black Cats without any new knocks.
Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Last five league matches:Fulham D L W L L; Southampton W D L W L.
Top scorers:Mladen Petric & Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham) 5; Rickie Lambert (Southampton) 6.
Match odds:H 17-20 A 4-1 D 21-10.
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
