Premier League Team News

Saturday, April 5

Arsenal (3) v Liverpool (4)

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie (thigh) will miss out but Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to feature despite ankle trouble. Midfielder Abou Diaby is suspended and full-back Bacary Sagna (ankle) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) are still sidelined.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez could make major changes to his side. Javier Mascherano is definitely out, suspended in the wake of his red card at Manchester United. But it is also possible that Benitez could rest Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher for this one.

Last season:Liverpool 4 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 3 Liverpool 0

Last five league matches:Arsenal D D D L W; Liverpool W W W L W

Top scorers:Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 24; Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 28

Match odds:H 19-20 A 5-2 D 21-10

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Aston Villa (8) v Bolton (18)

Villa striker John Carew is winning his battle to recover from a groin strain in time to play. Midfielder Craig Gardner is ruled out again by a thigh injury so boss Martin O'Neill has to decide whether to persevere with midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker at right-back or switch Olof Mellberg back to the flank.

Bolton will be without skipper Kevin Nolan who is serving the second game of a two-match suspension after picking up his 10th booking of the season against Manchester City. Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen (back) and defenders Nicky Hunt (dislocated shoulder) and Ricardo Gardner (rib) are sidelined through injury.

Last season:Bolton 2 Aston Villa 2, Aston Villa 0 Bolton 1

Last five league matches:Aston Villa D D L L L; Bolton L L L D L

Top scorers:John Carew (Aston Villa) 9; Grzegorz Rasiak (Bolton) 8

Match odds:H 8-13 A 4-1 D 23-10

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Blackburn (7) v Tottenham (11)

Defenders Brett Emerton and Christopher Samba return to Blackburn's squad. Emerton has been troubled by a groin strain, which has limited him to just 45 minutes of first-team action in the last month, but he returned to full training this week. Samba is available again following a one-match ban which ruled him out of Saturday's goalless draw at Reading.

Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas is available after illness and defender Younes Kaboul has recovered from a dead leg, however captain Ledley King (knee) will not feature for the remainder of the season.

Last season:Tottenham 1 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 1 Tottenham 1

Last five league matches:Blackburn W D L W D; Tottenham W L D W L

Top scorers:Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) 18; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 22

Match odds:H 13-10 A 13-8 D 11-5

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Fulham (19) v Sunderland (14)

Fulham have no fresh injury worries but manager Roy Hodgson includes Finland international Jari Litmanen in his squad. Kasey Keller is set to continue in goal, while Brian McBride is likely to partner Eddie Johnson again in attack.

Sunderland midfielder Dwight Yorke damaged a knee in training yesterday and is likely to be out of action for a week. He joins Dickson Etuhu (also knee) on the sidelines, although manager Roy Keane has no other new fitness concerns.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Fulham L D W L D; Sunderland D L L W W

Top scorers:Erik Nevland (Fulham) 7; Rade Prica (Sunderland) 13

Match odds:H 6-5 A 17-10 D 23-10

Referee:Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

Man City (9) v Chelsea (2)

City could have midfielders Martin Petrov and Michael Johnson available after flu and a groin injury respectively but defenders Michael Ball and Micah Richards (both knee) remain on the sidelines.

Chelsea hope goalkeeper Petr Cech has finally recovered from the ankle problem he picked up in training. Frank Lampard has recovered from the stomach bug which kept him sidelined following international duty.

Last season:Man City 0 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 3 Man City 0

Last five league matches:Man City D L W D L; Chelsea W W D W W

Top scorers:Benjani Mwaruwari (Man City) 13; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 17

Match odds:H 10-3 A 8-11 D 11-5

Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Newcastle (12) v Reading (15)

Newcastle striker Mark Viduka (hamstring) should be fit but midfielder Emre will be missing for three weeks after aggravating his calf injury on his return to action for the reserves in midweek. Stephen Carr (hamstring) and James Milner (foot) are close to being available again, but Shay Given and Claudio Cacapa (both groin) and Peter Ramage (knee) are still missing.

Reading are without suspended midfielder Marek Matejovsky but winger Glen Little is in the squad for the first time in almost a year as he completes his comeback from Achilles trouble. Forward Jimmy Kebe (knee) and midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson (groin) remain sidelined and defender Graeme Murty (knee) is also out.

Last season: Reading 1 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 3 Reading 2

Last five league matches:Newcastle L L D W W; Reading W W L W D

Top scorers:Michael Owen (Newcastle) 9; Dave Kitson (Reading) 9

Match odds:H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)

Wigan (16) v Birmingham (17)

Wigan are set to welcome back former Birmingham midfielder Wilson Palacios after a ban. Fellow midfielders Michael Brown and Jason Koumas are still suspended, although manager Steve Bruce — who left Blues for Wigan last November - has no new injury problems to contend with.

Defenders Franck Queudrue and Liam Ridgewell are suspended for the visitors — Martin Taylor and Rafael Schmitz may deputise at centre-back although Stephen Kelly could switch into the middle with Stuart Parnaby coming in at right-back. James McFadden (knee) and Olivier Kapo (hamstring) are unlikely to play.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Wigan D D W L L; Birmingham W L D L W

Top scorers:Marlon King (Wigan) 12; James McFadden (Birmingham) 9

Match odds:H 11-10 A 11-5 D 2-1

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

Sunday, April 6

Everton (5) v Derby (20)

Everton are expected to have striker Andrew Johnson available after a groin injury while Victor Anichebe (virus) is also back in training. Everton have doubts over full-back Tony Hibbert, who has a hip problem, and midfielder Steven Pienaar (knee). Tim Cahill and James Vaughan are both out for the season.

Derby manager Paul Jewell will be without defender Marc Edworthy (cracked rib) while long-term absentees Claude Davis and Giles Barnes remain on the sidelines.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Everton W W L D L; Derby D L L L D

Top scorers:Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 19; Kenny Miller (Derby) 8

Match odds:H 1-5 A 10-1 D 4-1

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

Middlesbrough (13) v Man Utd (1)

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will welcome Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback back from suspension but must cope without Egyptian striker Mido, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hernia problem. Robert Huth is also definitely still out with a foot injury. Southgate may elect to give record signing Afonso Alves another start.

United club captain Gary Neville returns to the Manchester United squad for the first time in a year after recovering from a long-standing ankle problem. With Mikael Silvestre also fit, United have good cover for defender Nemanja Vidic, who is out for two to three weeks with a knee injury. Nani (thigh), Darren Fletcher (knee) and Louis Saha (hamstring) remain sidelined through injury.

Last season:Man Utd 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 1 Man Utd 2

Last five league matches:Middlesbrough L D D W L; Man Utd W W W W W

Top scorers:Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 11; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 36

Match odds: H 6-1 A 2-5 D 11-4

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)