Premier League Team News

Saturday 26th November

Arsenal (7) v Fulham (16)

Arsenal have no fresh injury problems. Midfielder Thomas Rosicky (thigh) could be in contention after missing out against his old club Borussia Dortmund in midweek, while Laurent Koscielny is set to continue at right-back in the absence of Carl Jenkinson (back) and Bacary Sagna (ankle).

Fulham will be without several first-teamers. Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff misses out because of a problem with his right calf, while international team-mate Stephen Kelly is also sidelined with a thigh injury. Steve Sidwell (hernia), Zdenek Grygera (cruciate), Orlando Sa (hamstring) and Simon Davies (knee) are also sidelined, although John Arne Riise returns after missing last week’s clash at Sunderland due to the birth of his son.

Last season: Fulham 2 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 2 Fulham 1.

Last five league matches: Arsenal W W W W W; Fulham L L W L D.

Top scorers: Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 17; Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 11.

Match odds: H 4-9 A 6-1 D 17-5.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Bolton (18) v Everton (12)

Owen Coyle is hoping to welcome back on-loan defender Dedryck Boyata who has been out for a month since injuring his ankle against Sunderland. With Joe Riley (hamstring) ruled out Boyata would be a welcome addition to Coyle’s injury-ravaged squad. If the Belgium international does not make it, Gretar Steinsson may be recalled.

Everton manager David Moyes is waiting on fitness updates for midfielder Jack Rodwell and defenders Phil Neville and Sylvain Distin. Rodwell missed last week’s win at home to Wolves with a rib injury sustained on duty with the England senior side. Neville (hamstring) and Distin (groin) were also not available a week ago.

Last season: Bolton 2 Everton 0, Everton 1 Bolton 1.

Last five league matches: Bolton W L L W L; Everton L W L L W.

Top scorers: Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 6; Louis Saha, Royston Drenthe, Apostolos Vellios, Jack Rodwell, Leighton Baines & Phil Jagielka (Everton) 2.

Match odds: H 19-10 A 11-8 D 12-5.

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).

Chelsea (5) v Wolverhampton (17)

Ashley Cole has been passed fit for Chelsea. The England left-back missed Wednesday night’s Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen with an inflamed ankle but has shaken off the problem. Long-term knee injury victim Michael Essien is therefore Chelsea’s only absentee.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will be forced into making three changes through injury and suspension. Midfielders Jamie O’Hara and Stephen Hunt are serving one-match bans for incurring five bookings this season while right-back Richard Stearman is ruled out with a broken wrist. Matt Jarvis and Adlene Guedioura

are the natural replacements for O’Hara and Hunt while Ronald Zubar is poised to make his first appearance for nine months after injury in place of Stearman.

Last season: Wolverhampton 1 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 2 Wolverhampton 0.

Last five league matches: Chelsea W L L W L; Wolverhampton L D L W L.

Top scorers: Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 7; Steven Fletcher & Jamie O’Hara (Wolverhampton) 3.

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

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Man Utd (2) v Newcastle (4)

Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic are set to return for United. Rooney missed Tuesday night’s draw with Benfica with a hip injury sustained last week at Swansea whilst Vidic was ruled out through suspension. However, both are included in a squad missing Anderson (knee), Michael Owen (thigh) and Tom Cleverley (ankle).

Gabriel Obertan returns to the Newcastle squad after missing the last two games with a toe infection. Fellow midfielder Danny Guthrie should also be

available despite missing training this week because of a hip injury. However, Ivory Coast international Cheik Tiote (knee) and Republic of Ireland striker Leon Best (groin) remain doubts, while Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be sidelined for up to four months after undergoing groin surgery.

Last season: Newcastle 0 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 3 Newcastle 0.

Last five league matches: Man Utd D L W W W; Newcastle D W W W L.

Top scorers: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 12; Demba Ba (Newcastle) 8.

Match odds: H 4-11 A 15-2 D 15-4.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Norwich (11) v QPR (9)

Russell Martin will continue in central defence for Norwich but the club’s injury problems at the back look to be easing. Central defenders Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala came through reserve matches and could be in contention to come off the substitutes’ bench. Ritchie de Laet is also training again after recovering from a back injury. Striker James Vaughan is still sidelined with a long-term knee injury, as is centre-back Elliott Ward.

QPR are without suspended captain Joey Barton. Heidar Helguson is a doubt after playing only a limited part in training because of his eye injury, but Fitz Hall, Jay Bothroyd, Jason Puncheon and Adel Taarabt are back. Matt Connolly (ankle), Kieron Dyer (foot), DJ Campbell (foot) and Brian Murphy (calf) are definitely out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Norwich W D D L L; QPR D W L L W.

Top scorers: Steve Morison & Anthony Pilkington (Norwich) 4; Heidar Helguson (QPR) 5.

Match odds: H 23-20 A 9-4 D 5-2.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Stoke (14) v Blackburn (19)

Stoke striker Peter Crouch is an injury doubt because of a groin complaint. Along with midfield pair Matthew Etherington and Rory Delap (both back problems), Crouch will undergo a late fitness test. Potters boss Tony Pulis has confirmed that goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who was picked ahead of Asmir Begovic for last week’s defeat against QPR, will keep his place in the starting XI.

Blackburn are likely to be without Chris Samba and Martin Olsson who are struggling with hamstring injuries. Ryan Nelsen is back in training but not match-fit while David Dunn is suspended. Jason Lowe is back from his ban, Michel Salgado is expected to have shaken off a knock picked up last weekend while keeper Paul Robinson is available despite receiving a gashed head against Wigan.

Last season: Blackburn 0 Stoke 2, Stoke 1 Blackburn 0.

Last five league matches: Stoke W L L L L; Blackburn D L D L D.

Top scorers: Jonathan Walters (Stoke) 6; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Blackburn) 6.

Match odds: H 3-4 A 7-2 D 11-4.

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Sunderland (15) v Wigan (20)

Sunderland midfielder Sebastian Larsson returns after suspension. Defender Titus Bramble continues to work on his fitness after shaking off a knee problem following his return from a club ban and striker Fraizer Campbell (knee ligaments) is on course to play a game of some form within the next fortnight. Connor Wickham (also knee ligaments) could start running next week.

Wigan have a doubt over midfielder James McCarthy who has a groin problem and will be assessed ahead of the match along with striker Franco Di Santo, who missed the 3-3 draw with Blackburn last weekend after suffering a minor tear in his quad. Fellow frontman Hugo Rodallega only featured as a substitute against Rovers having had a virus and could return to the starting line-up. Defender Antolin Alcaraz is serving the second game of his three-match ban for spitting at Wolves’ Richard Stearman.

Last season: Sunderland 4 Wigan 2, Wigan 1 Sunderland 1.

Last five league matches: Sunderland L W D L D; Wigan L L L L D.

Top scorers: Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) 3; Ben Watson & Franco Di Santo (Wigan) 3.

Match odds: H 7-10 A 19-5 D 11-4.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

West Brom (10) v Tottenham (3)

West Brom have received a treble fitness boost. Manager Roy Hodgson expects four goal leading scorer Shane Long (leg) and fellow striker Peter Odemwingie (knee) to be fit and midfielder Paul Scharner is also winning his race to be available after a three-week lay-off with a knee setback.

Roman Pavlyuchenko could start his first league game of the season for Spurs after manager Harry Redknapp revealed Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart could miss out against Albion through injury. Van der Vaart came off in the second half of Monday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa with a long-standing hamstring complaint while Defoe is struggling with a groin injury he suffered in training. Michael Dawson (Achilles), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) Niko Kranjcar (thigh) and Danny Rose (ankle) are unavailable.

Last season: Tottenham 2 West Brom 2, West Brom 1 Tottenham 1.

Last five league matches: West Brom W W L L W; Tottenham D W W W W.

Top scorers: Shane Long (West Brom) 4; Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham) 7.

Match odds: H 3-1 A 17-20 D 11-4.

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Sunday 27th November

Liverpool (6) v Man City (1)

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is likely to keep changes to a minimum. Defender Jamie Carragher, who returned to the squad for last week’s win at Chelsea but could only make the bench, may have to settle for a place among the substitutes again. Winger Stewart Downing will be pushing for a recall having been dropped last week after starting the first 11 league matches but captain Steven Gerrard is still not fit to return from an ankle infection.

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has recovered from a fever and should be available. The Italian was sick during Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Napoli but scored City’s goal and played the full 90 minutes. City have no other injury concerns following their trip to Italy.

Last season: Liverpool 3 Man City 0, Man City 3 Liverpool 0.

Last five league matches: Liverpool D D W D W; Man City W W W W W.

Top scorers: Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 7; Edin Dzeko (Man City) 13.

Match odds: H 9-5 A 29-20 D 12-5.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Swansea (13) v Aston Villa (8)

Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers is set to restore midfielder Joe Allen to his starting line-up. Allen had to settle for a place on the bench against Manchester United due to a calf problem but is likely to return against Villa. Centre-half Steven Caulker has returned to training after his knee injury, but is not likely to be risked.

On-loan midfielder Jermaine Jenas returns to Villa’s squad. Jenas was ineligible to face his parent club Tottenham when Villa went down 2-0 at White Hart Lane on Monday and has yet to start a game for Villa. Skipper Stiliyan Petrov (hamstring) and fellow midfielder Chris Herd (leg) are battling to be fit to face the Swans.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Swansea L D W D L; Aston Villa L L D W L.

Top scorers: Danny Graham (Swansea) 4; Darren Bent & Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 5.

Match odds: H 5-4 A 9-4 D 9-4.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).