Premiership team news and statistics

Saturday, November 10th

Saturday, November 10th

Derby (20) v West Ham (11)

Striker Kenny Miller may return after missing the Aston Villa defeat with a hamstring injury. Defenders Claude Davis (adductor muscle) and Andy Todd, who has seen a spine specialist regarding his back injury, are sidelined.

Mark Noble is out after a hernia operation but Fredrik Ljungberg, Dean Ashton and James Collins could all be included after recovering from injuries.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Derby D L D L L; West Ham L L W D D
Top scorers: Kenny Miller (Derby) 5; Craig Bellamy (West Ham) 4
Match odds: H 15-8 A 6-5 D 21-10
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

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Liverpool (7) v Fulham (13)

Fernando Torres could figure in only his second Premier League match in more than a month after being an unused substitute in the 8-0 midweek win over Besiktas. Daniel Agger is expected back in three weeks, Xabi Alonso in a month, while Jermaine Pennant is out until the new year.

Carlos Bocanegra is suspension-free but Elliott Omozusi is banned. Chris Baird returns to the starting line-up but youngster Nathan Ashton has picked up a thigh injury and misses out. Shefki Kuqi may be handed his full debut in attack, and Alexey Smertin will be considered if Sanchez opts for a five-man midfield.
Last season: Fulham 1 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 4 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Liverpool W D W D D; Fulham D L D D W
Top scorers: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 7; David Healy & Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 4
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Sunderland (15) v Newcastle (10)

Paul McShane is set to return after suspension at the expense of Ian Harte. Winger Carlos Edwards may figure after a hamstring injury but former Toon striker Andy Cole is unlikely to feature despite scoring for the reserves in midweek. Greg Halford is suspended and captain Dean Whitehead (knee) is still injured.

Striker Mark Viduka returns after a calf problem, although defender Claudio Cacapa is a doubt with a knee injury and Nicky Butt is suspended. Shay Given (groin), Damien Duff (ankle), Celestine Babayaro (back) and Stephen Carr (hamstring) are out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L L D L; Newcastle L W W L L
Top scorers: Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland) 5; Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 5
Match odds: H 13-8 A 6-4 D 19-10
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Sunday, November 11th

Birmingham (14) v Aston Villa (9)

Gary McSheffrey (calf), Cameron Jerome (stomach) and Garry O'Connor (groin) are battling to be fit for Blues — O'Connor has had a scan which has revealed groin trouble. Captain Liam Ridgewell will face his former club for the first time since making his #2million move during the summer.

Forward Ashley Young limped out of the win over Derby with a groin strain last weekend and was unable to train on Friday but Villa boss Martin O'Neill is optimistic he will be available to face City. Striker John Carew could come into the equation after missing six games with knee ligament damage.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Birmingham L L L W L; Aston Villa D W L D W
Top scorers: Olivier Kapo (Birmingham) 5; Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 4
Match odds: H 13-8 A 6-4 D 19-10
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).

Bolton (19) v Middlesbrough (16)

Midfielder Ivan Campo is available again after sitting out the 2-2 UEFA Cup draw with Bayern Munich as he was not registered for the competition. Nicolas Anelka (hamstring), El-Hadji Diouf (ankle) and Abdoulaye Meite (knee) are doubtful.

Defender Jonathan Woodgate (hamstring) and Egypt striker Mido (groin) are rated extremely doubtful but Emanuel Pogatetz is back in contention, however, after recovering from two knee operations in the summer. Robert Huth could also figure after his ankle operation.
Last season: Middlesbrough 5 Bolton 1, Bolton 0 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Bolton D L L D D; Middlesbrough L L L L D
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) 7; Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) 3
Match odds: H 1-1 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Chelsea (4) v Everton (8)

Defender Ashley Cole has recovered from an ankle injury in time to rejoin the squad but fellow England defender John Terry is still sidelined by a knee injury. Goalkeeper Petr Cech is out after damaging a calf in midweek and defender Paulo Ferreira remains sidelined by an ankle injury.

Everton manager David Moyes has a long list of injury problems after Mikel Arteta picked up a groin strain against Nurnberg, while Leighton Baines is still struggling with an ankle problem. James Vaughan (thigh) and Alan Stubbs (hamstring) are also doubts, while Andrew Johnson (ankle) will not be ready.
Last season: Chelsea 1 Everton 1, Everton 2 Chelsea 3
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W W W W; Everton W L L W W
Top scorers: Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 7; Joleon Lescott (Everton) 5
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Man Utd (2) v Blackburn (6)

Striker Wayne Rooney for four weeks after he injured an ankle in training. Gary Neville is still unlikely to figure despite having made a comeback in the reserves.

Midfielder Steven Reid is nearing full fitness after 14 months of knee and back injuries but has been withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad as a precaution. Rovers are set to name an unchanged squad after sustaining no new injuries since last week's draw with Liverpool.
Last season: Man Utd 4 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 0 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W D; Blackburn W W W W D
Top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 8; Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 8
Match odds: H 4-11 A 7-1 D 11-4
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Portsmouth (5) v Man City (3)

Defender Hermann Hreidarsson is available again after recovering from a groin muscle tear and could replace Noe Pamarot. Papa Bouba Diop serves a one-match ban after picking up five yellow cards and Pedro Mendes is set to deputise.

Defender Micah Richards has recovered from a twisted knee but City will be without midfielder Michael Johnson, who needs a groin operation
Last season: Portsmouth 2 Man City 1, Man City 0 Portsmouth 0
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W W W D W; Man City W W W L W
Top scorers: Benjani Mwaruwari (Portsmouth) 8; Elano (Man City) 5
Match odds: H 1-1 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Tottenham (17) v Wigan (18)

Defenders Ledley King (knee), Ricardo Rocha (ankle), Anthony Gardner (ankle), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Gareth Bale (foot) all missed the midweek UEFA Cup clash against Hapoel Tel Aviv. Younes Kaboul was dropped to the bench for the win in Israel and Pascal Chimbonda played at centre-back.

Wigan are likely to be unchanged. Third-choice goalkeeper Carlo Nash is out for three months after fracturing an ankle in training, while Emile Heskey (fractured metatarsal) is back in training but the England striker is thought to
be at least another week away from a first-team return.
Last season: Wigan 3 Tottenham 3, Tottenham 3 Wigan 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham D D L L D; Wigan L L L L L
Top scorers: Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 9; Marcus Bent (Wigan) 4
Match odds: H 4-9 A 11-2 D 13-5
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Monday, November 12th

Reading (12) v Arsenal (1)

Defender Michael Duberry is doubtful after damaging ribs in last week's defeat at Fulham. Winger John Oster (ankle) and utility man Kalifa Cisse (knee) are back in contention after run outs for the reserves, leaving just winger Glen Little (Achilles) as a long-term absentee.

Kolo Toure (calf) and Tomas Rosicky (groin) are fit after sitting out the midweek Champions League draw with Slavia Prague, while Cesc Fabregas and Alexandre Hleb, both rested in that match, are also likely to feature. Defender Philippe Senderos (back) will not be risked.
Last season: Arsenal 2 Reading 1, Reading 0 Arsenal 4
Last five league matches: Reading L W L W L; Arsenal W W W D D
Top scorers: Dave Kitson & Kevin Doyle (Reading) 4; Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 11
Match odds: H 5-1 A 1-2 D 12-5
Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).