Weekend Premeirship Team News

Arsenal (1) v Aston Villa (2)

Want-away defender Ashley Cole will not be included in Arsenal's squad despite the player insisting he is available to play. Winger Jose Antonio Reyes and midfielder Tomas Rosicky (both groin) miss out but midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has been rushed back from an ankle problem. World Cup stars Thierry Henry and Jens Lehmann should feature while Gael Clichy (foot), Philippe Senderos (shoulder), Abou Diaby (ankle) and Lauren (knee) all remain out.

New Villa boss Martin O'Neill is without Milan Baros (foot), Wilfred Bouma (hamstring) and Gary Cahill (knee). Steven Davis travels, but will undergo a fitness test on a thigh injury.

Last season: Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0

Last five league matches: Arsenal W D W W W; Aston Villa W L L L W

Match odds: H 2-7 A 7-1 D 7-2

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Bolton (4) v Tottenham (17)

Kevin Davies (ankle), Nicky Hunt (knee) and Quinton Fortune (groin) are expected to feature for Bolton. Ricardo Gardner (knee), Henrik Pedersen (Achilles), Abdoulaye Faye and Joey O'Brien (both knee) definitely miss out.

Tottenham coach Martin Jol is sweating on the fitness of Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane (thigh). Midfielder Teemu Tainio is out with an ankle problem and defender Anthony Gardner is a doubt with a groin injury. Captain Ledley King is unavailable due to knee surgery.

Last season: Tottenham 1 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Tottenham 0

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

Match odds: H 8-5 A 7-5 D 21-10

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Everton (7) v Watford (18)

Everton striker Andrew Johnson, defender Joleon Lescott and on-loan goalkeeper Tin Howard are expected to start. Full-back Tony Hibbert is recovering from illness and will miss out, with Phil Neville likely to fill in. Nuno Valente (Achilles) and David Weir (groin strain) are likely absentees. Boss David Moyes has to make serious decisions in midfield with seven players chasing four
places.

Jay DeMerit has recovered from an ankle injury in time to take his place in Watford's squad. Hornets boss Adrian Boothroyd could hand debuts to summer signings Chris Powell, Damien Francis, Dan Shittu, Tamas Priskin and Albert Jarrett, but defender Clarke Carlisle misses out with an ankle injury.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Newcastle (13) v Wigan (20)

Newcastle have received a triple injury boost, with goalkeeper Shay Given (back), full-back Stephen Carr (hamstring) and midfielder Damien Duff (groin) all passed fit. Only Michael Owen (knee) and Kieron Dyer (hamstring) remain on the casualty list.

Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland makes his Wigan debut after arriving from Liverpool on a six-month loan. Fitz Hall, Denny Landzaat, Emerson Boyce and £5.5million record signing Emile Heskey are also included by boss Paul Jewell, while Pascal Chimbonda is also set to start after apparently making his peace with the club.

Last season: Newcastle 3 Wigan 1, Wigan 1 Newcastle 0

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

Match odds: H 8-11 A 100-30 D 11-5

Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Portsmouth (14) v Blackburn (3)

New signings Sol Campbell, Glen Johnson, David James and Kanu are set to start, with fellow new recruit David Thompson on the bench - where untried 17-year-old Nick Jordan is the only available cover for James in the absence of Dean Kiely (thigh) and Jamie Ashdown (broken thumb). Lomana LuaLua is out on a long-term basis with ankle ligament damage, with fellow forward Benjani
Mwaruwari (thigh) is a doubt.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes could be without four key players - Ryan Nelsen (hamstring) and Brett Emerton (calf), while midfielder Tugay starts a three-match ban following his dismissal in the final game of last season. Steven Reid, meanwhile, is doubtful with an ankle injury.

Last season: Portsmouth 2 Blackburn 2, Blackburn 2 Portsmouth 1

Last five league matches: Portsmouth W L W W L; Blackburn L L W W W

Match odds: H 6-5 A 15-8 D 21-10

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Reading (15) v Middlesbrough (12)

Reading will be without winger Glen Little, who has been ruled out by a hamstring injury, joining broken ankle victim Aaron Brown on the sidelines. Utility man Brynjar Gunnarsson is available again following time on the sidelines because of a groin problem.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is confident England winger Stewart Downing will be fit after returning from international duty against Greece with a dead leg.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Match odds: H 5-4 A 9-5 D 21-10

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Sheff Utd (16) v Liverpool (9)

United defender Leigh Bromby has been declared fit after his long battle with a knee ligament problem and may replace record summer signing Claude Davis, who is out with a knee injury of his own. Striker Steve Kabba misses out with a hamstring strain.

Robbie Fowler and Stephen Warnock came through a friendly at Lincoln on Wednesday to prove their fitness after minor injuries, while only Harry Kewell (groin) is definitely out for Liverpool. The club are still awaiting Dirk Kuyt's international clearance.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Sheff Utd W W D D W; Liverpool W W W W W

Match odds: H 9-2 A 8-15 D 5-2

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).

West Ham (19) v Charlton (5)

West Ham striker Dean Ashton is out until at least mid-November after breaking his ankle training with England, while winger Matthew Etherington (knee) plus new signings Jonathan Spector (shoulder), Robert Green (groin) and George McCartney (ankle) are all unavailable.

Charlton goalkeeper Scott Carson, centre-half Gonzalo Sorondo and striker Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink look set to start, while Andy Reid, Djimi Traore and Amady Faye could make the squad. Winger Cristian Bolanos is awaiting a work permit, young striker James Walker (ankle) remains doubtful while American defender Cory Gibbs (knee) and winger Jerome Thomas (foot) are out.

Last season: West Ham 0 Charlton 0, Charlton 2 West Ham 0

Last five league matches: West Ham W L L W W; Charlton L W L L L

Match odds: H 10-11 A 13-5 D 21-10

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).

Sunday, August 20th

Chelsea (6) v Man City (10)

Petr Cech, Robert Huth and Joe Cole are out for Chelsea and Michael Ballack is unlikely to overcome his hip injury in time to play. Claude Makelele and Geremi are also unlikely to shake off muscle strains, with the lack of numbers leaving boss Jose Mourinho to decide whether to recall defender William Gallas.

City look certain to be without Dietmar Hamann and Andy Cole. Hamann has failed to recover from a foot problem picked up on City's recent tour of China, while Cole is yet to make an appearance in pre-season after struggling to recover from a knee problem.

Last season: Chelsea 2 Man City 0, Man City 0 Chelsea 1

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

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

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).

Man Utd (11) v Fulham (8)

Wayne Rooney (groin) is fit to play but is suspended for the Red Devils' next three games. Gabriel Heinze and Nemanja Vidic are ruled out with knee injuries, £18.6million new signing Michael Carrick (ankle) is still a week away from a return to training while Alan Smith is continuing his recovery from a horror double leg break.

Calf injuries keep out Cottagers midfielders Claus Jensen and Simon Elliott. Jensen could recover in time for Bolton next Wednesday but Elliott will not be fit for at least two more weeks.

Last season: Man Utd 4 Fulham 2, Fulham 2 Man Utd 3

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

Match odds: H 2-9 A 17-2 D 4-1

Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).