Weekend Premiership team news

Saturday, January 14th

Arsenal (5) v Middlesbrough (16)

Arsenal will have Ashley Cole back in the squad after recovering from a broken bone in his foot - he could feature for the first time since October. Sol Campbell is ruled out with an ankle injury, as is Robin van Persie (broken toe), while Dennis Bergkamp (virus) is doubtful.
Boro's Emanuel Pogatetz is suspended and Franck Queudrue sidelined by a knee ligament injury so 19-year-old Andrew Taylor may be handed a league debut. Gareth Southgate (ankle) is out and the game will come too soon for Stewart Downing and Ray Parlour (both knee) who returned to reserve team action in midweek.
Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 5 Middlesbrough 3
Last five league matches: Arsenal L W W D D; Middlesbrough L D L D D
Top scorers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 13; Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough) 12
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

Aston Villa (12) v West Ham (10)

Villa are boosted by the return of striker Milan Baros from suspension but Gareth Barry is suspended and will be replaced at left-back by Jlloyd Samuel. Eirik Bakke is also set to return having been forced to miss the FA Cup win at Hull due to the terms of his loan deal from Leeds. Hammers midfielder Yossi Benayoun faces a late fitness test on his thigh injury, but is doubtful. Goalkeeper Roy Carroll (thigh) is set to return to the side, along with Anton Ferdinand - who was rested last weekend. Teddy Sheringham (calf) is still not match fit, while Yaniv Katan may make his Premiership debut after impressing when coming off the bench in the FA Cup last weekend.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Aston Villa L W D D W; West Ham L D L L L
Top scorers: Milan Baros & Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 6; Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 9 Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5
Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Blackburn (8) v Bolton (7)

Rovers boss Mark Hughes has no fresh injury worries to contend with for the derby at Ewood Park. Hughes has given his squad a clean bill of health after Wednesday's 1-1 Carling Cup semi-final first-leg draw with Manchester United. Bolton trio Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies and Ivan Campo are available after suspension but Gary Speed (knee) and Nicky Hunt (calf) are doubtful through injury while Jay-Jay Okocha, El-Hadji Diouf, Abdoulaye Faye and Radhi Jaidi are at the African Nations Cup.
Last season: Blackburn 0 Bolton 1, Bolton 0 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn W L W W W; Bolton D W D L D
Top scorers: Craig Bellamy (Blackburn) 9; Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 7
Match odds: H 23-20 A 2-1 D 21-10
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).

Charlton (13) v Birmingham (19)

Midfielder Danny Murphy returns after missing last week's FA Cup win at Sheffield Wednesday with a hamstring problem. Rested defender Luke Young also returns but midfielder Alexei Smertin - who has only just resumed training following a knee injury - may have to wait for his comeback and Charlton continue to be without defender Gonzalo Sorondo because of a broken foot.
Birmingham will give a debut to striker Chris Sutton - he will partner Emile Heskey up front despite the two players being similar in their approach. David Dunn, Muzzy Izzet, Mario Melchiot, Mikael Forssell and Matthew Upson are all fit, leaving only knee injury victims Jamie Clapham and Mehdi Nafti unavailable.
Last season: Charlton 3 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 1 Charlton 1
Last five league matches: Charlton W L L W L; Birmingham L L D L W
Top scorers: Darren Bent (Charlton) 13; Jiri Jarosik (Birmingham) 5
Match odds: H 19-20 A 13-5 D 2-1
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Fulham (14) v Newcastle (11)

New signing Antti Niemi goes straight into the squad after joining from Southampton. Boss Chris Coleman also has defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Moritz Volz back as well as strikers Brian McBride and Heidar Helguson, who missed the 2-1 home FA Cup defeat to Leyton Orient. Steed Malbranque is back in training though he is rated 50-50 and is unlikely to feature from the start. Emre is still absent with a hamstring problem but Lee Bowyer is in the squad after completing a three-match ban. Amady Faye is away on international duty and Michael Owen (foot), Scott Parker (knee), Kieron Dyer and Craig Moore (both hamstring), Shola Ameobi (hip) and Steven Taylor (shoulder) are all still out.
Last season: Fulham 1 Newcastle 3, Newcastle 1 Fulham 4
Last five league matches: Fulham W L D L W; Newcastle W W L L D
Top scorers: Brian McBride (Fulham) 9; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 8
Match odds: H 21-20 A 21-10 D 11-5
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Liverpool (3) v Tottenham (4)

Fernando Morientes is expected to be back in the Liverpool squad after recovering from a knee injury - only Bolo Zenden (knee) is a long term injury problem. Goalkeeper Jose Reina, rested for the FA Cup win at Luton, is set to return in place of Scott Carson, Jan Kromkamp should figure in a home squad for the first time while boss Rafael Benitez will check the fitness of Daniel Agger before deciding on his availability. Ledley King and Edgar Davids return after recovering from an ankle problem and groin tear respectively. Teemu Tainio, Lee Young-Pyo and Andy Reid also returned to training with Noureddine Naybet the only absentee on international duty with Morocco in the African Nations Cup. Egypt striker Mido plays his last game for the club before heading to the same competition.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 1 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool W W W W D; Tottenham D W L W W
Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 16; Mido (Tottenham) 9
Match odds: H 8-13 A 4-1 D 23-10
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).

Man City (9) v Man Utd (2)

Loan signing Albert Riera may make his debut after City received international clearance on his temporary move from Espanyol - and with Claudio Reyna (broken ankle) and Danny Mills (broken shin) injured and Ben Thatcher and David Sommeil suspended. Sun Jihai is likely to replace Nedum Onuoha at right-back but Robbie Fowler may have to be content with a place on the bench despite his FA Cup hat-trick last weekend.
Paul Scholes will sit out the derby after failing to recover from blurred vision - he could be out for another fortnight. New signings Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra are included in Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, while top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to return in place of Louis Saha.
Last season: Man City 0 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 0 Man City 0
Last five league matches: Man City W L L D L; Man Utd W W D W D
Top scorers: Andy Cole (Man City) 8; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 17 Match odds: H 7-2 A 8-11 D 21-10
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Portsmouth (18) v Everton (15)

Pompey will hand debuts to new signings Sean Davis, Pedro Mendes and Noe Pamarot but are waiting to hear whether £4.1million striker Benjani Mwaruwari is available. The Zimbabwean has completed his club record move but may have to report to his country for African Nations Cup duty. Joseph
Yobo plays his final game for Everton before flying off to join up with the Nigeria squad preparing for the African Nations Cup. Boss David Moyes has doubts over Duncan Ferguson (illness) and Mikel Arteta and Nigel Martyn (both ankle). Lee Carsley and Gary Naysmith, who had reserve run-outs in midweek after long injury absences, are unlikely to be involved.
Last season: Everton 2 Portsmouth 1, Portsmouth 0 Everton 1
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W D L W L; Everton L L L W W
Top scorers: James Keene, Gary O'Neil & Matthew Taylor (Portsmouth) 4; James Beattie (Everton) 6
Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10
Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).

Sunday, January 15th

Sunderland (20) v Chelsea (1)

Gary Breen and Steve Caldwell return after being suspended for the FA Cup win over Northwich. Christian Bassila is in contention to return to midfield after recovering from a hamstring injury but striker Kevin Kyle is still a couple of weeks away from being considered for first team action.
Jose Mourinho names youngster Lassana Diarra, being groomed to replace Claude Makelele when the Frenchman retires, in the squad. Carlton Cole is included with Didier Drogba at the African Nations Cup. Michael Essien (ankle) is missing but Frank Lampard, John Terry, Petr Cech, Makelele and William Gallas return.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L D L L; Chelsea W W W W W Top scorers: Anthony Le Tallec & Dean Whitehead (Sunderland) 4; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 14 Match odds: H 14-1 A 1-6 D 4-1
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).

Wigan (6) v West Brom (17)

David Connolly is out after injuring his hamstring in the midweek defeat of Arsenal while Lee McCulloch (groin) is a major doubt. Paul Scharner stands by to make his full debut after his scoring appearance as a substitute in midweek, while Leighton Baines is pushing for a recall after a hamstring strain.
Baggies midfielder Zoltan Gera misses out after suffering a reaction to a hernia problem. Kanu and Neil Clement are sidelined with fractured cheekbones with the former finding out on Monday from a specialist whether he will be able to participate in the African Nations Cup with Nigeria - Geoff Horsfield or Kevin Campbell are likely to replace Kanu with Darren Moore continuing to deputise for Clement.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wigan W W W L L; West Brom L L W L L
Top scorers: Jason Roberts (Wigan) 9; Nathan Ellington (West Brom) 6
Match odds: H 4-5 A 16-5 D 2-1
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).