Team news ahead of this weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures.
Saturday, October 2nd
Birmingham (13) v Everton (20)
Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner is suspended for three matches after his straight red card against Wigan last weekend. Blues boss Alex McLeish could switch Lee Bowyer from the left flank back into his preferred central midfield position alongside Barry Ferguson. Ireland’s Keith Fahey will be in contention for a recall after not starting a league game since the opening day of the campaign at Sunderland.
Everton full-back Tony Hibbert is back in contention after missing last week's draw at Fulham with a groin strain. Louis Saha (calf), Jack Rodwell (ankle) and Victor Anichebe (knee) remain on the sidelines while manager David Moyes has also reported "one or two doubts" but given no further details.
Last season:Birmingham 2 Everton 2, Everton 1 Birmingham 1
Last five league matches:Birmingham W D D L D; Everton D L D L D
Top scorers:Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 3; Tim Cahill (Everton) 2
Match odds:H 17-10 A 17-10 D 21-10
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Stoke (14) v Blackburn (9)
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is considering risking Ricardo Fuller. The striker dislocated his right shoulder in last Sunday’s 2-1 win over Newcastle but scans revealed no fracture and he could be on the bench. Pulis’ other worries are defender Andy Wilkinson, who has a slight knee problem, and Jermaine Pennant, who missed the Newcastle clash with a hamstring injury.
David Dunn and Vince Grella will both be missing for Blackburn due to hamstring problems. Jason Roberts returns to the squad and could make his first appearance of the season from the bench. Keith Andrews has also recovered from injury and the Irish midfielder could make his first start of the season.
Last season:Stoke 3 Blackburn 0, Blackburn 0 Stoke 0
Last five league matches:Stoke L L W D W; Blackburn L L D D W
Top scorers:Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 3; Nikola Kalinic (Blackburn) 2
Match odds:H 13-10 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee:Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Sunderland (11) v Man Utd (2)
Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand could return after a hamstring injury but the game is likely to come too soon for John Mensah. Kieran Richardson (hamstring) will also miss out. Fit-again Craig Gordon will attempt to displace Belgian Simon Mignolet in goal, while Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (both knee) remain long-term absentees.
Wayne Rooney believes he is fit but Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson wants to give his star striker more rest. The fitness of Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Anderson will be assessed before Ferguson finalises his line-up.
Last season:Sunderland 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Sunderland 2
Last five league matches:Sunderland L W D D D; Man Utd D W D W D
Top scorers:Darren Bent (Sunderland) 5; Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 6
Match odds:H 4-1 A 8-11 D 5-2
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Tottenham (8) v Aston Villa (5)
Tottenham will once again check on the fitness of captain Ledley King before deciding on their line-up. Should he start, he will once again be partnered by Sebastien Bassong, with William Gallas (groin) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) both still missing, joining long-term absentees Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both ligament damage), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) on the sidelines.
Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne is back in contention after recovering from a knee problem will have to see whether new manager Gerard Houllier will hand him an instant recall or keep faith with the James Collins-Carlos Cuellar partnership. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor misses out with a groin injury and will undergo minor surgery on Monday.
Last season:Tottenham 0 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches:Tottenham W L D W L; Aston Villa L W L D W
Top scorers:Gareth Bale (Tottenham) 2; Stewart Downing (Aston Villa) 3
Match odds:H 19-20 A 14-5 D 12-5
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
West Brom (6) v Bolton (12)
Czech striker Roman Bednar is available for West Brom after missing out on the trip to face Arsenal last weekend because of a thigh injury. Romanian defender Gabriel Tamas has fully recovered from a calf injury and is also back in contention for the Baggies.
England defender Gary Cahill is available for Bolton after completing a three-match suspension following his sending-off at Arsenal last month. Andy O'Brien, Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Jlloyd Samuel and Sean Davis have all been nursing injuries.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:West Brom W L D W W; Bolton W D L D D
Top scorers:Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 3; Johan Elmander (Bolton) 3
Match odds:A 5-4 A 9-4 D 11-5
Referee:Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
West Ham (19) v Fulham (7)
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer could miss out through illness. He has been suffering with diarrhoea all week after coming off during last week’s win over Tottenham. Valon Behrami (knee) and Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh) are out while Hammers boss Avram Grant will give late fitness tests to Winston Reid, Jonathan Spector and Herita Ilunga (all leg).
Goalkeeper David Stockdale is in contention for Fulham after recovering from an ankle injury. The Cottagers remain short in attack, with Moussa Dembele (ankle) and Bobby Zamora (broken leg) sidelined, although Andrew Johnson played in a behind-closed-doors game yesterday and is working his way back to full fitness after a serious knee problem.
Last season:Fulham 3 West Ham 2, West Ham 2 Fulham 2
Last five league matches:West Ham L L L D W; Fulham D D W D D
Top scorers:Scott Parker (West Ham) 2; Moussa Dembele, Bobby Zamora (Fulham) 2
Match odds:H 11-8 A 2-1 D 11-5
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Wigan (18) v Wolverhampton (17)
Wigan striker Franco Di Santo could feature after making a quick recovery from an ankle problem suffered at Birmingham last week. On-loan midfielder Tom Cleverley might also come into contention after he injured his knee in training.
Wolves midfielder Adlene Guedioura will be out of action for four to six months after suffering the setback as a second-half substitute in a challenge from Aston Villa's Steve Sidwell last weekend. Midfielder Stephen Hunt is back in training after his lengthy lay-off with a foot problem but is not ready to return, while defender Ronald Zubar (hamstring) is still sidelined.
Last season:Wolverhampton 0 Wigan 2, Wigan 0 Wolverhampton 1
Last five league matches:Wigan L W D L D; Wolverhampton D D L L L
Top scorers:Antolin Alcaraz and Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 1; Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Steven Fletcher (Wolverhampton) 2
Match odds:H 5-4 A 23-10 D 11-5
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Sunday, October 3rd
Chelsea (1) v Arsenal (3)
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has recovered from hernia surgery but has since sustained a slight groin problem and will not face the Gunners. Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is back after being suspended for the midweek Champions League game against Marseille. Chelsea are also without injured striker Salomon Kalou (thigh) and midfielder Yossi Benayoun (calf).
Arsenal will be without captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) and England Under-21 full-back Kieran Gibbs (calf). Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow) remains out, meaning Lukasz Fabianski is again set to deputise, while midfielder Abou Diaby returns to the squad after an ankle problem. Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), Nicklas Bendtner (groin), Aaron Ramsey (leg), Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie (both ankle) are still absent.
Last season:Chelsea 2 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Last five league matches:Chelsea W W W W L; Arsenal W W W D L
Top scorers:Florent Malouda (Chelsea) 6; Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 4
Match odds:H 8-11 A 7-2 D 11-4
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral).
Liverpool (16) v Blackpool (15)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is set to return to the starting line-up after being rested for last night’s Europa League goalless draw at FC Utrecht. There is a problem at left-back as Paul Konchesky (hamstring) and Fabio Aurelio (Achilles) are still injured while usual stand-in Daniel Agger has a groin problem. Martin Kelly, a centre-half who has been occasionally been deployed at right-back, is also doubtful with a knee problem, which could force Jamie Carragher to move to the left.
Blackpool will again be without defender Alex Baptiste. The defender missed last week's defeat to Blackburn after suffering a recurrence of an old knee ligament injury and has now had an operation. The 24-year-old faces several weeks on the sidelines, where he joins Louis Almond, Malaury Martin and Billy Clarke.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Liverpool L W D L D; Blackpool L D W L L
Top scorers:Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 3;Marlon Harewood (Blackpool) 2
Match odds:H 3-10 A 10-1 D 4-1
Referee:Michael Jones (Cheshire).
Man City (4) v Newcastle (10)
Argentina-born utility man Pablo Zabaleta will be missing for Manchester City after suffering a hamstring strain against Juventus last night, which will either mean a recall for Dedryck Boyata or Joleon Lescott. David Silva, James Milner and Nigel de Jong will all hope for a place in the starting XI after starting the Juve draw on the bench.
Veteran defender Sol Campbell has shaken off a thigh injury to take his place in the Newcastle squad. Danny Guthrie (knee) and Danny Simpson (ankle) are both back in full training and will play for the reserves next week, while Steven Taylor (shoulder) is expected to resume training in a fortnight's time, leaving only Steve Harper (shoulder) and Dan Gosling (knee) on the long-term casualty list.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Man City W L D W W; Newcastle W D L W L
Top scorers:Carlos Tevez (Man City) 4; Andrew Carroll (Newcastle) 4
Match odds:H 2-5 A 7-1 D 7-2
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).