Premiership Team news and statistics

Arsenal (1) v Portsmouth (3) Gilberto Silva is set to miss out after international duty with Brazil - Edu could replace his …

Arsenal (1) v Portsmouth (3)
Gilberto Silva is set to miss out after international duty with Brazil - Edu could replace his compatriot in the side. Kolo Toure will compete with Martin Keown for the right to partner Sol Campbell, who returns after a one-match ban, in central defence.

Former Tottenham and England midfielder Tim Sherwood is in contention for a place in the Portsmouth side after missing the first three weeks of the campaign with an ear infection. Australian defender Hayden Foxe is fit again after a two-week absence with a thigh strain while striker Jason Roberts could make his debut after joining on a season-long loan from West Brom - but Matthew Taylor (heel) is still a fortnight away from full fitness.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Arsenal W W W W W; Portsmouth W W D W D

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Top scorers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 4; Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 4

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

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)

Blackburn (9) v Liverpool (10)
Barry Ferguson is expected to make his debut for Blackburn. Steven Reid is suspended and Craig Short is injured but Brett Emerton has recovered from a bruised calf to take his place in the squad.

Liverpool have been forced to rule Stephane Henchoz out of a clash with former club Blackburn after he suffered a recurrence of his recent ankle injury while playing for Switzerland in midweek. Henchoz will be out for two weeks, and Igor Biscan is likely to play alongside Sami Hyypia in the heart of defence.

Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek plays his 100th game for the club at Blackburn, and Patrice Luzi is his deputy on the bench in the absence of Chris Kirkland, who could be out for six weeks with a groin injury.

Last season: Liverpool 1 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 2 Liverpool 2

Last five league matches: Blackburn W W D L D; Liverpool L L D D W

Top scorers: Andy Cole (Blackburn) 4; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 3

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

Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)

Bolton (17) v Middlesbrough (19)
Sam Allardyce has decided Mario Jardel, Ibrahim Ba and Paul Warhurst need reserve games to build up their fitness, but on-loan midfielder Glen Little is poised for a Bolton debut after his arrival from Burnley.

Middlesbrough midfielder Boudewijn Zenden - on loan from Chelsea - may be handed a league debut. Striker Malcolm Christie misses out through illness, full-back Alan Wright has a hamstring problem, and Franck Queudrue completes a five-match ban. Chris Riggott (back) and Michael Ricketts (ankle) both return to the squad.

Last season: Bolton 2 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 2 Bolton 0

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

Top scorers:Kevin Davies & Youri Djorkaeff (Bolton) 1; Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 2

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

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire)

Charlton (11) v Man Utd (2)
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has yet to decide whether to pitch Paolo di Canio in for his full debut - the Italian has been sidelined since bruising his knee when he made his first Addicks appearance as a substitute against Wolves last month. Fellow striker Carlton Cole is out with a hip injury and centre-back Mark Fish serves a one-match suspension against the champions.

Rio Ferdinand is out with a kidney infection and John O'Shea (ankle) is a doubt, while Mikael Silvestre picked up a slight knock on international duty in midweek, so Roy Keane could play at centre-half as he did in the opening day win over Bolton.

Phil Neville may take Keane's holding midfield role, with Paul Scholes (muscle tear) and Kleberson (dislocated shoulder) out, while there are also doubts over the fitness of Nicky Butt and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Last season: Man Utd 4 Charlton 1, Charlton 1 Man Utd 3

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

Top scorers:Jason Euell (Charlton) 3; Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes & Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 2

Match odds: H 4-1 A 4-7 D 5-2

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire)

Chelsea (5) v Tottenham (15)
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri is debating whether to hand new signing Claude Makelele his debut. Fellow midfielder Geremi is suspended but Ranieri - asked if he would play Makelele tomorrow - would only say "maybe".

Glenn Hoddle may include new signings Stephane Dalmat and Charlton's Paul Konchesky, who both arrived at White Hart Lane on loan deals before the transfer window closed. Hoddle has no fresh injury worries and reported that Robbie Keane (ankle), Gus Poyet (wrist), Christian Ziege (thigh) and Kazu Toda (calf) are all back in training.

Last season: Chelsea 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 0 Chelsea 0

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

Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 3; Frederic Kanoute & Mauricio Taricco (Tottenham) 1

Match odds: H 8-15 A 5-1 D 9-4

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire)

Everton (14) v Newcastle (18)
Nigel Martyn is standing by for his Everton debut as Richard Wright struggles to shake off a knee problem. Li Tie (foot) has joined the injured duo of Scot Gemmill (thigh) and Kevin Campbell (hamstring) on the sidelines, but Lee Carsley has played an international and a reserve match this week and is fit while Francis Jeffers is expected to be on the bench.

Craig Bellamy could play his first game for Newcastle since the opening weekend of the season after shaking off the knee injury which prompted a club versus country row. Jonathan Woodgate (stomach muscle) and Jermaine Jenas (wisdom teeth) remain doubts but Shay Given has recovered from knee and neck problems.

Last season: Everton 2 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 2 Everton 1

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

Top scorers: Steve Watson (Everton) 2; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 3

Match odds: H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire)

Southampton (8) v Wolverhampton (20)
Rory Delap returns to Southampton's squad after missing the last three weeks with a badly sprained ankle. Midfielder Chris Marsden is also in contention to return to the starting line-up after making a full recovery from knee surgery.

But striker Marian Pahars (groin) is still sidelined while Agustin Delgado is out with a long-term back problem.

Wolves winger Mark Kennedy could make his first appearance of the season after recovering from an ankle injury. The Republic of Ireland international picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against Swindon and has missed the opening four games of the campaign.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Southampton W D D D W; Wolverhampton D L L L D

Top scorers: James Beattie (Southampton) 2; Steffen Iversen (Wolverhampton) 1

Match odds: H 4-7 A 4-1 D 5-2

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire)

Sunday, September 14

Birmingham (6) v Fulham (7)
Blues defender Kenny Cunningham is rated very doubtful after picking up a groin injury on duty for his country against Russia last weekend.

Blues manager Steve Bruce will give a debut to Mikael Forssell, who has joined the club on loan from Chelsea until January. Christophe Dugarry - back in training after three weeks out following a minor knee operation - will undergo a fitness test. Striker Louis Saha looks favourite to replace injured Barry Hayles for Fulham, although Facundo Sava is also in the reckoning.

Hayles is out with ankle damage sustained playing for Jamaica against Australia but defenders Andy Melville (foot) and Martin Djetou (thigh) have recovered from injuries while Mark Pembridge could make his debut in midfield.

Last season:Fulham 0 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 0 Fulham 0

Last five league matches:Birmingham L D W D W; Fulham W W W L W Top scorers: David Dunn (Birmingham) 2, Barry Hayles (Fulham) 3

Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5

Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire)

Man City (4) v Aston Villa (13)
Steve McManaman will make his City debut after coming through a midweek reserve team run-out following last week's move from Real Madrid. Fellow new recruit Claudio Reyna may have to be content with a place on the bench but Eyal Berkovic is fit despite aggravating a long-standing hamstring problem in Israel's 2-2 draw with Malta.

Villa will be without Darius Vassell and Gareth Barry - Vassell underwent a pelvic operation 12 days ago and Barry is again missing through suspension. Marcus Allback is back in the frame after playing 87 minutes in midweek for Sweden following a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Last season: Man City 3 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 1 Man City 0

Last five league matches: Man City L W D W L; Aston Villa L L D L W Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 3; Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 2

Match odds: H 5-6 A 13-5 D 23-10

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)

Monday, September 15

Leicester (16) v Leeds (12)
Leicester's Alan Rogers, Ricardo Scimeca and Les Ferdinand are all suspended and Keith Gillespie is doubtful after sustaining an ankle injury in Northern Ireland's midweek Euro 2004 qualifier with Armenia.

Frank Sinclair, Matt Elliott and Callum Davidson are already ruled out, while John Curtis and Steve Howey (both hamstring) are battling to be fit.

Brazil international defender Roque Junior, Cameroon international midfielder Salomon Olembe and former France Under-21 international striker Cyril Chapuis all come into the reckoning for Leeds. With no injury worries, the only other change to the squad will see 18-year-old goalkeeper Scott Carson given his first taste of first-team action with a place on the bench following the departure of Nigel Martyn to Everton.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Leicester D D L D L; Leeds W D L D W

Top scorers: Paul Dickov, Les Ferdinand, Muzzy Izzet, James Scowcroft (Leicester) 1; Alan Smith & Mark Viduka (Leeds) 2

Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10

Referee: J Winter (Cleveland)