Soccer

Premier League opening weekend team news

All the latest injury and transfer news as the season gets underway

Giovani Lo Celso is in line to make his debut for Tottenham Hotspur after joining on loan from Real Betis. Photograph: Eddy Lemaistre/EPA

Fri Aug 9 2019 - 21:16

SATURDAY (3pm unless stated)

West Ham (19) v Man City (11), 12.30pm – Live on BT Sport 1
West Ham captain Mark Noble (dead leg) is out of their Premier League opener against Manchester City.

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (groin) is fit, while new signings Pablo Fornals and Sebastien Haller are expected to make their debuts.

City are without Leroy Sane after the winger suffered a serious knee injury in the Community Shield last week. Forward Riyad Mahrez is available again after being left out at Wembley due to concerns over a medication he had used, while defender Aymeric Laporte has recovered from a knock. Record goalscorer Sergio Agüero is likely to return up front but new signing Joao Cancelo will not feature and Benjamin Mendy is not expected to be fit.

Last season: Man City 1 West Ham 0, West Ham 0 Man City 4
Last five league matches: West Ham L D W W W; Man City W W W W W
Top scorers: Albian Ajeti (West Ham) 2, ; Raheem Sterling (Man City) 1,
Match odds: H 12-1 A 2-9 D 11-2
Referee: Mike Dean

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Bournemouth (1) v Sheff Utd (15)
Bournemouth summer signing Lloyd Kelly, who took a knock in training, joins David Brooks (ankle) and Dan Gosling (hip) on the treatment table, with long-term absentees Simon Francis, Lewis Cook and Junior Stanislas (all knee) not expected to be involved. Cherries boss Eddie Howe could hand debuts to defender Jack Stacey, midfielder Philip Billing and wingers Harry Wilson and Arnaut Danjuma.

Sheffield United have all of their players available as they prepare to make a long-awaited Premier League return. The Blades have signed eight new players including club-record signing Oli McBurnie. Fellow summer arrivals Dean Henderson, Ravel Morrison, Phil Jagielka, Ben Osborn, Luke Freeman, Callum Robinson and Lys Mousset are also in contention.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: AFC Bournemouth W L D W L; Sheff Utd D W W W D
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 5-2
Referee: Kevin Friend

Burnley (5) v Southampton (16)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche must decide which of his new signings to include. Midfielder Danny Drinkwater, signed on loan from Chelsea, appears unlikely to feature but striker Jay Rodriguez and full back Erik Pieters are in contention. Defenders James Tarkowski and Kevin Long are fit but winger Robbie Brady (rib) and midfielder Steven Defour (calf) miss out.

Southampton’s two new signings, Che Adams and Moussa Djenepo, are in contention to make their debuts. Former Birmingham striker Adams is a likely starter alongside Danny Ings, who made his loan from Liverpool a permanent switch over the summer. Winger Djenepo only started training last week following international duty with Mali, so he will probably be on the bench.

Last season: Burnley 1 Southampton 1, Southampton 0 Burnley 0
Last five league matches: Burnley W D L L L; Southampton L D D L D
Match odds: H 17-10 A 7-4 D 11-5
Referee: Graham Scott

Crystal Palace (7) v Everton (8)
Crystal Palace will be without centre back James Tomkins (groin). Roy Hodgson will also be without Mamadou Sakho (knee) and Jeffrey Schlupp (ankle), but the former England boss is happy with his squad heading into the new campaign.

Fabian Delph (thigh) will be unable to make his Premier League bow for Everton, while veteran left back Leighton Baines is doubtful. Manager Marco Silva may hand top-flight debuts to Djibril Sidibe, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean though fellow new arrival Jonas Lossl is unlikely to dislodge Jordan Pickford between the posts.

Last season: Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0, Everton 2 Crystal Palace 0
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace L W D W W; Everton L W D W D
Match odds: H 21-10 A 27-20 D 23-10
Referee: Jon Moss

Watford (18) v Brighton (4)
New Watford signings Ismaila Sarr and Danny Welbeck are unlikely to feature. Club-record signing Sarr has only recently returned from holiday while Welbeck has been working on his fitness, having not played since November. Also sidelined are Nathaniel Chalobah, Adalberto Penaranda, Domingos Quina and Dimitri Foulquier.

New Brighton boss Graham Potter has four summer signings pushing for debuts at Vicarage Road. Midfielder Aaron Mooy joined the club before Thursday’s deadline, with Potter having already brought in defender Adam Webster, winger Leandro Trossard, and striker Neal Maupay. Defender Ezequiel Schelotto and winger Jose Izquierdo (both knee) and midfielder Yves Bissouma (shoulder) are unavailable.

Last season: Brighton 0 Watford 0, Watford 2 Brighton 0
Last five league matches: Watford W D L L L; Brighton D L D D L
Match odds: H 19-20 A 16-5 D 12-5
Referee: Craig Pawson

Tottenham Hotspur (17) v Aston Villa (3), 5.30pm – Live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event)
Tottenham will be without Dele Alli as he nurses a hamstring injury. Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) will not play either but fellow new recruits Tanguy N'Dombele and Giovani Lo Celso could make their debuts. Ben Davies (groin) misses out while Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth are serving suspensions carried over from last season. Eric Dier, Serge Aurier and Victor Wanyama are back in training and could be involved.

Aston Villa could hand Tom Heaton, Matt Targett, Jota, Trezeguet and Ezri Konsa their debuts. Villa signed 12 players in the summer, including making loans for Tyrone Mings, Kortney Hause and Anwar El Ghazi permanent. James Chester is the only absentee as he is out with a hamstring injury.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Tottenham Hotspur L W L L D; Aston Villa W W W D L
Match odds: H 2-7 A 9-1 D 9-1
Referee: Chris Kavanagh

SUNDAY (2pm unless stated)

Leicester (9) v Wolverhampton (20)
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers could hand Ayoze Perez his debut after his summer move from Newcastle. Filip Benkovic is still nursing an ankle problem and deadline day signing from Sampdoria Dennis Praet is working on his fitness so is only likely to make the bench.

Wolves’ squad will be assessed after their 6,370-mile round trip to Armenia, where they beat FC Pyunik 4-0 in the Europa League. Striker Patrick Cutrone may make his Premier League debut and Adama Traore should be back in the squad after forgetting his passport for the trip to Armenia.

Last season: Wolverhampton 4 Leicester 3, Leicester 2 Wolverhampton 0
Last five league matches: Leicester L D W L D; Wolverhampton D W W W L
Match odds: H 6-5 A 5-2 D 9-4
Referee: Andre Marriner

Newcastle (13) v Arsenal (2) – Live Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event
Newcastle midfielder Matt Ritchie will be available provided he does not suffer a reaction to his return to training after a hamstring injury. DeAndre Yedlin (groin) and striker Dwight Gayle (calf) remain on the sidelines along with defender Florian Lejeune (knee). New head coach Steve Bruce could hand competitive debuts to summer signings Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jetro Willems but Emil Krafth only trained with the squad for the first time on Friday while Andy Carroll is lacking match fitness.

New Arsenal signing Kieran Tierney (groin) will not make his bow while there are doubts over fellow recent recruits Dani Ceballos (ankle), David Luiz and Nicolas Pepe (both fitness). Alexandre Lacazette has returned to training after an ankle injury but could also be absent, with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Emile Smith Rowe (both groin), Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding (both knee) and Mohamed Elneny (fitness) all likely to miss out.

Last season: Arsenal 2 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 1 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches: Newcastle W W D L W; Arsenal L L L D W
Match odds: H 7-2 A 78-100 D 11-4
Referee: Martin Atkinson

Manchester United (12) v Chelsea (6), 4.30pm – Live Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event
Paul Pogba is fit to start for Manchester United having missed the final pre-season game against AC Milan due to a back spasm. Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James could make their debuts, while 17-year-old Mason Greenwood is set to be named in the squad. Eric Bailly and Tim Fosu-Mensah are both injured, while Alexis Sanchez (hamstring) may not be involved either.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will make a late decision on N’Golo Kante, who has been battling a knee injury. Forward Willian and defender Antonio Rudiger (both knee) also face fitness tests but are unlikely to feature. Christian Pulisic could make his Blues debut following his £58 million move from Borussia Dortmund, but England duo Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi (both Achilles) will be unavailable.

Last season: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 2 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches: Man Utd L L D D L; Chelsea L D D W D
Match odds: H 23-20 A 5-2 D 23-10
Referee: Anthony Taylor

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