Premier League team news

Soccer: All the latest injury updates and selection news ahead of this weekend's English Premier League programme.

Saturday
Arsenal (17) v Bolton (19), 3.0pm 
Arsenal will welcome back midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle) and Tomas Rosicky (knee), while full back Bacary Sagna has recovered from a dead leg suffered in the 4-3 defeat at Blackburn.

However, midfielder Yossi Benayoun (thigh) and centre half Johan Djourou (hamstring) picked up minor knocks in the midweek Carling Cup win over Shrewsbury. Midfielders Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby and defender Thomas Vermaelen continue their rehabilitation from ankle injuries.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle will make a late check on Stuart Holden before deciding on the United States midfielder’s availability. Holden returned from a six-month absence with a knee injury in Tuesday’s Carling Cup win at Aston Villa but Coyle does not want to jeopardise the influential midfielder’s fitness by demanding too much, too soon.

Ricardo Gardner (groin) will also be checked after making his first appearance of the season at Villa Park as the Trotters look to end a four-game losing streak.

Last season:Bolton 2, Arsenal 1; Arsenal 4, Bolton 1.
Last five league matches:Arsenal DLLWL; Bolton WLLLL
Top scorers:Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 3; Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 3
Match odds:H 1-2 A 5-1 D 17-5
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear).

Chelsea (3) v Swansea (14), 3.0pm 
Chelsea could change all 10 outfield players after a youthful Blues side were taken to penalties in their midweek Carling Cup third-round win over Fulham.

Manager Andre Villas-Boas was today considering whether to leave out everyone who started bar goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has recovered from the head knock suffered on Wednesday. Daniel Sturridge is out with a knee problem, while Michael Essien is still recovering from a long-term knee injury.

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has no fresh injury concerns. Striker Danny Graham is set to be available after missing the 3-0 win over West Brom with a back complaint, but may have to settle for a bench spot after Leroy Lita’s goalscoring exploits against the Baggies. Left back Neil Taylor has recovered from the blow to the head he suffered in a challenge with Peter Odemwingie.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Chelsea DWWWL; Swansea LDDLW
Top scorers (all competitions):Juan Mata (Chelsea) 2; Leroy Lita, Nathan Dyer and Scott Sinclair (Swansea) 1
Match odds:H 2-9 A 12-1 D 5-1
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral).

Liverpool (8) v Wolves (10) - 3.0pm (Setanta Ireland)
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has a decision to make over whether to start Steven Gerrard against Wolves tomorrow after his captain ended a six-month injury lay-off with a 20-minute comeback in midweek.

Midfielder Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel are both available again after serving one-match suspensions in the Carling Cup win over Brighton for their red cards last weekend. Skrtel is likely to replace Daniel Agger (broken rib) in central defence while Martin Kelly is expected to return at right back with Glen Johnson (hamstring) still injured.

Wolves skipper Roger Johnson and striker Steven Fletcher are set to return at Anfield. Johnson missed the midweek Carling Cup win over Millwall with a sore calf while Fletcher has recovered from a recent groin injury. Kevin Foley (ankle), Jody Craddock (hamstring), Ronald Zubar (groin) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (knee) are still sidelined.

Last season:Wolves 0, Liverpool 3; Liverpool 0, Wolves 1
Last five league matches:Liverpool DWWLL; Wolves WWDLL
Top scorers (all competitions):Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 3; Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolves) 2
Match odds:H 2-5 A 7-1 D 7-2
Referee:Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

Man City (2) v Everton (7) - 12.45pm (Sky Sports 2)
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure returned from serving a six-month suspension for a failed drugs test in Wednesday's Carling Cup win over Birmingham but Blues boss Roberto Mancini has to work out whether the Ivorian defender is fit enough to complete back-to-back matches.

Mancini has already decided that such a task would be too much for Owen Hargreaves, who made a goalscoring contribution to the Birmingham win after returning to action following a series of long-term injury problems.

Everton manager David Moyes is likely to restore several players to his firstXI at the Etihad Stadium. Tim Howard, Sylvain Distin, Leon Osman and Tim Cahill were all left out of the team that started the Carling Cup third-round victory over West Brom on Wednesday and are set to return.

Louis Saha — who has missed the last four games and has been working on his fitness — vented his frustration on Twitter last weekend at not being selected for the squad to face Wigan and his chances of featuring against City remain unclear. Victor Anichebe (groin) is injured and new signing Marcus Hahnemann is not part of the squad heading to Manchester.

Last season:Everton 2, Man City 1; Man City 1, Everton 2
Last five league matches:Man City WWWWD; Everton WLWDW
Top scorers:Sergio Aguero (Man City) 8; Royston Drenthe, Apostolos Vellios, Victor Anichebe, Leighton Baines, Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jagielka, Leon Osman and Phil Neville (Everton) 1
Match odds:H 2-5 A 13-2 D 7-2
Referee:Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Newcastle (4) v Blackburn (16), 3.0pm
Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa could be in line for his first league appearance since October last year. The France international played 70 minutes of Tuesday night's 4-3 Carling Cup win at Nottingham Forest, his first competitive action since breaking his leg in two places, and although manager Alan Pardew does not want to rush him back, he may figure at some point against Rovers.

Striker Shola Ameobi (shoulder) is a doubt, while Davide Santon has returned to training after having fluid drained from his knee but will miss out, as will Alan Smith (hamstring), Haris Vuckic (broken hand) and Mike Williamson (broken arm).

David Goodwillie, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Michel Salgado are all fit for Blackburn. Only David Dunn (calf) and Ryan Nelsen (knee) remain sidelined.

Last season:Blackburn 0, Newcastle 0; Newcastle 1, Blackburn 2
Last five league matches:Newcastle DWWDD; Blackburn LLLDW
Top scorers (all competitions):Leon Best (Newcastle) 3; Ruben Rochina (Blackburn) 4
Match odds:H 17-20 A 10-3 D 5-2
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Stoke City (5) v Manchester Utd (1) - 5.30pm (ESPN) 
Stoke will definitely be without striker Kenwyne Jones after the Trinidad and Tobago international damaged a hamstring in the penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Although the injury is not as bad as first feared, he is likely to be out until after next month’s international break. Salif Diao, Cameron Jerome and Jermaine Pennant have all been struggling with niggles this week while utility man Danny Pugh has joined Leeds on loan.

Manchester United forwards Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck will both be pushing for starting slots alongside Wayne Rooney. Hernandez has made a rapid recovery from the shin injury he sustained in last weekend’s win over Chelsea, while Welbeck returned from a hamstring problem in the midweek Carling Cup success at Leeds. Chris Smalling (groin) is a doubt, but fellow England defender Rio Ferdinand is set to return from a calf injury.

Last season:Man Utd 2, Stoke 1; Stoke 1, Man Utd 2
Last five league matches:Stoke DDWWL; Man Utd WWWWW
Top scorers:Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 3; Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 9
Match odds:H 9-2 A 6-10 D 3-1
Referee:Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

West Brom (20) v Fulham (18), 3.0pm 
West Brom manager Roy Hodgson will revert to his first-choice side, having made nine changes for the Carling Cup defeat at Everton. Only Jonas Olsson and Peter Odemwingie featured in midweek of the side which started against Swansea last weekend, but most of those left out at Goodison Park should return tomorrow.

Defender Gabriel Tamas remains suspended following his red card against Norwich, but striker Shane Long could return after illness ruled him out of Wednesday’s game.

Fulham could have defender Aaron Hughes back from a knee injury for the trip to the Hawthorns. Forward Andrew Johnson (ankle) is also close to being in contention, but midfielder Dickson Etuhu (thigh) and defender Bjorn Helge Riise (groin) remain sidelined. Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and captain Danny Murphy are all set to feature after being rested for the midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Chelsea.

Last season:Fulham 3, West Brom 0; West Brom 2, Fulham 1
Last five league matches:West Brom LLLWL; Fulham DLLDD
Top scorers:Marc-Antoine Fortune and Shane Long (West Brom) 2; Bobby Zamora, Andrew Johnson and Danny Murphy (Fulham) 4
Match odds:H 13-10 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee:Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).

Wigan (15) v Tottenham (11), 3.0pm 
Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega will miss tomorrow's visit of Tottenham and could be sidelined for a month after injuring his knee last weekend. Defender Emmerson Boyce was absent for the defeat at Everton with a hamstring problem and remains a doubt. Defenders Steven Gohouri (calf) and Antolin Alcaraz (thigh) are still not fully fit.

Tottenham duo William Gallas and Aaron Lennon will miss out due to respective calf and groin injuries. Benoit Assou-Ekotto is doubtful due to a throat infection and Roman Pavlyuchenko and Niko Kranjcar will not travel to the north west because of hamstring injuries. Danny Rose (ankle) and Steven Pienaar (groin) are back in training but are unlikely to be risked while Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are definitely out.

Last season:Wigan 0, Tottenham 0; Tottenham 0, Wigan 1
Last five league matches:Wigan DDWLL; Tottenham WLLWW
Top scorers:Franco Di Santo (Wigan) 3; Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 3
Match odds:H 3-1 A 10-11 D 5-2
Referee:Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).

Sunday
QPR (9) v Aston Villa (6) - 4.0pm (Sky Sports 1) 
QPR have no fresh injury concerns. Kieron Dyer remains out with a foot injury, while Clint Hill joined Nottingham Forest on loan this week. Jamie Mackie is not yet fit to feature but returned to full training today for the first time since suffering a double leg break against Blackburn in January.

Aston Villa striker and record signing Darren Bent has been ruled out with a groin problem. Fellow forward Emile Heskey (hamstring) is still sidelined but transfer deadline day signing Jermaine Jenas is given a 50-50 chance of recovering from a thigh problem. Villa boss Alex McLeish has recalled rookie striker Andreas Weimann from a loan spell at Watford while Charles N’Zogbia will return to the side after being rested for the Carling Cup tie with Bolton.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:QPR LWLDW; Aston Villa DWDDD
Top scorers (all competitions):Joey Barton, DJ Campbell, Alejandro Faurlin and Tommy Smith (QPR) 1; Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 3
Match odds:H 7-5 A 21-10 D 21-10
Referee:Michael Oliver (Northumberland).

Monday
Norwich (13) v Sunderland (12) - 8.0pm (Sky Sports 1)
Norwich will again be without centre half Zak Whitbread (hamstring) but manager Paul Lambert has no fresh injury worries, and could freshen his team up after making half a dozen changes for last week's win at Bolton, with captain Grant Holt pressing for a recall. Defenders Elliott Ward (knee) and Dani Ayala (both knee) remain out.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will again be without full back Phil Bardsley as he serves the second part of a four-game suspension. Bruce otherwise has no fresh concerns with Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler having played 45 minutes for the reserves in midweek, although he is not yet ready to return to senior action after a second serious knee problem, while Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (also knee) continue to work their way back to fitness.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Norwich DDLLW; Sunderland DLDLW
Top scorers (all competitions):Anthony Pilkington, Ritchie De Laet, Grant Holt, Wesley Hoolahan and Bradley Johnson (Norwich) 1; Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) 2 Match odds:H 29-20 A 19-10 D 9-4
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside).