Premiership Team News

Saturday, September 16th

Bolton (6) v Middlesbrough (12)

Bolton have Stelios Giannakopoulos back after a groin strain but manager Sam Allardyce is without Kevin Davies (cheekbone), Henrik Pedersen (Achilles), Joey O'Brien and Ricardo Gardner (both knee).

Stewart Downing (groin) misses out while captain George Boateng is suspended. Adam Johnson deputises for the England winger and Lee Cattermole is set to step in for Boateng. Jonathan Woodgate skippers the side, while Gareth Southgate is likely to continue his away-day policy of fielding a lone striker — Yakubu.

Last season: Bolton 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 4 Bolton 3

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

Top scorers: Gary Speed, Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf & Ivan Campo (Bolton) 1; James Morrison, Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Stewart Downing, Emanuel Pogatetz & Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) 1,

Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5

Referee: S Bennett (Kent)

Charlton (16) v Portsmouth (2)

Charlton's Djimi Traore suffered a hairline fracture to his left leg against Arsenal while fellow new arrivals Andy Reid and Souleymane Diawara have hamstring injuries. Manager Iain Dowie is also missing Jerome Thomas (metatarsal), Gonzalo Sorondo (back), Cory Gibbs (knee) and Jonathan Fortune (toe), while Hermann Hreidarsson is suspended.

Harry Redknapp is pondering changes after new signings Andy Cole, Niko Kranjcar and Roudolphe Douala proved their fitness in a midweek Pompey reserve game. Skipper Dejan Stefanovic is expected to pass a late test on a toe injury and midfielder Gary O'Neil should also recover from a stomach strain.

Last season: Charlton 2 Portsmouth 1, Portsmouth 1 Charlton 2

Last five league matches: Charlton L L L W L; Portsmouth L W D W W

Top scorers: Darren Bent (Charlton) 3; Kanu (Portsmouth) 4

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

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire)

Everton (3) v Wigan (13)

Everton boss David Moyes is expected to name an unchanged side. Scotland forward James McFadden is likely to be out for a month with the hamstring injury he suffered on international duty, meaning Tim Cahill being used in a more advanced role in support of in-form striker Andy Johnson.

Kevin Kilbane may face his former club after being named in the Wigan squad for the first time. Striker Svetoslav Todorov may also be handed a first start if Henri Camara fails to shake off a hamstring problem.

Last season: Wigan 1 Everton 1, Everton 0 Wigan 1

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

Top scorers: Andrew Johnson (Everton) 4; David Cotterill & Svetoslav Todorov (Wigan) 2

Match odds: H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire)

Sheff Utd (18) v Reading (8)

Blades striker Christian Nade may win a first start with Danny Webber (groin) injured. Midfielder Michael Tonge will be given time to prove his fitness after twisting an ankle in training but Claude Davis (knee), Craig Short (thigh) and Leigh Bromby (hamstring) are unlikely to make the starting line-up.

Reading centre-back Ivar Ingimarsson is clear to play after a head injury but striker Dave Kitson (knee) and defenders Sam Sodje (knee) and Aaron Brown (ankle) remain sidelined.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Sheff Utd W D L L D; Reading W W L L W

Top scorers: Rob Hulse (Sheff Utd) 1; Ivar Ingimarsson, Steve Sidwell, Dave Kitson, Leroy Lita & Kevin Doyle (Reading) 1

Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5

Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands)

Watford (20) v Aston Villa (5)

Watford left-back Chris Powell is likely to be unavailable for three weeks due to a calf injury, joining  centre-back Clarke Carlisle - who is still suffering from a chest infection - on the sidelines. Powell's place is likely to be taken by Jordan Stewart.

Milan Baros is pushing for a recall to Villa's starting line-up having recovered from his foot injury. Left-back Wilfred Bouma is also bidding for a start, having come through 90 minutes for the reserves after a groin problem, while Didier Agathe is in the squad for the first time after signing a short-term deal.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Watford D L D L L; Aston Villa W D W W D

Top scorers: Damien Francis (Watford) 2; Juan Pablo Angel & Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa) 2

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

Referee: M Dean (Wirral)

Sunday, September 17th

Blackburn (19) v Man City (11)

Blackburn striker Francis Jeffers is available after a recent red card was overturned. Jeffers was sent off in a reserve match, incurring a three-match ban, only for the club to successfully win an appeal. Midfielder Steven Reid is out after undergoing a scan to discover the cause of a niggly back problem.

Dietmar Hamann is set to make his City debut after recovering from a foot injury. He should take over from Ousmane Dabo, who starts a three-match ban. Fellow new boy DaMarcus Beasley may be on the bench but Darius Vassell (knee), Nedum Onuoha and Sun Jihai (both hamstring) and Andreas Isaksson (ankle) miss out.

Last season: Blackburn 2 Man City 0, Man City 0 Blackburn 0

Last five league matches: Blackburn W L D L D; Man City L L D W L

Top scorers: Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 1; Joey Barton (Man City) 1,

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

Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Chelsea (4) v Liverpool (10)

Chelsea have Arjen Robben back in their squad after missing four games with a calf injury. Joe Cole's knee injury flared up after coming on for the last 10 minutes against Werder Bremen and he misses out.

Daniel Agger could keep his place in the Liverpool defence at the expense of Sami Hyypia. The Reds have favoured a high-speed pairing up front in Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy, which could leave Peter Crouch on the bench. Manager Rafael Benitez will also consider Jermaine Pennant in a right-wing role. John Arne Riise is still out with an ankle injury.

Last season: Chelsea 2 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 1 Chelsea 4

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

Top scorers: Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 3; Peter Crouch (Liverpool) 3

Match odds: H 8-11 A 4-1 D 21-10

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire)

Man Utd (1) v Arsenal (17)

Cristiano Ronaldo sat out United's midweek Champions League triumph over Celtic through suspension but with Ryan Giggs ruled out for a month with a hamstring strain, the winger will be offered an immediate recall. Park Ji-Sung (ankle) is out for three months but Nemanja Vidic and Alan Smith are available.

Arsenal captain Thierry Henry (foot) and Robin van Persie (hip) are doubts but Kolo Toure (hip) is set to play. Philippe Senderos (shoulder), Gael Clichy (foot), Lauren (knee) and Abou Diaby (ankle) are out but Tomas Rosicky, Freddie Ljungberg, Julio Baptista and Theo Walcott are available.

Last season: Man Utd 2 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 0 Man Utd 0

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

Top scorers: Louis Saha (Man Utd) 4; Gilberto Silva & Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 2

Match odds: H 5-6 A 3-1 D 2-1

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire)

Tottenham (15) v Fulham (7)

Spurs are without Aaron Lennon for six weeks with a cartilage problem which requires surgery while striker Dimitar Berbatov (groin) is rated very doubtful by boss Martin Jol. Midfielders Danny Murphy and Hossam Ghaly should be in contention after respective calf and groin injuries.

Claus Jensen should be fit for Fulham after recovering from his calf strain but Ahmad Elrich (knee), Simon Elliott (calf) and Jimmy Bullard (knee) are out. Wayne Routledge is unavailable as a result of the terms of his loan deal from Tottenham.

Last season: Fulham 1 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 1 Fulham 0

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

Top scorers: Dimitar Berbatov & Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham) 1; Jimmy Bullard (Fulham) 2

Match odds: H 8-13 A 4-1 D 23-10

Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham)

West Ham (9) v Newcastle (14)

Alan Pardew will resist making too many changes as West Ham chase a first win in five matches. Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez could make their first Premiership starts and Marlon Harewood is pushing for a place in the side after making an impact from the bench against Palermo.

Defenders Titus Bramble (knee and ankle) and Steven Taylor (bruised foot) face fitness tests for Newcastle. Peter Ramage is on stand-by to partner Craig Moore, while Celestine Babayaro has a hamstring problem, Olivier Bernard is fighting for match fitness and Nolberto Solano is out with a hamstring strain.

Last season: West Ham 2 Newcastle 4, Newcastle 0 West Ham 0

Last five league matches: West Ham W W D L D; Newcastle D W W L L

Top scorers: Bobby Zamora (West Ham) 5; Shola Ameobi (Newcastle) 3

Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire)