Premiership Team News

Team News from all the Premiership sides as it emerges throughout the day.

Arsenal will again be without Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) for the trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Midfielder Abou Diaby (calf) also remains sidelined, although new England call-up Theo Walcott is pressing for a place in the starting XI.

Johan Djourou (groin) continued building his match fitness with the reserves inmidweek and Eduardo is out for the remainder of the campaign with a broken leg.

Provisional squad: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Flamini, Hleb, van Persie, Adebayor, Lehmann, Walcott, Song, J Hoyte, Senderos, Gilberto, Denilson, Bendtner

Craig Gardner is ready to help Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill out of a right-back dilemma by being fit for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League visit of Sunderland.

The England Under-21 player has returned to training this week after missing the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth with a back problem suffered against Middlesbrough in the previous game.

Gardner is set to replace Olof Mellberg, who serves a one-game ban for his sending-off for two bookable offences at Fratton Park.

O'Neill has no other fresh injury worries as Villa look to get back on course for Europe after three games without a win.

Provisional squad: Carson, Taylor, Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Petrov, Berger, Osbourne, Carew, Maloney, Harewood, Salifou.

Blackburn Rovers are without Australia international Brett Emerton for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

The midfielder was forced off during last week's defeat at West Ham after suffering a recurrence of groin trouble.

He has undergone scans this week to determine the extent of the injury but manager Mark Hughes is hopeful he will be fit to return next week.

Captain Ryan Nelsen stepped up his return from a hamstring injury with a run-out for the reserves in midweek but Wigan's visit comes too soon.

New signing Johann Vogel is yet to receive international clearance.

Provisional squad: Friedel, Khizanisvili, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Bentley, Reid, Dunn, Pedersen, Roberts, Santa Cruz, Derbyshire, McCarthy, Brown, Mokoena, Tugay.

Birmingham City midfielder Sebastian Larsson is winning his battle to be fit for the Barclays Premier League bottom-six clash at Reading.

The Sweden international was substituted at half-time against Newcastle with a knee injury but has not suffered ligament damage as was first feared.

Martin Taylor is available again after serving his three-match ban for the red card against Arsenal after his tackle resulted in Eduardo sustaining a broken  leg. But he is unlikely to be considered by Blues boss Alex McLeish, who is happy with the current centre-back pairing of Liam Ridgewell and Radhi Jaidi.

Provisional squad: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Ridgewell, Jaidi, Murphy, Larsson, Johnson, Muamba, McSheffrey, Forssell, McFadden, Parnaby, Schmitz, Nafti, Jerome, Doyle,  O'Connor, De Ridder.

Kevin Nolan and Gary Cahill could both return for Bolton Wanderers in Saturday's vital clash with Manchester City at the Reebok Stadium — although manager Gary Megson admits neither would be able to operate at 100 per cent.

Midfielder and skipper Nolan is suffering from a persistent back injury while centre-back Cahill is still nursing a bruised foot suffered against Wigan last weekend.

Gavin McCann is another doubt for Wanderers after sustaining a calf injury in Wednesday's defeat at Manchester United, and Megson rates the defensive midfielder's chances as "50/50".

Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is almost certainly out for the rest of the campaign with a back problem.

Provisional squad: Al Habsi, Nolan, Davies, Taylor, Diouf, Gardner, Campo, A O'Brien, McCann, Steinsson, Hunt, Samuel, Meite, Cahill, Giannakopoulos, Helguson, J O'Brien, Rasiak, Cohen, Walker.

Petr Cech's fitness is the only major problem facing Chelsea coach Avram Grant ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Cech's ankle injury forced him to miss their 4-4 draw with Tottenham on Wednesday night. If he fails to pass a fitness test, Carlo Cudicini will continue to deputise.

Grant could also recall Nicolas Anelka along with Michael Ballack and Mikel John Obi for the vital game against the Gunners.

Provisional squad: Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Carvalho, Alex, Ben-Haim, Terry, A Cole, Bridge, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Obi, Lampard, Shevchenko, Pizarro, Sidwell, Wright-Phillips, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Kalou,  Makelele.

Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll is fit to face Middlesbrough in tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash at the Riverside.

Carroll sustained a slight groin problem in last Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Pride Park, but has come through training this week.

Defender Alan Stubbs is again sidelined with a calf injury, whilst midfielder Stephen Pearson is unlikely to figure due to an ongoing hernia problem.

Giles Barnes, Claude Davis, Tyrone Mears and on-loan Danny Mills remain on the long-term injured list.

Provisional squad: Carroll, Edworthy, McEveley, Leacock, Jones, Stubbs, Villa, Earnshaw, Miller, Lewis, Todd, Sterjovski, Moore, Robert, Savage, Ghaly, Beardsley, Price.

Manchester City expect striker Benjani Mwaruwari to be fit for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton.

The Zimbabwe international has been troubled by a minor hamstring problem this week but he should be able to train today as normal.

Midfielder Martin Petrov returns from suspension but Dietmar Hamann completes his two-match ban. Richard Dunne is fine to play on despite a recent shin wound but Michael Ball and Micah Richards (both knee) remain on the sidelines.

Provisional squad: Hart, Corluka, Onuoha, Dunne, Garrido, Ireland, Fernandes, Johnson, Castillo, Elano, Benjani, Vassell, Caicedo, Sun, Isaksson, Geovanni, Sturridge.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will be without striker Mido and midfielder Fabio Rochemback through suspension for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash with Derby.

Mido begins a three-match ban after being sent off at Arsenal, while Rochemback is out for two games following his 10th yellow card of the campaign.

Defenders Robert Huth (foot) and Emanuel Pogatetz (calf) are doubtful, but Andrew Taylor is back in contention after returning as a substitute at the Emirates Stadium following a long-term foot problem.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Turnbull, Young, Wheater, Pogatetz, Huth, Taylor, Grounds, O'Neil, Boateng, Shawky, Downing, Johnson, Cattermole, Tuncay, Alves, Aliadiere.

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has no fresh injury problems ahead of tomorrow's crucial Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham.

Shay Given is out for six weeks after undergoing surgery on his groin injury this week, while James Milner (foot), Emre (calf) and Stephen Carr (hamstring) will be out for several weeks yet.

Damien Duff, Alan Smith and Charles N'Zogbia were all left out of the starting line-up at Birmingham on Monday night, but all three are fit and fighting for returns.

Provisional squad: Harper, Forster, Beye, Enrique, Taylor, Faye, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, N'Zogbia, Duff, Barton, Geremi, Owen, Smith, Martins, Viduka, Carroll.

Jermain Defoe's enforced absence could mean a surprise start for John Utaka in Portsmouth's Barclays Premier League clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Manager Harry Redknapp is reluctant to start Kanu, who is needed for the FA Cup semi-final in two weeks when Defoe is cup-tied, but needs a new front-line partner for Milan Baros tomorrow and winger Utaka can also play central.

Redknapp is without the injured Sol Campbell (knee) and suspended midfielders Sulley Muntari and Papa Bouba Diop — Pedro Mendes and Richard Hughes are hoping for replacement roles along with Arnold Mvuemba and Sean Davis.

Provisional squad: James, Johnson, Hreidarsson, Distin, Lauren, Diarra, Mendes, Hughes, Kranjcar, Davis, Mvuemba, Baros, Utaka, Kanu, Aubey, Nugent, Ashdown.

Reading have no new injury worries ahead of tomorrow's visit of fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Birmingham.

That leaves manager Steve Coppell still without three of his most experienced players, although midfielder Emerse Fae has played a reserve match since being sidelined by malaria.

Defender Graeme Murty (knee), midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson (groin) and winger Glen Little (heel and hamstring) remain unavailable.

Provisional squad: Hahnemann, Federici, Rosenior, de la Cruz, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Sonko, Cisse, Shorey, Oster, Kebe, Harper, Matejovsky, Hunt, Convey, Doyle, Kitson, Long, Fae.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane's injury worries are easing ahead of tomorrow's Barclays Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

Dickson Etuhu is still missing with a knee problem, but Anthony Stokes has recovered from illness and may return.

Daryl Murphy, Kieran Richardson and Michael Chopra, who all missed out on last week's 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea, could also return to the squad.

Provisional squad: Gordon, Fulop, Bardsley, Collins, McShane, Evans, Higginbotham, Harte, Whitehead, Reid, Leadbitter, Edwards, Miller, Richardson, O'Donovan, Jones, Waghorn, Murphy, Stokes, Chopra, Prica.

Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos has no fresh injury worries in his squad ahead of the Barclays Premier League clash against Portsmouth at White Hart Lane.

Skipper Ledley King could be rested as he comes back gradually from knee surgery but he has recovered from his recent calf problem.

Left-backs Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Gareth Bale (foot) are out of the season.

Provisional squad: Robinson, Hutton, Chimbonda, King, Woodgate, Malbranque, Jenas, Zokora, Lennon, Keane, Berbatov, Cerny, Tainio, Dawson, Huddlestone, Bent, Lee, Kaboul, Gilberto, Boateng, Taarabt, O'Hara, Gunter.

West Ham hope England defender Matthew Upson can shake off a niggling calf problem to return for the trip to Everton.

Midfielder Luis Boa Morte is available again following suspension, but striker Bobby Zamora is struggling to overcome painful blisters and Carlton Cole (dead leg) is also a concern.

Youngster Freddie Sears should retain his place in the squad after coming off the bench to score on his debut in the win over Blackburn last weekend, while defender Jonathan Spector will jet back from international duty with the United  States to join the squad on Merseyside.

Goalkeeper Richard Wright has been loaned to Southampton, so Jimmy Walker is set to be on the bench.

Julien Faubert, Danny Gabbidon, Matthew Etherington, Lee Bowyer and Craig Bellamy are all continuing their rehabilitation, but will not yet be back in first-team contention.

Provisional squad: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Spector, McCartney, Solano, Parker, Mullins, Ljungberg, Ashton, Zamora, Walker, Cole, Boa Morte, Upson, Tompkins, Sears, Collison, Noble, Pantsil.

Wigan's Antoine Sibierski is unlikely to face Blackburn after sustaining a calf injury while preparing to come on against Bolton last week.

Striker Emile Heskey is still struggling with a foot injury — but he and Marcus Bent (shin) should both be available for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League match.

Jason Koumas begins a three-match ban after being sent off against Bolton, so Kevin Kilbane is expected to come into the Latics' midfield at Ewood Park.

Provisional squad: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Boyce, Edman, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Kilbane, Heskey, King, Bramble, Sibierski, Taylor, Pollitt, Aghahowa, Bent, Olembe, Skoko.