All the latest team news ahead of this weekend's Premier League fixtures.
Saturday, October 23rd
Birmingham (17) v Blackpool (10)
City will give a late fitness test to striker Cameron Jerome, who missed last weekend’s clash with an ankle injury, before finalising their line-up. Nikola Zigic, who scored at Arsenal, could retain his place but midfielder Craig Gardner (suspended) and winger Jean Beausejour (knee) are out.
Ian Holloway continues to remain largely untroubled by injuries. The Tangerines boss has no fresh worries ahead of this match, although Billy Clarke, Alex Baptiste (both knee) and Louis Almond (shoulder) remain on the sidelines.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Birmingham D L D L L; Blackpool W L L W L
Top scorers(all competitions): Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 4; Charlie Adam & Marlon Harewood (Blackpool) 3
Match odds:H 19-20 A 3-1 D 23-10
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Chelsea (1) v Wolves (18)
Chelsea welcome back defender Jose Bosingwa, who has recovered from knee problems and is set for his first start since last October. Striker Didier Drogba is fit again after a virus but Frank Lampard (groin), Alex (thigh), Yossi Benayoun (Achilles) and Ramires (ankle) are all sidelined and striker Daniel Sturridge (ankle) is doubtful.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy will be without defender Michael Mancienne, as the conditions of his loan mean he cannot face his parent club. McCarthy will also be without suspended captain Karl Henry and defender Jody Craddock (hip) while the game is also likely to come too soon for Stephen Hunt as he continues his return from a foot injury. Midfielder David Davis has been recalled from his loan with Walsall and is in the squad.
Last season:Wolves 0 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 4 Wolves 0
Last five league matches:Chelsea W W L W D; Wolves L L L L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 8; Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 3
Match odds:H 1-7 A 20-1 D 6-1
Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Sunderland (13) v Aston Villa (8)
Sunderland striker Darren Bent has fully recovered from a groin injury but full-back Kieran Richardson is likely to miss out after suffering a setback in his battle against a hamstring problem, while Andy Reid is out with a similar problem. Manager Steve Bruce has no other fitness concerns and only David Meyler, who is back in training after a knee injury, and Fraizer Campbell (also knee) remain on the sidelines.
Villa striker Emile Heskey and winger Marc Albrighton are fit after recovering from a back injury and sickness respectively. Central defender Richard Dunne is also available after being substituted in the early stages against Chelsea with a cut ankle which required several stitches — but striker Gabriel Agbonlahor (groin) and full-back Luke Young (hamstring) are again ruled out.
Last season:Aston Villa 1 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 2
Last five league matches:Sunderland D D D D D; Aston Villa L D W L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Darren Bent (Sunderland) 7; Stewart Downing, Emile Heskey & Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
3
Match odds:H 6-4 A 9-5 D 11-5
Referee:Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
Tottenham (5) v Everton (11)
Rafael van der Vaart returns after sitting out the 4-3 Champions League defeat at Inter Milan because of suspension. Sandro, who is ineligible for the group stages in Europe, should also return but captain Ledley King and Vedran Corluka (both groin) are still out. Younes Kaboul could return from a hamstring injury but Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both ligament damage), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) remain absent.
Everton midfielder Leon Osman is definitely out with an ankle problem and fellow midfielder Mikel Arteta is doubtful. Toffees boss David Moyes is also without Marouane Fellaini (hamstring), Jack Rodwell (ankle) and Ross Barkley (broken leg), while Steven Pienaar (groin) and Louis Saha (calf) are both struggling for fitness.
Last season:Tottenham 2 Everton 1, Everton 2 Tottenham 2
Last five league matches:Tottenham D W L W W; Everton D L D W W
Top scorers(all competitions): Gareth Bale (Tottenham) 6; Tim Cahill (Everton) 4
Match odds:H 21-20 A 13-5 D 23-10
Referee:Marc Jones (Wales).
West Brom (6) v Fulham (12)
West Brom’s leading scorer Peter Odemwingie is still struggling to overcome a knee injury — Marc-Antoine Fortune is again set to deputise. Winger Jerome Thomas is in contention for a recall to the starting line-up after fully recovering from a calf problem.
Fulham striker Andy Johnson looks set to make his first appearance since January after recovering from shoulder, knee and hip injuries. The Cottagers are suffering an injury crisis in midfield, though, with Simon Davies (ankle), Danny Murphy (abductor strain), Dickson Etuhu (ankle) and Damien Duff (calf) out.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:West Brom D W W D D; Fulham W D D D L
Top scorers(all competitions): Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 3; Moussa Dembele (Fulham), Clint Dempsey & Bobby
Zamora (Fulham) 3
Match odds:H 23-20 A 12-5 D 23-10
Referee:Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
West Ham (20) v Newcastle (16)
Matthew Upson is pushing for a return to action after a neck strain. Defender Manuel Da Costa has been training all week and is available for selection after being released on police bail following his arrest on suspicion of sexual assault. Winger Pablo Barrera and defender Winston Reid are back in contention after being rested last week but midfielders Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh), Zavon Hines and Jack Collison (both knee) are long-term absentees.
Newcastle skipper Kevin Nolan returns to the squad after a persistent ankle problem. Danny Simpson could also travel after ankle trouble but Sol Campbell (thigh) misses out once again. Steven Taylor (shoulder) is due to return to training on Monday, while Steve Harper is around four weeks away from doing the same, but Leon Best (ankle), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Dan Gosling (knee) are still out.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:West Ham L D W D D; Newcastle L W L L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Scott Parker & Frederic Piquionne (West Ham) 3; Shola Ameobi & Andy Carroll (Newcastle) 4
Match odds:H 7-5 A 2-1 D 11-5
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Wigan (15) v Bolton (7)
Chris Kirkland makes his first Premier League appearance since August in goal for Wigan, with current number one Ali Al Habsi ineligible for the game against his parent club. Youngster Lee Nicholls will be on the bench, with veteran Mike Pollitt sidelined following elbow surgery. Striker Franco Di Santo and Steve Gohouri are slight doubts but club captain Gary Caldwell will not be risked as he continues his recovery from double hip surgery.
Bolton will be without the suspended Ivan Klasnic, while Andy O'Brien (hamstring) has been working with the Wanderers physio staff but is yet to rejoin full training. Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Jlloyd Samuel and Sean Davis remain sidelined.
Last season:Bolton 4 Wigan 0, Wigan 0 Bolton 0
Last five league matches:Wigan D L D W D; Bolton L D D D W
Top scorers(all competitions): Jordi Gomez & Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan) 3; Johan Elmander (Bolton) 4
Match odds:H 6-4 A 9-5 D 11-5
Referee:Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Sunday, October 24th
Liverpool (19) v Blackburn (14)
Reds boss Roy Hodgson is set to revert to his strongest line-up after resting a number of players in midweek, with Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Raul Meireles and Lucas Leiva set to return. Defender Jamie Carragher needs to be given the all-clear to play but right-back Glen Johnson is set to return after a hamstring problem. Centre-back Daniel Agger could come back into the squad but forward Dirk Kuyt (ankle) is out.
Christopher Samba is suspended for Blackburn but Ryan Nelsen may have recovered from a thigh injury picked up on international duty. Keith Andrews (groin), Jason Roberts (ankle) and Vince Grella (hamstring) are out and new recruit Herold Goulon, who this morning signed a two-year deal after a successful trial period, will not feature as he awaits international clearance.
Last season:Liverpool 2 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 0 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches:Liverpool D L D L L; Blackburn D D W L D
Top scorers(all competitions): David Ngog (Liverpool) 7; Mame Diouf (Blackburn) 4
Match odds:H 8-11 A 4-1 D 5-2
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Man City (2) v Arsenal (3)
City could be boosted by the return of Mario Balotelli. The Italy international has been restricted to just 33 minutes action after suffering a knee injury during his debut against Timisoara in August but could be on the bench.
Full-back Bacary Sagna returns to the Arsenal squad after a thigh problem. Fit-again strikers Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott are in the squad but centre-half Laurent Koscielny (back), fellow defender Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow) remain out, while midfielder Jack Wilshere starts a three-match ban. Robin van Persie (ankle) and Aaron Ramsey (leg) are on course for a return next month.
Last season:Arsenal 0 Man City 0, Man City 4 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches:Man City D W W W W; Arsenal W D L L W
Top scorers(all competitions): Carlos Tevez (Man City) 7; Marouane Chamakh & Samir Nasri (Arsenal) 6
Match odds:H 7-5 A 19-10 D 23-10
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Stoke (9) v Man Utd (4)
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller will undergo a late fitness test on a shoulder injury to see if he can play a part. Aside from long-term absentee Mamady Sidibe, Potters boss Tony Pulis has no other injury concerns, but may replace goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen with Asmir Begovic.
Wayne Rooney suffered an ankle injury in training on Tuesday as the storm over his United future raged and has now been ruled out for three weeks. Ryan Giggs (hamstring) and Jonny Evans (hip) are also sidelined as United attempt to pick up their first away win of the season.
Last season:Man Utd 4 Stoke 0, Stoke 0 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches:Stoke W D W W L; Man Utd D W D D D
Top scorers(all competitions): Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 4; Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 7
Match odds:H 9-2 A 4-6 D 5-2
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).