Weekend Premiership team news

Blackburn (16) v Leicester (19)

Blackburn (16) v Leicester (19)

Australian midfielder Brett Emerton is pushing for a recall to the Blackburn starting line-up. Emerton had to settle for a place on the bench in the victory against Fulham at Loftus Road on Monday.

Striker Les Ferdinand will defy his long-term knee problem to feature for Leicester. The Foxes leading scorer with 12 goals this season, has missed the last three games with the injury which will require surgery in the summer.

Defender Riccardo Scimeca is doubtful after sustaining a knee injury in the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford in midweek.

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Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Blackburn W L L L W; Leicester D D L L L

Top scorers:Andy Cole (Blackburn) 10; Les Ferdinand (Leicester) 12

Match odds:H 5-6 A 5-2 D 12-5

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)
 
Bolton (12) v Tottenham (14)

Captain Jay-Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff are pushing for places in the Bolton team after watching Monday's victory over Wolves from the bench. Defender Simon Charlton may have to settle for a place on the bench due to the improved form of Anthony Barness.

Tottenham will give late fitness tests to Mauricio Taricco, Michael Brown and Ledley King. Taricco came off in the last game against Manchester City with thigh and calf trouble, while Brown suffered a bruised leg. King has missed the last three games with a hip problem. Stephen Carr begins a three-match suspension and Christian Ziege (thigh) does not travel.

Last season: Bolton 1 Tottenham 0; Tottenham 3 Bolton 1

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

Top scorers:Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 10; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 14

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

Referee: J Winter (Cleveland)
 
  Charlton (7) v Birmingham (8)
 
Paolo di Canio is in contention after recovering from an illness while Graham Stuart could return after a back injury. Mark Fish (chest) is back in full training and Chris Perry's toe injury has healed but fellow defenders Richard Rufus and Gary Rowett (both knee) are still sidelined.

Central defender Matthew Upson (groin) and leading scorer Mikael Forssell (knee) are Birmingham's latest injury worries. Stan Lazaridis, Martin Grainger and Darren Purse are all out and it is considered too soon for David Dunn to be risked after his return to fitness from a hamstring injury. Youngsters Neil Kilkenny, Carl Motteram and Andrew Barrowman have been named in the squad.

Last season:Charlton 0 Birmingham 2; Birmingham 1 Charlton 1

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

Top scorers:Jason Euell (Charlton) 7; Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 18

Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5

Referee:C Foy (Merseyside)
 
 Chelsea (2) v Everton (13)

Eidur Gudjohnsen misses out for Chelsea due to illness and Juan Sebastian Veron has suffered a muscle spasm on his return after his back injury and will be rested. Claude Makelele (knee) is still out, as are long-term absentees Emmanuel Petit (also knee), Carlo Cudicini (hand) and Glen Johnson (ankle).

Everton striker Kevin Campbell should have recovered from a stomach upset and Tobias Linderoth (knee) and Gary Naysmith (hamstring) are likely to play. Alan Stubbs (groin), Steve Watson (leg) and David Unsworth (heel) are all doubts, although Wayne Rooney (back and ankle) should be fit. Francis Jeffers, after clear-the-air talks with David Moyes, is expected to travel and defenders David Weir and Peter Clarke are available after suspensions but Duncan Ferguson is still banned.

Last season:Chelsea 4 Everton 1; Everton 1 Chelsea 3

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

Top scorers:Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 17; Wayne Rooney (Everton) 9

Match odds: H 4-11 A 6-1 D 3-1

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire)
 
Liverpool (4) v Fulham (10)

Young goalkeeper Paul Harrison stands by in case reserve Patrice Luzi does not recover from a midweek hand injury to take his place on the bench. Milan Baros may replace Emile Heskey up front with Danny Murphy in with a chance of deposing El-Hadji Diouf as boss Gerard Houllier selects from an unchanged squad.

Liberian striker Collins John (hamstring) will be fit but midfielders Lee Clark and Mark Pembridge are still out with calf injuries. However, Bobby Petta, Ian Pearce, Barry Hayles and Junichi Inamoto are available.

Last season:Liverpool 2 Fulham 0, Fulham 3 Liverpool 2

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

Top scorers:Michael Owen (Liverpool) 17; Luis Boa Morte (Fulham) 10

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

Referee: S Bennett (Kent)
 
Man City (15) v Southampton (11)

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan will be back in the Eastlands dug-out after missing the last four matches with a back complaint. Claudio Reyna could also be available. The USA midfielder has returned to training after his recent ankle problem and is rated a 70% chance to make the starting line-up.

Latvian striker Marian Pahars will make his first start for more than two months for Southampton. Pahars has been restricted to just one start in the last 17 months because of long-term ankle and groin injuries but is recalled after impressing as a second-half substitute at Middlesbrough on Easter Monday.
 
Last season:Man City 0 Southampton 1; Southampton 2 Man City 0

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

Top scorers:Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 22; James Beattie (Southampton) 15

Match odds: H 1-1 A 23-10 D 21-10

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire)
 
Portsmouth (17) v Man Utd (3)

Portsmouth have injury doubts over Linvoy Primus (hamstring), Amdy Faye (calf) and Petri Pasanen (ankle). John Curtis, Richard Hughes and Sebastian Schemmel are on standby in case any of the trio are ruled out. Manager Harry Redknapp's biggest dilemma is whether to start with veteran striker Teddy Sheringham's experience or stick with on-loan Lomana LuaLua and Aiyegbeni Yakubu.

Manchester United are unlikely to recall captain Roy Keane (bruises) and top-scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy (knee) as both lack match fitness. Diego Forlan is definitely absent with an Achilles strain. Kleberson (knee) is still missing, while Quinton Fortune (knee) is out for the season.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Portsmouth) 12; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd)
26

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

Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
 
Wolverhampton (20) v Middlesbrough (9)

Alex Rae is back from suspension and Wolves boss Dave Jones must decide whether fellow Scot Colin Cameron will make way. Defender Paul Butler will play despite the broken nose he sustained against Bolton on Monday while Mark Clyde faces a late test on a calf injury.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is se to make his 200th Premier League appearance, a club record, at Wolves. Skipper Gareth Southgate (knee) and midfield player Doriva (groin) are ruled out while Colin Cooper is struggling with a knee injury. Joseph Job and Chris Riggott are recalled to the squad.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers:Alex Rae (Wolverhampton) 8; Juninho (Middlesbrough) 9

Match odds:H 8-5 A 13-10 D 23-10

Referee: A D'Urso (Essex)
 
Sunday April 18th

Aston Villa (6) v Newcastle (5)

Nolberto Solano is hopeful of a place on the bench after missing Villa's last four games with a hamstring strain but Villa have a doubt over midfielder Gavin McCann (ankle) and are definitely without leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel (knee). Mark Delaney is in contention for a place on the bench after being sidelined for almost two months by an ankle injury.

Newcastle will give late fitness tests to defender Titus Bramble and striker Shola Ameobi. Bramble is a doubt with a thigh problem picked up during the 2-1 UEFA Cup victory over PSV Eindhoven while Ameobi suffered a thigh strain on reserve team duty. Andy O'Brien may have taken over from Bramble anyway after sitting out the UEFA clash while Kieron Dyer is ready to resume after a hamstring problem.

Last season:Newcastle 1 Aston Villa 1; Aston Villa 0 Newcastle 1

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

Top scorers: Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 21; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 27

Match odds: H 13-10 A 9-5 D 2-1

Referee: B Knight (Kent)