Soccer

Premier League Tuesday: Liverpool tackle leaders Leicester

Uruguyan right back Varela gets second start of season for United at home to Stoke

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp will revert to his strongest side against Leicester Tuesday night after resting many players for the FA Cup draw at home to West Ham. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp will revert to his strongest side against Leicester Tuesday night after resting many players for the FA Cup draw at home to West Ham. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Mon Feb 01 2016 - 19:22

ARSENAL V SOUTHAMPTON (7.45) Arsenal will be without midfielder Tomas Rosicky. The Czech Republic international returned from a knee problem ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Burnley, but suffered a thigh problem during the game. Alexis Sanchez is pushing for his first start since a hamstring issue in November.

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has said recent signing Charlie Austin could make his first start for the club after impressing on his debut by scoring the winning goal against Manchester United.

LEICESTER V LIVERPOOL (7.45) Leicester have no new fitness problems. Shinji Okazaki hobbled off against Stoke nine days ago, but the striker will be fit . Right-back Ritchie De Laet has recovered from a groin strain.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will revert to his strongest side after resting many players for the FA Cup draw at home to West Ham. Captain Jordan Henderson will return after sitting out that game to rest his heel problem.

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NORWICH V TOTTENHAM (7.45) Norwich could hand debuts to new loan signing Patrick Bamford and fellow recent recruit Timm Klose.

Bamford has joined on loan from Chelsea and could come straight into Alex Neil’s side, while Klose could come in after Norwich shipped five goals in their last outing against Liverpool.

Andre Wisdom is available, having been ineligible against parent club Liverpool, while Gary O’Neil serves the last game of a three-match ban .

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and centre-back Toby Alderweireld are among the other players likely to return to the Spurs team after being rested for the FA Cup win at Colchester. Jan Vertonghen (knee) and Ryan Mason (ankle) remain out. SUNDERLAND V MAN CITY (7.45) Sunderland’s new signings Lamine Kone and Wahbi Khazri could go straight into the squad.

Former Lorient defender Kone and midfielder Khazri, who joined the club in an €11.9 million move from Bordeaux over the weekend, have both received international clearance and could be involved, along with striker Dame N’Doye, who has yet to make his debut after sealing his loan switch earlier this month.

City’s Fabian Delph will miss out with a minor calf injury. Left-back Aleksandar Kolarov (calf) is fit to return and Joe Hart will be back in goal after being rested for recent cup games. Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Wilfried Bony , Samir Nasri and Kevin De Bruyne remain absent.

WEST HAM V ASTON VILLA (7.45. On TV: BT Sport 1) Republic of Ireland international Joey O’Brien could be handed his first Premier League start of the campaign. The 29-year- old full-back has been sidelined for with an ankle injury, but made his comeback as a first-half substitute for James Tomkins in Saturday’s 0-0 FA Cup draw at Liverpool.

O’Brien will face competition for the right-back slot from recent arrival Sam Byram, who was cup-tied at the weekend.

Villa strikers Rudy Gestede (hamstring) and Libor Kozak (ankle) are likely to miss out, while Ashley Westwood is a doubt with a calf problem. Alan Hutton may return after a hamstring injury.

CRYSTAL PALACE V BOURNEMOUTH (8.0) While Joe Ledley is ruled out for Palace, there is greater optimism surrounding Yohan Cabaye, who faces a late fitness test on the same day Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to make his debut. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is set to return to his established side after making 10 changes for the FA Cup win at Portsmouth.

MANCHESTER UTD V STOKE CITY (8.0) Uruguayan right-back Guillermo Varela looks set to make just his second Premier League start for Manchester United, who are short in numbers at the back. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is expected to start on the other side of defence on his 19th birthday, but Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee) and Phil Jones (ankle) are unavailable.

WEST BROM V SWANSEA (8.0) Loan signings Alex Pritchard and Sandro could make their Albion debuts, with Darren Fletcher (knee) and Ben Foster (ribs) available, but Chris Brunt (calf), James Morrison (hamstring) and Callum McManaman (ankle) are out. Alberto Paloschi is set to make his Swansea debut . The 26-year-old striker completed an €10.6 million move from Chievo on Friday.