Advertisement
Which Swansea winger will face the champions? Joe Giddens/EMPICS Sport
Previews

Premier League team news: Young back for United, Gerrard still out

The Premier League is back after the international break – we have all the injury news from every game this weekend…

Saturday

Norwich v Arsenal, 12:45

Norwich hope to have midfielder Bradley Johnson and defender Russell Martin back to face Arsenal, following concussion and an ankle problem respectively.

Defender Elliott Ward and striker James Vaughan remain long-term casualties, while centre-backs Zak Whitbread (hamstring) and Dani Ayala (knee) have both resumed training.

Kieran Gibbs (hernia) and Carl Jenkinson (back) are both missing for Arsene Wenger’s side, while midfielder Ryo Miyaichi has an ankle injury. Otherwise Arsenal have no fresh injury worries, though Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna are all out in the long term.

Teams:

Norwich (from): Ruddy, Tierney, Martin, Barnett, Naughton, Johnson, Hoolahan, Pilkington, Bennett, Morison, Holt, Rudd, Crofts, Jackson, Wilbraham, de Laet, A Surman, Fox.

Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Djourou, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Santos, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Walcott, Gervinho, van Persie, Fabianski, Arshavin, Rosicky, Benayoun, Mertesacker, Park Ju-young, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Everton v Wolverhampton, 15:00

Wolves’ Republic of Ireland trio of Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ward and Stephen Hunt are available after coming through their country’s Euro 2012 play-off triumph over Estonia unscathed.

Only Kevin Foley – continuing rehabilitation work on his injured ankle – is out for Mick McCarthy’s men.

Marouane Fellaini is back for Everton after serving a one-match suspension against Newcastle before the international break.

Tim Cahill is pushing for a start, while defender Phil Jagielka will play despite a broken toe.

Teams:

Everton (from): Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Drenthe, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Barkley, Osman, Saha, Vellios, Mucha, Neville, Mustafi, Stracqualursi, McFadden, Gueye.

Wolves (from): Hennessey, De Vries, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Hammill, Henry, O’Hara, Jarvis, Hunt, Doyle, Zubar, Doherty, Elokobi, Craddock, Milijas, Guedioura, Edwards, Ebanks-Blake, Fletcher, Vokes.

Man City v Newcastle, 15:00

Sergio Aguero will be monitored before Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium, although his groin injury is not thought to be serious.

Owen Hargreaves has recovered from a minor calf problem but, as ever, is not being considered due to a lack of match fitness.

Vincent Kompany is back from suspension but Carlos Tevez is still AWOL and won’t play any part.

Newcastle’s French midfielder Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be sidelined for an extended period as he prepares to undergo groin surgery, while key player Cheik Tiote misses out with a knee problem. He is likely to return against Manchester United next weekend, however.

Leon Best and Gabriel Obertan are both doubtful with groin and toe injuries respectively.

Teams:

Man City (from): Hart, Richards, Kolarov, Kompany, Lescott, Y Toure, De Jong, Milner, Barry, Silva, Balotelli, Dzeko, Aguero, Savic, Clichy, Johnson, Zabaleta, Nasri, K Toure, Pantilimon.

Newcastle (from): Krul, Elliot, Simpson, R. Taylor, Santon, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Perch, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Gosling, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Vuckic, Smith, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Sammy Ameobi.

Stoke v QPR, 15:00

Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson and Matthew Etherington could all return to bolster Tony Pulis’ side after missing the 5-0 defeat to Bolton before the international break.

Ricardo Fuller is close to fitness but not quite ready, while Mamady Sidibe remains on the sidelines with a knee injury.

QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt will not play any part for the London side as he spent the last week with the Morocco team, but manager Neil Warnock does had Akos Buzsaky available after an Achilles problem and both Bradley Orr and Matt Connolly are close to returns.

Kieron Dyer started running in training this week but DJ Campbell is still two or three weeks shy of a return.

Teams:

Stoke (from): Begovic, Sorensen, Nash, Huth, Upson, Woodgate, Shawcross, Wilson, Wilkinson, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Walters, Jerome, Shotton, Arismendi, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jones, Higginbotham.

QPR (from): Kenny, Hall, Gabbidon, Connolly, Taarabt, Traore, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Orr, Buzsaky, Dyer, Barton, Young, Smith, Helguson, Murphy, Wright-Phillips, Ferdinand, Puncheon.

Sunderland v Fulham, 15:00

Sebastian Larsson misses out for Steve Bruce’s team after picking up his fifth booking of the season, while striker Connor Wickham is out for weeks with a knee injury.

Titus Bramble made his return from a club suspension for the reserves during the week but has a knee problem and is unavailable, as are goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and Craig Gordon. Keiren Westwood deputises.

Stephen Kelly, Aaron Hughes and Zdenek Grygera are all missing for Fulham, while Steven Sidwell is recovering from a minor hernia injury and will be given a late fitness test.

Teams:

Sunderland (from): Westwood, Carson, Brown, Bardsley, Richardson, Turner, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Meyler, Sessegnon, Bendtner, Ji, McClean, Cook, Egan, R. Noble.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Etheridge, Riise, Hangeland, Baird, Dembele, Briggs, Sidwell, Kasami, Murphy, Gecov, Duff, Etuhu, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora, Ruiz.

West Brom v Bolton, 15:00

Baggies midfielder Paul Scharner is rated doubtful, while Shane Long is unlikely to have recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of Ireland’s Euro 2012 play-off win over Estonia.

Peter Odemwingie’s fitness will also be assessed – the Nigerian has an ankle problem.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle will give young right-back Joe Riley his second start after he shone in the 5-0 win over Stoke, while Ricardo Gardner misses out after he picked up a knock.

Marcos Alonso (foot) and Dedryck Boyata (ankle) are closing in on returns but are not quite ready. Tyrone Mears, Lee Chung-yong, Stuart Holden, Sean Davis and Sam Ricketts are long-term absentees.

Teams:

West Brom (from): Foster, Fulop, Reid, Jones, Jara, Olsson, McAuley, Dawson, Tamas, Mattock, Shorey, Brunt, Morrison, Mulumbu, Dorrans, Thomas, Gera, Tchoyi, Cox, Fortune, Odemwingie, Long, Scharner.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Wheater, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Eagles, Robinson, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, K Davies, Klasnic, Tuncay, Bogdan, M Davies, Pratley, Ngog, Blake, Kakuta.

Wigan v Blackburn, 15:00

Wigan defender Antolin Alcaraz begins his suspension for spitting at Wolves defender Richard Stearman, but a ready-made replacement exists in the shape of returning captain Gary Caldwell.

Chris Samba has been back in training for Blackburn this week after a hamstring injury but he is touch and go. Simon Vukcevic broke his nose while playing for Montenegro and will not play.

Scott Dann and Michel Salgado will both return after spells on the sidelines, however.

Teams:

Wigan (from): Al Habsi, Boyce, Caldwell, Figueroa, Watson, Diame, Moses, Gomez, McCarthy, Di Santo, Jones, Stam, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Lopez, Thomas, Sammon, Maloney, Crusat, Gohouri, Rodallega, McCarthy, Pollitt.

Blackburn (from): Robinson, Bunn, Lowe, Samba, Dann, Salgado, Givet, Hanley, Olsson, Rochina, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Petrovic, Dunn, Hoilett, Yakubu, Goodwillie, Formica, Roberts, Slew.

Swansea v Man Utd, 17:30

Brendan Rodgers must decide whether to start Scott Sinclair against Manchester United after relegating the winger – who was nursing a tight hamstring – to the bench for the 0-0 draw with Liverpool.

The game arrives too soon for defender Steven Caulker, but left-back Neil Taylor is fit after he suffered an ankle knock at Anfield.

Kenny Agustien returns from a hamstring problem while Stephen Dobbie is hoping for a place on the bench after overcoming an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Ashley Young returns from the toe injury that has kept him out since the Manchester derby mauling against Manchester City last month.

However, Tom Cleverley and Michael Owen are both out until Christmas, Danny Welbeck has not recovered from a muscle strain and foot injury victim is unlikely to feature until Tuesday’s clash with Benfica at the earliest.

Teams:

Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Orlandi, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Dobbie, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, Bessone, Rangel, Allen, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Richards, Moras.

Man United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Fabio, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Nani, Valencia, Gibson, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Giggs, Young, Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov.

Sunday

Chelsea v Liverpool, 16:00

Jamie Carragher is in contention to start for Liverpool in their Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The defender has missed the last two matches with a calf injury.

Luis Suarez is expected to start. The Uruguayan was rested for his country’s game against Italy in midweek as he was suffering from a minor back problem.

Captain Steven Gerrard will not feature as he is still getting over an ankle infection.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas’ only injury absentee is Michael Essien, who should be back at the turn of the year.

Daniel Sturridge has shaken off a knock picked up in training, while Didier Drogba has recovered from the arm operation he underwent while serving a recent suspension.

Teams:

Chelsea (from): Cech, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Luiz, Mikel, Romeu, Ramires, Lampard, Mata, Malouda, Meireles, McEachran, Torres, Drogba, Kalou, Sturridge, Anelka, Lukaku, Turnbull, Hilario.

LIverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Kuyt, Adam, Lucas, Downing, Suarez, Carroll, Doni, Kelly, Skrtel, Coates, Henderson, Spearing, Rodriguez, Bellamy.

Monday

Tottenham v Aston Villa, 20:00

Rafael van der Vaart could recover from his hamstring injury in time to face Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on Monday evening.

The Dutch international picked up the problem while playing against Switzerland.

Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) remain out, but Vedran Corluka is expected to overcome his ankle problem.

Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is attempting to shake off the hamstring problem he suffered on international duty, while Alex McLeish is also hoping that Stiliyan Petrov will have recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered against Norwich.

Jermaine Jenas is not eligible to face his parent club.

Teams:

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Friedel, Cudicini, Bale, Kaboul, Corluka, Bassong, Gallas, King, Walker, Assou-Ekotto, Rose, Parker, Modric, Livermore, Townsend, Carroll, Lennon, Falque, Sandro, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Dos Santos, Adebayor, Van der Vaart.

Aston Villa (from): Given, Guzan, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Clark, Warnock, Beye, Herd, Delph, Bannan, Petrov, Ireland, Albrighton, Gardner, Bent, Heskey, Agbonlahor, N’Zogbia, Weimann, Delfouneso.

Fantasyland: My old familiar friend >

The Heineken Cup cheat sheet >