ASTON VILLA v NEWCASTLE UNITED
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: M Riley
The 3-0 defeat away to Charlton Athletic has not dismayed David O’Leary, who is likely to name an unchanged team for the visit of Newcastle United. “I thought our football was as good as we’ve played for quite a while,” the manager said. Lee Hendrie is back in contention.
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Injuries and suspensions: none.
Team (possible; 4-4-2): T Sorensen — M Delaney, O Mellberg, M Laursen, J Samuel — N Solano, G Barry, G McCann, T Hitzlsperger — D Vassell, C Cole.
A fourth dismal result in succession would raise immediate questions about Sir Bobby Robson’s position. The manager is mulling over whether to drop Laurent Robert and best how to accommodate Patrick Kluivert, who has again been omitted by Holland.
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Injuries and suspensions: T Bramble (hamstring), D Ambrose (knee), J Jenas (knee).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): S Given — S Carr, A Hughes, A O’Brien, O Bernard — J Milner, J Jenas or L Bowyer, N Butt, L Robert or F Ameobi — A Shearer, C Bellamy.
BLACKBURN R v MANCHESTER UNITED
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Today, 12.45pm. Television: Live on pay-per-view, from noon. Referee: A Wiley
Subject to international clearance, Morten Gamst Pedersen, the Norway winger, will make his debut against United, whose scouts watched him several times before he completed a £1.8 million move from Tromso this week. David Thompson is back in the squad after a long-term knee injury.
Injuries and suspensions: S Reid (foot).
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Team (probable; 4-4-2): B Friedel — L Neill, C Short, D Matteo, M Gray — B Emerton, Tugay, B Ferguson, M G Pedersen — P Dickov, J Stead.
Jonathan Spector, 18, the American defender, will make his Premiership debut after an assured display against Dinamo Bucharest. Phil Neville could make his first start of the season and Louis Saha is likely to figure at some stage.
Injuries and suspensions: W Brown (knee), R Keane (ribs), Q Fortune (knee), R van Nistelrooy (knee).
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Team (probable; 4-4-1-1): T Howard — G Neville, J O’Shea, M Silvestre, J Spector — D Fletcher, E Djemba-Djemba, P Neville, R Giggs — P Scholes — A Smith.
CHELSEA v SOUTHAMPTON
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: S Bennett
So now we know that Chelsea are not planning to win every game this season 1-0, but we are not sure about much else. Will José Mourinho emulate the Tinkerman? Will Chelsea ever use the width of the pitch? If they are winning, Mourinho will not care how dull anyone says they have become.
Injuries and suspensions: A Robben (ankle), C Cudicini (elbow).
Team (possible; 4-3-3): P Cech — Paulo Ferreira, W Gallas, J Terry, C Babayaro — Tiago, C Makelele, F Lampard — M Kezman, D Drogba, J Cole. #
It has not helped Steve Wigley that the team lost at home in his first game in charge and although the fans appeared to blame the board, the new head coach piled the pressure on himself by taking full responsibility for the performance. At least no one expects him to succeed today.
Injuries and suspensions: M Pahars (ankle), M Oakley (knee). Team (possible; 4-4-2): A Niemi — P Telfer, C Lundekvam, D Higginbotham, G Le Saux — F Fernandes, D Prutton, R Delap, A Svensson — J Beattie, K Phillips.
EVERTON v WEST BROMWICH ALB
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: R Styles
The upside of Wayne Rooney’s painful and sad departure from Goodison Park is that David Moyes should have money to burn; Djimi Traoré and Steve Finnan, the Liverpool full backs, could be in by Monday’s game away to Manchester United.
Injuries and suspensions: W Rooney (foot), Li Tie (leg), T Cahill (final match of three), G Naysmith (one match).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): N Martyn — A Hibbert, A Stubbs, J Yobo, A Pistone — L Osman, T Gravesen, L Carsley, K Kilbane — K Campbell, M Bent.
Are Albion the new Arsenal? Can Gary Megson’s galácticos stretch their unbeaten run until the end of their first month back in the Premiership? Zoltan Gera looks set to keep his place after scoring on his first start in Wednesday’s latest 1-1 draw.
Injuries and suspensions: R Hulse (stomach), L Sigurdsson (knee), J Koumas (final match of four).
Team (probable; 4-4-2): R Hoult — R Scimeca, T Gaardsoe, D Purse, P Robinson — Z Gera, A Johnson, N Clement, J Greening — Kanu, G Horsfield.
MANCHESTER CITY v CHARLTON A
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: M Halsey
Victory today is crucial to dispel the early signs of a siege mentality descending around the City of Manchester Stadium and Kevin Keegan’s plans have been helped by the news that Richard Dunne, the central defender, is fit to return to the back four after serving a one-match suspension.
Injuries and suspensions: none.
Team (probable; 4-4-2): D James — D Mills, R Dunne, S Distin, B Thatcher — S Wright-Phillips, C Reyna, P Bosvelt, A Sibierski — R Fowler, N Anelka.
Successive victories against Portsmouth and Aston Villa have gone a long way to expunging the painful memory of Charlton’s opening-day mauling away to Bolton Wanderers but they need to deliver on their travels. Francis Jeffers seemed rejuvenated when he scored twice in the win over Villa.
Injuries and suspensions: M Holland (ankle), S Bartlett (ankle).
Team (probable; 4-4-2): D Kiely — L Young, M Fish, J Fortune, H Hreidarsson — D Rommedahl, R Kishishev, J Euell, D Murphy — K Lisbie, F Jeffers.
MIDDLESBROUGH v CRYSTAL PALACE
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: M Dean
George Boateng, the midfield player, has been passed fit despite being carried off with an ankle injury away to Fulham. Stuart Parnaby continues to deputise at right back for Michael Reiziger, who is out for eight weeks. Mark Viduka makes his home debut.
Injuries and suspensions: M Reiziger (shoulder), U Ehiogu (back).
Team (probable; 4-4-2): M Schwarzer — S Parnaby, G Southgate, C Riggott, F Queudrue — G Mendieta, R Parlour, G Boateng, B Zenden — M Viduka, J F Hasselbaink.
Sandor Torghelle, the forward, hopes to return after missing two matches with an ankle injury. Michael Hughes, the midfield player, is a doubt after suffering an injury in training. Danny Butterfield and Darren Powell are out with hamstring injuries.
Injuries and suspensions: N Shipperley (knee), D Butterfield (hamstring), D Powell (hamstring), M Hughes (calf).
Team (probable; 4-4-2): J Speroni — E Boyce, M Hudson, T Popovic, D Granville — W Routledge, A Riihilahti, F Hall, K Kolkka — A Johnson, I Kaviedes.
NORWICH CITY v ARSENAL
Today, 5.15pm. Television: Live on Sky Sports 2, from 5pm. Referee: G Poll
Encouraged by their fightback from 2-0 down to draw with Newcastle United on Wednesday, Norwich take on Arsenal without the scorer of their first goal. David Bentley, on a season-long loan from Highbury, is ineligible under new rules introduced by the Premier League.
Injuries and suspensions: P Mulryne (groin).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): R Green — M Edworthy, C Fleming, S Charlton, A Drury — P McVeigh, D Francis, G Holt, M Jonson — D Huckerby, G Doherty.
That coveted unbeaten league record now secured and the pressure seemingly off, this will be a test of just how motivated Arsenal are . . . unless they have already fixed their next target, of course. Like scoring at least three goals in every game?
Injuries and suspensions: J Aliadière (knee), S Campbell (Achilles), P Vieira (thigh).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): J Lehmann — Lauren, K Touré, P Cygan, A Cole — F Ljungberg, Gilberto Silva, J A Reyes, R Pires — D Bergkamp, T Henry.
TOTTENHAM H v BIRMINGHAM CITY
Today, 3pm. Television: BBC One, highlights, 10.20pm. Referee: M Clattenburg
A three-match unbeaten start has clearly gone to the head of Jacques Santini, the Tottenham head coach, who is talking about the club being in the Champions League in three years. In the real world, Michael Carrick could make his debut. Jermain Defoe is likely to be rested.
Injuries and suspensions: S Davies (shin).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): P Robinson — N Pamarot, N Naybet, L King, E Edman — J Redknapp, S Davis, P Mendes, M Carrick — F Kanouté, R Keane.
An ankle injury could add Emile Heskey to a lengthening injury list, which will test the depth of a squad already hit by Robbie Savage’s suspension. Darren Anderton, for once, is uninjured, but not yet match-fit and therefore unlikely to face his former club.
Injuries and suspensions: E Heskey (ankle), S Lazaridis (thigh), J Clapham (knee), D Dunn (hamstring), R Savage (second match of three).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): Maik Taylor — M Melchiot, K Cunningham, M Upson, S Clemence — J Gronkjaer, M Izzet, D Johnson, J Gray — M Forssell, S John.
BOLTON WANDERERS v LIVERPOOL
Tomorrow, 4.05pm. Television: Live on Sky Sports 1, from 3pm. Referee: U Rennie
Premier League regulations prevent El-Hadji Diouf from making his Bolton debut against Liverpool after his loan move from the Merseyside club, so Sam Allardyce is likely to stick with the team that won 2-1 away to Southampton. Radhi Jaidi, the Tunisia defender, is likely to continue in defence.
Injuries and suspensions: F Laville (knee).
Team (probable; 4-3-3): J Jaaskelainen — N Hunt, B N’Gotty, R Jaidi, R Gardner — A Okocha, I Campo, G Speed — S Giannakopoulos, K Davies, H Pedersen.
Xabi Alonso, the £10.7 million recruit from Real Sociedad, and Luis García, the £6 million acquistion from Barcelona, are in contention to make their debuts. Josemi hopes to return at right back after missing the defeat by AK Graz with a back injury.
Injuries and suspensions: C Kirkland (back), Antonio Núñez (knee), V Smicer (knee).
Team (possible; 4-4-2): J Dudek — Josemi, J Carragher, S Hyypia, J A Riise — S Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, D Hamann, H Kewell — D Cissé, M Baros.