Arsenal
Arsène Wenger believes that his team may need 90 points to win the title, a tally they reached four years ago when they were unbeaten. “I don’t know how much will be needed,” the manager said. “It looks like it will be around the 90s.”
Played 25 Won 18 Drawn 6 Lost 1 For 52 Against 18 Points 60 Next match Monday Blackburn Rovers (h)
Manchester United
The club has been fined £25,000 by the FA after seven players were booked in the draw away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The penalty is triggered when a club have six or more players cautioned during a match.
Played 25 Won 18 Drawn 4 Lost 3 For 49 Against 12 Points 58 Next match Sunday Manchester City (h)
Chelsea
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Franco Di Santo has been christened “Little Crespo” by Ricardo Carvalho, his teammate. “[He] called me ‘Crespito’ because of Hern?n, who also played here, but he is the only one,” the 18-year-old Argentinian said. “The others call me Frank.”
Played 25 Won 16 Drawn 6 Lost 3 For 38 Against 17 Points 54 Next match Sunday Liverpool (h)
Everton
Yakubu Ayegbeni and Joseph Yobo will be available for Saturday’s match against Reading after Nigeria were eliminated from the African Cup of Nations. The pair have missed the past five matches, but are due back at the club in the next 48 hours.
Played 25 Won 13 Drawn 5 Lost 7 For 40 Against 23 Points 44 Next match Saturday Reading (h)
Liverpool
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Rafael BenÍtez, the manager, has told Xabi Alonso that he must improve his form if he wants to win back a place in midfield. “Xabi knows he needs to work harder if we wants to have a place in the team,” BenÍtez said.
Played 24 Won 11 Drawn 10 Lost 3 For 40 Against 17 Points 43 Next match Sunday Chelsea (a)
Aston Villa
Curtis Davies, the centre back, suffered a knee injury during the 2-1 defeat by Fulham on Sunday. “I was running back from a corner and as I stopped I just felt my knee,” he said. “Every time I tried to straighten it after that, it was hurting.”
Played 25 Won 11 Drawn 8 Lost 6 For 44 Against 33 Points 41 Next match Saturday Newcastle United (h)
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Manchester City
Sven-G?ran Eriksson, the manager, believes that Michael Johnson is close to a return from injury. The England Under21 midfield player has been out since December because of a chronic abdominal problem that forced him to have surgery.
Played 25 Won 11 Drawn 8 Lost 6 For 32 Against 28 Points 41 Next match Sunday Manchester United (a)
Blackburn Rovers
Mark Hughes will be without three key players for the match away to Arsenal next Monday. David Dunn and Morten Gamst Pedersen were booked against Everton on Saturday and are suspended, as is Christopher Samba.
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Played 25 Won 10 Drawn 9 Lost 6 For 32 Against 31 Points 39 Next match Monday Arsenal (a)
Portsmouth
The club are adamant that Jermain Defoe’s loan move from Tottenham Hotspur will be made permanent this week. “We would like to allay fears he may not sign permanently,” a spokesman said. “It will be a permanent transfer.”
Played 25 Won 10 Drawn 8 Lost 7 For 35 Against 26 Points 38 Next match Saturday Bolton Wanderers (a)
West Ham United
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Bobby Zamora, who has been out since August with a knee injury, scored in a 2-1 friendly victory against Queens Park Rangers yesterday. Craig Bellamy, who returned from injury against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, also scored.
Played 24 Won 10 Drawn 6 Lost 8 For 29 Against 22 Points 36 Next match Saturday Birmingham City (h)
Tottenham Hotspur
Jonathan Woodgate was impressed at how easily Alan Hutton settled into the back four on his debut in the 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United on Saturday. “Alan was first-class,” the defender said. “He’s going to be brilliant.”
Played 25 Won 7 Drawn 8 Lost 10 For 45 Against 41 Points 29 Next match Saturday Derby County (a)
Newcastle United
Kevin Keegan has reassured James Milner, who was dropped for Sunday’s match against Middlesbrough, that he should not get used to life on the sidelines. “I just felt we had to try something different,” the manager said.
Played 25 Won 7 Drawn 7 Lost 11 For 28 Against 43 Points 28 Next match Saturday Aston Villa (a)
Middlesbrough
Victory at home to Fulham on Saturday would do much to banish relegation fears. “Although we are not safe yet, we know, looking at the table, that another win will pull us even farther away,” J?r?mie Aliadière, the forward, said.
Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 8 Lost 11 For 22 Against 38 Points 26 Next match Saturday Fulham (h)
Bolton Wanderers
Gary Cahill, the central defender who was signed last week from Aston Villa, has no doubts that the club will avoid relegation. “This squad’s very strong,” he said. “We’re in Europe next week. The lads are too good to go down.”
Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 7 Lost 12 For 26 Against 34 Points 25 Next match Saturday Portsmouth (h)
Wigan Athletic
Emile Heskey could be fit to face Sunderland on Saturday despite his withdrawal from the England squad because of injury. The striker failed to finish the 1-0 win over West Ham United on Saturday because of “niggles, pulls and strains”. Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 14 For 24 Against 40 Points 23 Next match Saturday Sunderland (a)
Sunderland
After the team fell victim to another poor refereeing performance at Anfield last weekend, Dean Whitehead hopes that they will not pay for their misfortune. “They are very big decisions for a club in our position,” the captain said.
Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 14 For 24 Against 45 Points 23 Next match Saturday Wigan Athletic (h)
Reading
Nicky Shorey, the left back, is struggling to comprehend the team’s fall from grace. “I think everyone can see it’s rubbish,” he said of the 2-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. “I can’t put my finger on it. There’s a lack of fluid play.”
Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 4 Lost 15 For 30 Against 52 Points 22 Next match Saturday Everton (a)
Birmingham
Franck Queudrue, the defender, faces a spell on the sidelines, starting with the match away to West Ham United on Saturday, after injuring a hamstring in training. “He’ll probably be out for a couple of weeks,” Alex McLeish, the manager, said.
Played 25 Won 5 Drawn 6 Lost 14 For 24 Against 37 Points 21 Next match Saturday West Ham United (a)
Fulham
Brede Hangeland, the centre back, believes that Roy Hodgson has what it takes to ensure that the club avoid relegation. “He is a very good manager and he knows what it takes to get the best out of players and to get points,” Hangeland said.
Played 25 Won 3 Drawn 10 Lost 12 For 25 Against 43 Points 19 Next match Saturday Middlesbrough (a)
Derby County
Mile Sterjovski, the Australia forward, could make his debut against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. He has won his appeal for a work permit, completing his move from Gençlerbirligi, of Turkey, and needs only to get international clearance.
Played 25 Won 1 Drawn 6 Lost 18 For 13 Against 52 Points 9 Next match Saturday Tottenham Hotspur (h)