Premiership team news and statistics

Everton (13) v Chelsea (2)

Saturday, November 1st

Everton (13) v Chelsea (2)

Kevin Campbell is a doubt for Everton with a toe injury while Lee Carsley (knee), Alessandro Pistone and Steve Watson (hernia) plus Niclas Alexandersson (foot) are also out. Goalkeeper Richard Wright will see a specialist on Monday after a recurrence of his knee problem.

Hernan Crespo is still a major fitness doubt after missing the last three games with a groin injury, so Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Adrian Mutu could continue in attack for Chelsea. Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, defenders John Terry and Wayne Bridge, midfielders Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard all look set to return, while skipper Marcel Desailly could be among the substitutes after six games out through injury.
Last season: Chelsea 4 Everton 1, Everton 1 Chelsea 3
Last five league matches: Everton L W L D D; Chelsea W W D L W
Top scorers: Steve Watson (Everton) 5; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 8
Match odds: H 16-5 A 8-11 D 9-4
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).

Leeds (19) v Arsenal (1)

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Leeds skipper Dominic Matteo is struggling with a thigh injury but Mark Viduka should return after a back problem. Salomon Olembe is likely to be fit after coming off with a dead leg, while David Batty returns after being rested and on-loan Gunners winger Jermaine Pennant is also available after being allowed to play by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal will still be without captain Patrick Vieira (thigh) and centre-back Martin Keown (calf) so Arsene Wenger must decide whether to restore the line-up which started last weekend's Premiership game at Charlton, having rested all 11 players for the midweek Carling Cup tie against Rotherham.
Last season: Arsenal 2 Leeds 3, Leeds 1 Arsenal 4
Last five league matches: Leeds L L W L L; Arsenal D W W W D
Top scorers: Alan Smith (Leeds) 3; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 10
Match odds: H 4-1 A 4-7 D 5-2
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Man Utd (3) v Portsmouth (11)

Paul Scholes will miss out as he begins his month-long recovery from surgery on a groin injury. The midfielder had an operation on Tuesday and joins Kleberson (shoulder), Wes Brown (knee) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (knee) on the injury list.

Yakubu Ayegbini looks set to return to Portsmouth's starting line-up following his double strike in the Carling Cup win over Nottingham Forest, on-loan Jason Roberts the man likely to make way. Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, midfielder Amdy Faye and defender Boris Zivkovic all are likely to return after being rested in midweek, along with Patrik Berger, who also appeared at Forest as a second half substitute.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man Utd D W W W L; Portsmouth L L L W L
Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 9; Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 6
Match odds: H 1-5 A 8-1 D 9-2
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).

Middlesbrough (17) v Wolverhampton (15)

Middlesbrough defender Chris Riggott is out with an ankle injury but the rested Colin Cooper is expected to return. Steve McClaren has no other new problems, although Ugo Ehiogu and Stuart Parnaby (both knee) and David Murphy (foot) remain on the long-term casualty list.

Wolves manager Dave Jones has failed in his bid to secure an understudy for goalkeeper Michael Oakes in time and has had to promote 17-year-old Academy youngster Carl Ikeme to the bench with regular number one Matt Murray out with a foot injury.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough W W L L D; Wolverhampton L D W D W
Top scorers: Szilard Nemeth Middlesborough 3; Colin Cameron, Alex Rae (Wolves) 3
Match odds: H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).

Newcastle (8) v Aston Villa (14)

Lee Bowyer is included in the Newcastle squad after recovering from a bout of flu, but Kieron Dyer misses out once again with his hamstring problem and Hugo Viana (foot) and Andy Griffin (hamstring) are also injured. Nikos Dabizas is recalled to the squad, as is young striker Michael Chopra with Craig Bellamy begins his rehabilitation after knee surgery.

Villa skipper Olof Mellberg and striker Darius Vassell face fitness tests, after picking up leg muscle injuries in the midweek Carling Cup win over Leicester. Dion Dublin and Marcus Allback will be on stand-by to replace them if they are unfit. Thomas Hitzlsperger - who scored the winner as a substitute against the Foxes - must wait to see if he has done enough to earn a starting place, but midfielder Lee Hendrie (calf) is still sidelined.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 0 Newcastle 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle L W W W W; Aston Villa W L D D D
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 10; Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 7
Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire).

Southampton (6) v Man City (7)

Goalkeeper Paul Jones is expected to win a first-team recall because of Antti Niemi's groin strain. Midfield duo Rory Delap (calf) and Chris Marsden (hamstring) are doubts, but striker Kevin Phillips returns after a three-match suspension.

Midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips is banned after being sent off in the 6-2 thrashing of Bolton. Paulo Wanchope is pushing for inclusion, but striker Jon Macken is not yet fully fit after months on the sidelines battling injury, but midfielder Steve McManaman could return after hamstring trouble.
Last season: Man City 0 Southampton 1, Southampton 2 Man City 0
Last five league matches: Southampton W L L D W; Man City D D L W L
Top scorers: James Beattie (Southampton) 8; Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 10
Match odds: H 6-5 A 7-4 D 9-4
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Tottenham (12) v Bolton (18)

Christian Ziege is back on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in Wednesday's Carling Cup victory over West Ham - the German's first start this year following a thigh problem. Caretaker boss David Pleat will replace him with Mauricio Taricco, provided the Argentine has recovered from the groin strain he suffered against Middlesbrough last Sunday. Also back in contention will be Dean Richards, Darren Anderton and Gus Poyet, who were rested against West Ham.

Bolton have defensive worries with Emerson Thome (hamstring) out for up to three weeks, while Florent Laville continues his recovery from knee surgery. Bruno N'Gotty looks likely to partner Simon Charlton, with either Anthony Barness or Nicky Hunt being drafted in at right-back. Youri Djorkaeff (calf) and Ivan Campo (Achilles) are both doubtful.
Last season: Bolton 1 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 3 Bolton 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham L D W W D; Bolton D D D L L
Top scorers: Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 7; Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 3
Match odds: H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).

Sunday, November 2nd

Fulham (5) v Liverpool (10)

Transfer-listed Fulham midfielder Sean Davis could land his first start of the season with Mark Pembridge fighting to shake off a knock and Junichi Inamoto suspended. Jerome Bonnissel is doubtful but Alain Goma (knee) is definitely out, paving the way for either Andy Melville or Martin Djetou to fill the void in defence.

Liverpool have a lengthening list of injury doubts. Michael Owen was not in the squad for Wednesday's Carling Cup win at Blackburn, Sami Hyypia was withdrawn at half time at Blackburn with a hamstring strain while Vladimir Smicer is still fighting to recover from an Achilles problem. Teenager Florent Sinama-Pongolle suffered a "dead leg" at Ewood Park which left him on crutches, while El-Hadji Diouf serves a one-match suspension.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Fulham 0, Fulham 3 Liverpool 2
Last five league matches: Fulham W W D L W; Liverpool W L L L W
Top scorers: Luis Boa Morte, Louis Saha (Fulham) 5; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 9
Match odds: H 9-5 A 5-4 D 21-10
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).

Leicester (20) v Blackburn (16)

Goalkeeper Ian Walker and defender Ben Thatcher are poised for recalls. Walker missed the midweek Carling Cup defeat to Aston Villa with flu while Thatcher has been sidelined since the end of September with pneumonia.

Garry Flitcroft returns to the Blackburn squad after missing the Carling Cup defeat by Liverpool in midweek because of a back problem. Craig Short and Lorenzo Amoruso are again ruled out with knee injuries.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Leicester L L L L L; Blackburn W L L L L
Top scorers: Paul Dickov (Man City) 5; Andy Cole (Blackburn) 5
Match odds: H 13-8 A 11-8 D 21-10
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

Monday, November 3rd

Birmingham (4) v Charlton (9)

Robbie Savage is hopeful of being available after an Achilles problem, but Birmingham boss Bruce will only play him if he is 100%. Utility player Damien Johnson could be available after missing the win at Bolton last weekend with a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Ian Bennett will be on the bench after Bruce rejected the chance for him to move on loan to Sheffield United.

Paolo di Canio (hamstring), Shaun Bartlett (ankle) and Carlton Cole (hip) are all out and Kevin Lisbie (knee) only has a small chance of making the St Andrews fixture, leaving Addicks boss Alan Curbishley with just Mathias Svensson, Jonatan Johansson and Jason Euell to choose from up front. Mark Fish (hip) and right-back Luke Young (ankle) join long term casualty Gary Rowett on the sidelines.
Last season: Charlton 0 Birmingham 2, Birmingham 1 Charlton 1
Last five league matches: Birmingham W L D D W; Charlton L W W W D
Top scorers: Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 4; Kevin Lisbie (Charlton) 5
Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).