SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26TH
Aston Villa (20) v West Ham (8)
Aston Villa captain Micah Richards is set to miss out again as he continues to struggle with a knee injury. It means Villa could be unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Newcastle, with Gabby Agbonlahor struggling to regain his place under Remi Garde and, while Charles N’Zogbia and Libor Kozak are available, they face a fight to convince Garde they deserve a place in the matchday squad. Jordan Amavi (knee) remains out for the season.
Andy Carroll could be available for West Ham. The forward missed the draw against Swansea with a thigh injury, but could return for the trip to Villa Park. Dimitri Payet (ankle) — who is set to return against Liverpool on January 2nd — Winston Reid, Victor Moses (both hamstring), Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini (both thigh) will not be fit in time.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 West Ham 0, West Ham 0 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa L L D L D; West Ham L D D D D
Top scorers (all competitions): Scott Sinclair (Aston Villa) 6; Manuel Lanzini, Dimitri Payet & Mauro Zarate (West Ham) 5
Match odds: H 17-10 A 17-10 D 21-10
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Bournemouth (14) v Crystal Palace (6)
Bournemouth will be without forward Josh King after he pulled out of last week’s visit to West Brom during the warm-up. The 23-year-old was expected to start but suffered a hamstring injury before the game and Glenn Murray, who replaced him last weekend, is expected to be in the starting XI again for the Stephens’ Day clash. Midfielder Junior Stanislas (hamstring) is still out after being substituted during the Baggies match but Lee Tomlin (groin/pelvis) could make his return.
Mile Jedinak has beaten his ankle injury in time to feature for Palace. The Australia midfielder will travel to the south coast, but neither Bakary Sako nor Dwight Gayle have recovered from hamstring injuries. Palace boss Alan Pardew rated Yohan Cabaye’s chances of featuring as “50-50” as the midfielder fights a foot problem.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Bournemouth D D W W W; Crystal Palace L W D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Junior Stanislas & Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) 5; Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace) 5
Match odds: H 6-4 A 19-10 D 11-5
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Chelsea (15) v Watford (7)
Eden Hazard could be ready to play some part in Chelsea’s first outing under new interim manager Guus Hiddink. The Belgium midfielder missed last weekend’s 3-1 Premier League win over Sunderland with a hip problem but could be fit in time to feature.
Watford will have to make one change from the side which beat Liverpool last weekend because Nathan Ake is ineligible to play at Stamford Bridge as he is on loan from the Blues, so Ikechi Anya could return to the side. Defenders Tommie Hoban (groin) and Joel Ekstrand (knee) remain sidelined through injury.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Chelsea W D L L W; Watford L W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Willian (Chelsea) 7; Odion Ighalo (Watford) 12
Match odds: H 4-9 A 7-1 D 16-5
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Liverpool (9) v Leicester (1)
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to return. Martin Skrtel is out for six weeks with a hamstring problem but will be replaced by Dejan Lovren, who has recovered from a similar problem which kept him out of last weekend’s defeat at Watford. James Milner (calf) faces another couple of weeks out while Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) will continue to train for the next 10 days before a decision is made on his selection chances.
Danny Drinkwater is expected to sit out the trip to Anfield. The midfielder missed Saturday’s 3-2 win at Everton with a hamstring injury and Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri will not rush one of his stars back into action. Robert Huth is back after suspension for the Premier League leaders and could replace Marcin Wasilewski, who deputised for him at Goodison Park, while Jeff Schlupp (hamstring) remains sidelined.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Leicester 2, Leicester 1 Liverpool 3
Last five league matches: Liverpool W W L D L; Leicester W D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Christian Benteke & Phillippe Coutinho (Liverpool) 5; Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 15
Match odds: H 19-20 A 14-5 D 5-2
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Man City (3) v Sunderland (19)
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is poised to return, having been sorely missed during an eight-game absence with a calf injury. Right-back Pablo Zabaleta (knee) and midfielder Fernando (hamstring) are also available again after lay-offs, leaving playmaker Samir Nasri (leg) as the only major absentee for manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Sunderland defender Younes Kaboul is likely to be sidelined for several weeks due to a hamstring problem and has been joined in the treatment room for a lengthy period by full-back Adam Matthews after he damaged ankle ligaments in training. Lee Cattermole is closing in on a return from a back problem and Jeremain Lens is included after being left out for disciplinary reasons, but fellow midfielder Jack Rodwell is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign and Sebastian Larsson (knee) remains on the casualty list.
Last season: Man City 3 Sunderland 2, Sunderland 1 Man City 4
Last five league matches: Man City L W L W L; Sunderland W W L L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) 10; Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) 7
Match odds: H 2-9 A 12-1 D 5-1
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Newcastle (17) v Everton (10)
Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse is a major doubt after suffering a groin injury against Aston Villa last weekend. The Senegal international is awaiting a second opinion after undergoing a scan. Nineteen-year-old Ivan Toney has been recalled from his loan spell at League One Barnsley. Jamaal Lascelles is back in training after a hamstring injury and is soon to be joined by fellow central defender Steven Taylor (also hamstring), midfielder Rolando Aarons and striker Emmanuel Riviere (both foot), but goalkeeper Tim Krul (knee ligaments), defenders Mike Williamson (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee cartilage) and midfielder Gabriel Obertan (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
Phil Jagielka, Steven Pienaar, James McCarthy and Bryan Oviedo are all set to feature for Everton at some point over the festive period, although this match is likely to come too soon. McCarthy (hip) has missed the last four games, captain Jagielka (knee) and Oviedo (hamstring) have been out for two months while Pienaar (hamstring) has only played one match in the last year.
Last season: Everton 3 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 3 Everton 2
Last five league matches: Newcastle L L W W D; Everton W D D D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle) 7; Romelu Lukaku (Everton) 16
Match odds: H 9-4 A 5-4 D 23-10
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Southampton (12) v Arsenal (2)
Maarten Stekelenburg faces a race against time to beat his toe injury and return for Southampton. The on-loan Fulham goalkeeper missed Saints’ 2-0 home loss to Tottenham, but boss Ronald Koeman hopes he will be fit to face the Gunners. Southampton can otherwise select from the same squad that took on Tottenham.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will not be able to welcome back any of his injured players. Alexis Sanchez has suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury, with the Chile forward missing Monday’s win over Manchester City and not expected to feature over the festive period. Jack Wilshere (leg) should be back in January while Mikel Arteta (calf) is not far away from a comeback. Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky (all knee) are also missing.
Last season: Southampton 2 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 1 Southampton 0
Last five league matches: Southampton L L D L L; Arsenal L D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Graziano Pelle (Southampton) 9; Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) 15
Match odds: H 13-5 A 11-10 D 23-10
Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)
Stoke (11) v Man Utd (5)
Stoke remain without a handful of players. Midfielder Stephen Ireland is still working his way back from a hamstring injury and will also miss the December 28 trip to Everton but could be back in contention for West Brom on January 2nd. Striker Peter Crouch (hamstring) is back in training but not yet match-fit while defenders Geoff Cameron and Marc Muniesa are also still sidelined with hamstring problems.
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will miss the match as he serves the final game of a three-match ban for violent conduct following an elbow on West Ham’s Winston Reid. Defender Matteo Darmian is still recovering from a hamstring injury, but is likely to be considered for selection against Chelsea on December 28th. Midfielder Jesse Lingard (hamstring) and defenders Marcos Rojo (shoulder), Antonio Valencia (foot) and Luke Shaw (leg) are out.
Last season: Stoke 1 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Stoke 1
Last five league matches: Stoke W L W D L; Man Utd W D D L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Marko Arnautovic (Stoke) 5; Anthony Martial (Man Utd) 8
Match odds: H 21-10 A 7-5 D 21-10
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Swansea (18) v West Brom (13)
Wayne Routledge returns to the Swansea squad. The 30-year-old suffered a knee injury in training last week and missed the goalless draw with West Ham while Angel Rangel, who sprained his ankle in that game last Sunday, has been cleared to play. Lukasz Fabianski missed training on Tuesday after his wife gave birth to a baby boy but the Poland goalkeeper will feature, though Eder (knee) and Franck Tabanou (thigh) remain out.
West Brom pair Salomon Rondon and James McClean start their three-game bans after being sent off in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. Rickie Lambert and Callum McManaman are possible replacements. Saido Berahino will rival Lambert for a start after six games on the bench while Claudio Yacob is available after a family bereavement but Ben Foster continues his battle back from a long-term knee injury.
Last season: West Brom 2 Swansea 0, Swansea 3 West Brom 0
Last five league matches: Swansea D L L L D; West Brom W D D D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Andre Ayew (Swansea) 6; Saido Berahino, James Morrison & Salomon Rondon (West Brom) 3
Match odds: H 21-20 A 3-1 D 21-10
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Tottenham (4) v Norwich (16)
Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason is available after recovering from an ankle injury. Mason has not played in almost a month but returned to training this week and is in contention for the clash at White Hart Lane. Danny Rose is also back after missing last weekend’s win at Southampton through illness, but Alex Pritchard remains out with an ankle problem.
Matt Jarvis will not make a return for Norwich. The 29-year-old midfielder has been out with a knee injury since coming off at half-time against Manchester City on October 31st, but he is expected to be back in the squad at some stage over the Christmas period. Andre Wisdom, who missed the win at Manchester United with a hamstring injury, is “touch and go” while boss Alex Neil has no other concerns.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Tottenham W D D L W; Norwich L D L D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Harry Kane (Tottenham) 11; Nathan Redmond (Norwich) 4
Match odds: H 4-9 A 7-1 D 16-5
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
