Weekend Premier League team news

All the news ahead of the action as Manchester City look to seal the title

Sergio Agüero could return for he  Manchester derby game against Manchester United  at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Photograph:  Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Sergio Agüero could return for he Manchester derby game against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

SATURDAY (3pm unless stated)

Everton (9) v Liverpool (3), 12.30pm – Live Sky Sports

Idrissa Gana Gueye should be fit to return for Everton. The influential midfielder missed last weekend's defeat to Manchester City with a hamstring problem but took part in a full training session on Friday. All Everton's other injury problems are longer-term but defender Ashley Williams is available again after completing a three-match ban following his dismissal against Burnley.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has a raft of injuries to contend with. Forward Mohamed Salah is unlikely to be risked after sustaining a groin injury against Manchester City in midweek while midfielders Emre Can (back), Adam Lallana (hamstring) and Ben Woodburn are all out. Of his injured defenders, Ragnar Klavan, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, only Klavan has any chance of making the squad.

Last season: Liverpool 3 Everton 1, Everton 0 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Everton L L W W L; Liverpool W W L W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Wayne Rooney (Everton) 10; Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 38
Match odds: 3-1; D 13-5; A 10-11
Referee: Michael Oliver

Bournemouth (10) v Crystal Palace (17)
Bournemouth will be without midfielder Junior Stanislas for the rest of the Premier League season following knee surgery. Captain Simon Francis (hamstring) will be assessed ahead of Saturday's match and forward Lys Mousset could be available again following injury.

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Christian Benteke faces a late fitness test before Palace select their starting XI. The striker suffered a potential groin injury in training on Thursday and his possible absence comes when their other senior recognised strikers, Alexander Sorloth and Connor Wickham, have already been ruled out with respective hamstring and groin injuries. James Tomkins is again available for selection, but Jeffrey Schlupp, Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon and Bakary Sako remain long-term absentees.

Last season: Bournemouth 0 Crystal Palace 2, Crystal Palace 1 Bournemouth 1.
Last five league matches: Bournemouth D D L W D; Crystal Palace L L L W L
Top scorers (all competitions): Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) 8; Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) 9.
Match odds: H 6-4; D 23-10; A 9-5
Referee: Jon Moss

Brighton (13) v Huddersfield (16)
Brighton will give Dale Stephens every chance to prove his fitness for the match against the Terriers. The midfielder has been battling a hamstring complaint but will be put through a late fitness test. Loanee Leonardo Ulloa can return having been ineligible for selection in last weekend's 2-0 loss against parent club Leicester.

Huddersfield will be without Elias Kachunga at Brighton, and for the rest of the season. The Congo forward injured ankle ligaments against Newcastle and will not be fit until the summer. Aside from long-term absentees Danny Williams (leg) and Michael Hefele (knee), manager David Wagner has every other first-team player at his disposal.

Last season: Brighton 1 Huddersfield 0, Huddersfield 3 Brighton 1
Last five league matches: Brighton D W W L L; Huddersfield W L D L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Glenn Murray (Brighton) 13; Steve Mounie (Huddersfield) 8
Match odds: H 4-5; D 23-10; A 19-5
Referee: Anthony Taylor

Leicester (8) v Newcastle (12)
Leicester midfielder Matty James has been ruled out for the rest of the season following Achilles tendon surgery. Manager Claude Puel announced the news on Thursday but is positive the Englishman will be fit in time for next season. Wilfred Ndidi will miss the Foxes' clash with Newcastle this weekend after being sent off for two yellow cards in his side's win over Brighton last time out.

Striker Islam Slimani will sit out for Newcastle a week after finally making his debut. The Algeria international, who was used as a substitute in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Huddersfield, is ineligible to face his parent club under the terms of his loan agreement with the Magpies. However, fellow frontman Joselu is fit after recovering from an ankle injury and could return, while midfielder Mohamed Diame has shaken off the knock which saw him limp off against the Terriers.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Leicester L D D W W; Newcastle W D L W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 18; Dwight Gayle & Ayoze Perez (Newcastle) 5
Match odds: H 1-1; D 5-2; A 13-5
Referee: Stuart Attwell

Stoke (19) v Tottenham (4)
Kurt Zouma could return to the Stoke squad. The defender missed the defeat to Arsenal with a knee injury but trained on Thursday morning and is due to be assessed, along with striker Mame Diouf (calf). Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (groin) is likely to miss out again, while Charlie Adam is still suspended.

Harry Kane could be in line to start for Spurs. The England striker made his quickfire return from ankle ligament damage at Chelsea as a substitute last week and is now in contention for a starting berth. Harry Winks is, however, still missing with an ankle injury of his own.

Last season: Tottenham 4 Stoke 0, Stoke 0 Tottenham 4
Last five league matches: Stoke D D L L L; Tottenham W W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke) 7; Harry Kane (Tottenham) 35
Match odds: H 8-1; D 19-5; A 1-3
Referee: Graham Scott

Watford (11) v Burnley (7)
Watford defender Christian Kabasele has returned to training after his hamstring problem and could be back in contention to face the Clarets. Defender Craig Cathcart made his return from a hip injury as a substitute against Bournemouth last weekend and should be involved again.

Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton is back in contention after being out since September with a dislocated shoulder. Clarets boss Sean Dyche must decide on his role as Nick Pope is expected to continue in the starting line-up. Johann Berg Gudmundsson is hoping to recover from a calf strain but defender Ben Mee is doubtful due to a knock sustained in training, while Scott Arfield (calf) and Jonathan Walters (knee) are still out.

Last season: Watford 2 Burnley 1, Burnley 2 Watford 0
Last five league matches: Watford W W L L D; Burnley L D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Richarlison (Watford) 8; Chris Wood (Burnley) 10
Match odds: H 13-10; D 21-10; A 23-10
Referee: Paul Tierney

West Brom (20) v Swansea (15)
Sam Field should be back in the West Brom squad. The young midfielder missed the defeat to Burnley with a calf injury sustained on international duty but he has been training this week. Nacer Chadli (thigh) and Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) are making progress but Saturday looks like it will come too soon for them while Gareth Barry will probably miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Midfielder Sam Clucas is set to feature for Swansea after recovering from a knee injury. Clucas went off during the 2-0 loss to Manchester United last weekend, but Swans boss Carlos Carvalhal has reported no ill-effects for a player key to his team’s Premier League survival hopes. Renato Sanches (hamstring) and Angel Rangel (groin) remain out, although Rangel has started training again, while Jordan Ayew serves the final game of a three-match ban.

Last season: Swansea 2 West Brom 1, West Brom 3 Swansea 1
Last five league matches: West Brom L L L L L; Swansea W L W D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Salomon Rondon & Jay Rodriguez (West Brom) 9; Jordan Ayew (Swansea) 10
Match odds: H 7-5; D 11-5; A 2-1
Referee: Roger East

Manchester City (1) v Manchester United (2), 5.30pm – Live Sky Sports
Manchester City will check on the fitness of top scorer Sergio Agüero ahead of the derby at the Etihad Stadium. The Argentina striker has been out for the past month with a knee injury but City are hopeful he could return for a game which could see them clinch the Premier League title. Left back Benjamin Mendy, who has been sidelined since September with a knee injury, is the only definite absentee.

Sergio Romero is the only United absentee. The back-up goalkeeper is sidelined after being involved in a collision on Argentina duty, with 17-year-old Matej Kovar brought into first-team training on the eve of the derby as Kieran O’Hara is set to play in the reserves on Friday. Versatile Daley Blind is back in contention for United, while Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera have also recently returned to full fitness.

Last season: Man City 0 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 1 Man City 2
Last five league matches: Man City W W W W W; Man Utd L W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Sergio Agüero (Man City) 30; Romelu Lukaku (Man Utd) 26
Match odds: H 19-20; D 13-5; A 14-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson

SUNDAY

Arsenal (6) v Southampton (18), 2.15 – Live Sky Sports
Arsenal will be without Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Armenia international limped out of Thursday's Europa League win over CSKA Moscow with a knee problem and will not be fit for the clash with Saints. Goalkeeper David Ospina (ankle) is also sidelined, as is long-term absentee Santi Cazorla (Achilles), but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can return having been cup-tied in Europe.

Southampton’s Mario Lemina faces a late fitness test before their manager Mark Hughes selects his starting XI for Sunday’s visit to Arsenal.

The defensive midfielder is yet to fully recover from a virus but returned to training on Friday and could yet be passed fit.

Sam McQueen has already been ruled out, owing to a groin injury.

Last season: Southampton 0 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 2 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal L L L W W; Southampton L D D L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) 12; Charlie Austin (Southampton) 6
Match odds: H 11-20; D 16-5; A 9-2
Referee: Andre Marriner

Chelsea (5) v West Ham (14), 4.30 – Live Sky Sports
Chelsea could have both Thibaut Courtois and Pedro fit. Goalkeeper Courtois has been missing with a hamstring injury with Spanish forward Pedro absent due to an unspecified knock, but the pair are in contention to return against the Hammers. David Luiz (knee) and Ethan Ampadu (ankle) remain sidelined for Antonio Conte's men.

Michail Antonio needs a hamstring operation and will miss the rest of the season for West Ham, while midfielder Manuel Lanzini is still struggling with a knee injury. James Collins (hamstring) is another doubt while Winston Reid, Pedro Obiang, Andy Carroll and Sam Byram are long-term absentees.

Last season: West Ham 1 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 2 West Ham 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea W L L W L; West Ham W L L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Eden Hazard (Chelsea) 15; Marko Arnautovic (West Ham) 9
Match odds: H 2-7; D 4-1; A 11-1
Referee: Kevin Friend