Arsenal

Joachim Löw, the Germany coach, believes that Jens Lehmann should leave the club if he fails to regain his place in goal. “Should Jens’s situation not change, we will have to talk,” Löw said. “For Euro 2008 we need a goalkeeper who is playing.”

Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 19 Against 6 Points 22
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Bolton Wanderers (h)

Manchester United

Edwin van der Sar has joined the Holland squad after making encouraging progress in his recovery from a toe injury. The goalkeeper is a doubt for the match against Roma-nia tomorrow, but he could play against Slovenia on Wednesday.

Played 9 Won 6 Drawn 2 Lost 1 For 11 Against 2 Points 20
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Aston Villa (a)

Manchester City

Shaleum Logan, the 19-year-old right back or midfield player, has joined Grimsby Town on a month’s loan. The teenager has appeared in the Carling Cup this season, but Sven-Göran Eriksson wants him to gain first-team experience.

Played 9 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 14 Against 7 Points 19
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Birmingham City (h)

Liverpool

Xabi Alonso has been cleared to play for Spain in their crucial European Championship qualifying match against Sweden next month. Alonso’s three-match ban, for a red card against Iceland last month, has been reduced to two games on appeal.

Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 4 Lost 0 For 14 Against 4 Points 16
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Everton (a)

Portsmouth

Harry Redknapp has told fringe players such as Pedro Mendes, Lauren and Matthew Taylor that they must wait for their chance. “They are good players but, while we are winning games, I’m not going to change the side,” the manager said.

Played 9 Won 4 Drawn 3 Lost 2 For 17 Against 12 Points 15
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Wigan Athletic (a)

Blackburn Rovers

Roque Santa Cruz is hoping that rest will solve the knee injury that has forced his withdrawal from the Paraguay squad. “I had to decide if I should continue [playing] but risk having to stop for two or three months,” he said.

Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 3 Lost 1 For 9 Against 6 Points 15
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Reading (h)

Chelsea

Joe Cole has hailed Frank Lampard as the best goal-scoring midfield player in the world. “He is the benchmark for everyone,” Cole said. “We missed him with Chelsea and England and it’s good to have him back [after injury].”

Played 9 Won 4 Drawn 3 Lost 2 For 8 Against 8 Points 15
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Middlesbrough (a)

Aston Villa

Ashley Young wants a second successive summer on international duty. One of the stars of the Under21 finals, the winger is desperate to make his senior debut tomorrow. “I’d love to help England reach the European Championships,” he said.

Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 2 Lost 2 For 12 Against 8 Points 14
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Manchester United (h)

Newcastle United

The players and staff not on international duty this weekend have decamped to the Lake District for a bonding exercise. Mark Viduka, José Enrique, Nicky Butt and Gérémi are participating, as are some of the back-room staff.

Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 2 Lost 2 For 13 Against 10 Points 14
Next match Monday Oct 22 Tottenham Hotspur (h)

Everton

Lukas Jutkiewicz, the 18-year-old forward, wants to play for Poland. The Southampton-born player has a Polish grandfather and said: “I have made my feelings clear that if they want me to play, I am ready to.”

Played 9 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 4 For 12 Against 11 Points 13
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Liverpool (h)

West Ham United

Matthew Upson is not concerned about three consecutive defeats, but he does believe there needs to be an improvement. “It’s no time to panic,” he said. “It’s massively important to get back on track against Sunderland next week.”

Played 8 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 4 For 9 Against 8 Points 10
Next match Sunday Oct 21 Sunderland (h)

Reading

Kevin Dillon, the first-team coach, has warned Kevin Doyle, the Ireland striker, to cut out his sliding-on-knees goal celebration. “I’ll have to have a word with him,” Dillon said. “He could do his knee ligaments when bouncing off the floor.”

Played 9 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 5 For 10 Against 18 Points 10
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Blackburn Rovers (a)

Birmingham City

Steve Bruce could meet with Carson Yeung, his prospective new chairman, to discuss Millwall’s interest in Eric Black. Bruce’s assistant could be tempted by the vacancy at the New Den, where Willie Donachie was dismissed this week.

Played 9 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 8 Against 12 Points 8
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Manchester City (a)

Wigan Athletic

Jason Koumas, the Wales midfield player, may be fit to play away to Portsmouth in eight days’ time, despite missing the European Championship qualifying matches against San Marino and Cyprus because of a thigh injury.

Played 9 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 8 Against 12 Points 8
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Portsmouth (h)

Middlesbrough

With only one clean sheet in the league this season, the club’s commitment to attacking football is being undermined by their defensive frailty. “We are not giving ourselves a chance if we concede early,” Luke Young, the right back, said.

Played 9 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 10 Against 16 Points 8
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Chelsea (h)

Sunderland

Ian Harte is ready for first-team football after scoring for the reserves on Wednesday. “I’m fully fit now,” the Ireland player, who returned to England from Levante in the summer, said. “If I get the chance, I’ll do my best to stay in the side.”

Played 9 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 10 Against 16 Points 8
Next match Sunday Oct 21 West Ham United (a)

Tottenham Hotspur

Dorian Dervite, the defender, will begin training on Monday after recovering from a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee suffered in a friendly away to Norwich City in January.

Played 9 Won 1 Drawn 4 Lost 4 For 16 Against 18 Points 7
Next match Monday Oct 22 Newcastle United (a)

Fulham

Paul Konchesky has no regrets about swapping West Ham United for Craven Cottage in the summer. “I just wanted to be playing football regularly,” the defender said. “To waste time sitting on the bench made no sense to me.”

Played 9 Won 1 Drawn 4 Lost 4 For 12 Against 16 Points 7
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Derby County (h)

Bolton Wanderers

Andranik Teymourian, the Iran midfield player, is confident that he has a future at the club, despite having played only 45 minutes this season. “Sammy Lee [the manager] has assured me that he believes in me,” Andranik said.

Played 9 Won 1 Drawn 2 Lost 6 For 9 Against 14 Points 5
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Arsenal (a)

Derby County

Peter Gadsby, the chairman, has vowed to stay loyal to Billy Davies even if the club are relegated this season. “We support Billy,” Gadsby said. “Remember the tremendous job he did getting us here. He will get us back up again.”

Played 9 Won 1 Drawn 2 Lost 6 For 5 Against 22 Points 5
Next match Saturday Oct 20 Fulham (a)