1 Arsenal

Eduardo da Silva is confident that more goals will follow after scoring in the league against Everton and West Ham United. “It was really important to score my first goals,” the Croatia striker said. “Now I think everything will get better.”

Played 21 Won 15 Drawn 5 Lost 1 For 42 Against 16 Points 50
Next match January 12 Birmingham City (h)

2 Manchester United

Brian McClair has offered a vote of confidence to Dong Fangzhuo, the China forward, who has been linked with a loan move to Burnley. “It has taken Dong a while to adjust,” McClair, the caretaker reserve-team manager, said.

Played 21 Won 15 Drawn 3 Lost 3 For 38 Against 11 Points 48
Next match January 12 Newcastle United (h)

3 Chelsea

Salomon Kalou believes he is a victim of his versatility. “I can play in any position and that is difficult for a trainer because I can play on the right side, left side and down the centre,” the Ivory Coast forward said. “Anywhere I play I try to give my best.”

Played 21 Won 13 Drawn 5 Lost 3 For 33 Against 16 Points 44
Next match January 14 Tottenham Hotspur (h)

4 Manchester City

Dietmar Hamann believes that his team deserve more credit than they have received for their 2-0 victory away to Newcastle United, his former club. “To come away with three points was huge,” the former Germany midfield player said.

Played 21 Won 11 Drawn 6 Lost 4 For 29 Against 22 Points 39
Next match January 12 Everton (a)

5 Liverpool

Mohamed Sissoko plans to speak to Rafael BenÍtez to state his commitment to the club before departing on African Cup of Nations duty with Mali. The midfield player is attracting interest from teams in Italy, but wants to stay at Anfield.

Played 20 Won 10 Drawn 8 Lost 2 For 34 Against 13 Points 38
Next match January 12 Middlesbrough (a)

6 Everton

David Moyes has fitness doubts over Tim Cahill (knee) and Joseph Yobo (foot) before the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Oldham Athletic tomorrow, but Thomas Gravesen should be fit after overcoming a knee problem.

Played 21 Won 11 Drawn 3 Lost 7 For 37 Against 22 Points 36
Next match January 12 Manchester City (h)

7 Aston Villa

Gabriel Agbonlahor has said that it might be unwise to score first at home to Manchester United in the FA Cup tomorrow, as he did in the 4-1 league defeat in October. “We got them angry and they came back and thumped us,” the forward said.

Played 21 Won 10 Drawn 6 Lost 5 For 37 Against 27 Points 36
Next match January 12 Reading (h)

8 Portsmouth

Sylvain Distin, the defender, has no regrets about leaving Manchester City or turning down Liverpool to join Portsmouth. “It’s easy to enjoy my football here,” he said. “There are no little groups between the players.”

Played 21 Won 9 Drawn 7 Lost 5 For 31 Against 20 Points 34
Next match January 13 Sunderland (a)

9 Blackburn Rovers

Mark Hughes is facing a striker crisis before the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Coventry City tomorrow after Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire suffered groin and hip injuries respectively in the 1-0 win over Sunderland.

Played 21 Won 9 Drawn 6 Lost 6 For 28 Against 28 Points 33
Next match January 13 Bolton Wanderers (a)

10 West Ham United

Matthew Etherington and Lee Bowyer hope to return from injury for the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Manchester City tomorrow. Julien Faubert is likely to make his comeback against the Aston Villa reserve team on Monday.

Played 20 Won 8 Drawn 5 Lost 7 For 25 Against 19 Points 29
Next match January 12 Fulham (h)

11 Newcastle United

Obafemi Martins has been granted dispensation to delay his departure to the African Cup of Nations. The Nigeria striker may miss Sunday’s FA Cup tie away to Stoke City to play in the league fixture at Old Trafford a week tomorrow.

Played 21 Won 7 Drawn 5 Lost 9 For 27 Against 33 Points 26
Next match January 12 Manchester United (a)

12 Tottenham Hotspur

Darren Bent, who has a knee ligament injury, and Younès Kaboul, who has an ankle problem, are doubts for the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Reading tomorrow. Pascal Chimbonda has returned to training after a stomach bug.

Played 21 Won 6 Drawn 6 Lost 9 For 42 Against 38 Points 24
Next match January 14 Chelsea (a)

13 Reading

Steve Coppell has laughed off reports that Kevin Doyle, the Ireland striker, is to move to Chelsea this month. “I’ve not actually seen that one,” the manager said. “But I presume it was next to a story about the Martians landing.”

Played 21 Won 6 Drawn 4 Lost 11 For 29 Against 44 Points 22
Next match January 12 Aston Villa (a)

14 Bolton Wanderers

Gary Megson, the manager, has condemned the fans who jeered Kevin Nolan during the 1-0 win over Derby County on Wednesday. The captain played with 11 stitches in a head wound and had a painkilling injection before the game.

Played 21 Won 5 Drawn 5 Lost 11 For 23 Against 32 Points 20
Next match January 13 Blackburn Rovers (h)

15 Middlesbrough

George Boateng, the captain, who was not involved against Everton on New Year’s Day, could leave the club this month, according to his agent. “I’ve had three or four clubs phone me to ask about his availability,” Barry Silkman said.

Played 21 Won 5 Drawn 5 Lost 11 For 18 Against 35 Points 20
Next match January 12 Liverpool (h)

16 Birmingham City

Cameron Jerome is keen to play in the FA Cup third-round tie away to Huddersfield Town tomorrow as he was born in the Yorkshire town. “I’ve been looking forward to the game,” the striker said. “If I’m not picked, I’ll be gutted.”

Played 21 Won 5 Drawn 4 Lost 12 For 22 Against 32 Points 19
Next match January 12 Arsenal (a)

17 Wigan Athletic

Nigel Spink is expected to be confirmed as the club’s goalkeeping coach in the next 24 hours after Gary Walsh left to take up a similar role with Derby County, where he will be reunited with Paul Jewell, the former Wigan manager.

Played 21 Won 4 Drawn 5 Lost 12 For 21 Against 37 Points 17
Next match January 12 Derby County (a)

18 Sunderland

A seventh successive away defeat, against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, left the players struggling to see the bright side. “We’ve heard ‘if only’ a few times this season,” Ross Wallace, the winger, said. “It’s a learning curve for us.”

Played 21 Won 4 Drawn 5 Lost 12 For 20 Against 40 Points 17
Next match January 13 Portsmouth (h)

19 Fulham

Adrian Boothroyd, the Watford manager, will not allow Marlon King to move to Craven Cottage unless the price is right. “It would have to be an extremely lucrative offer,” Boothroyd said. King has scored 11 times in the Championship this season.

Played 21 Won 2 Drawn 9 Lost 10 For 22 Against 37 Points 15
Next match January 12 West Ham United (a)

20 Derby County

Jay McEveley, the defender, may have sustained knee ligament damage during the 1-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Wednesday. “He could be out for quite some time,” Paul Jewell, the manager, said.

Played 21 Won 1 Drawn 4 Lost 16 For 10 Against 46 Points 7
Next match January 12 Wigan Athletic (h)