Arsenal v Birmingham Today 3pm
Damien Johnson, the Birmingham captain, will wear a protective mask to protect
a fracture of the skull he suffered only two weeks ago. Arsenal are below
full strength with Johan Djourou not fit to face the club with whom he was
on loan until recently and Robin van Persie out with a virus.
Arsenal (possible; 4-4-2): M Almunia – B Sagna, P Senderos, W Gallas, G
Clichy – T Rosicky, F Fàbregas, M Flamini, A Hleb – E Adebayor, Eduardo da
Silva.
Injuries and suspensions: R van Persie (virus), J Djourou (groin), E Eboué, A
Song, K Touré (all African Cup of Nations).
Birmingham City (possible; 4-4-2): M Taylor – S Kelly, L Ridgewell, M
Taylor, F Queudrue – S Larsson, G McSheffrey, F Muamba, G Johnson – M
Forssell, G O’Connor.
Injuries and suspensions: B Oubiña (knee), R Jaidi, M Nafti (both African Cup
of Nations).
Referee P Dowd Odds: Ladbrokes Home 1-6, Away 11-1, Draw 9-2 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 78% Away win 8% Draw 14%
Aston Villa v Reading Today 3pm
Aston Villa will be aiming to bounce back from last weekend’s FA Cup defeat by
Manchester United by securing a third consecutive league win. Martin
O’Neill’s team have no injury problems and will provide a stern test for a
Reading side who have not won away in the Premier League this season.
Aston Villa (possible; 4-1-3-2): S Carson – O Mellberg, C Davies, M
Laursen, W Bouma – N Reo-Coker – S Petrov, G Barry, A Young – G Agbonlahor,
J Carew.
Injuries and suspensions: None.
Reading (possible; 4-4-2): M Hahnemann – G Murty, I Sonko, I
Ingimarsson, N Shorey – S Hunt, K Cissé, J Harper, R Convey – K Doyle, D
Kitson.
Injuries and suspensions: J Oster (ankle), G Little (Achilles).
Referee U Rennie Odds: Ladbrokes Home 8-13, Away 4-1, Draw 9-4 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 52% Away win 26% Draw 22%
Chelsea v Tottenham Today 3pm
Juande Ramos, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, is ready to leave Paul Robinson
on the bench again, while Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, has a
goalkeeping dilemma of his own. Carlo Cudicini and Petr Cech have resumed
training after injury, with the Italian closest to a first-team recall.
Chelsea (possible; 4-3-3): C Cudicini – J Belletti, Alex, R Carvalho, A
Cole – S Wright-Phillips, C Makelele, M Ballack – J Cole, N Anelka, F
Malouda.
Injuries and suspensions: F Lampard (thigh), A Shevchenko (leg), J Terry
(foot), D Drogba, M Essien, S Kalou, J O Mikel (all African Cup of Nations).
Tottenham Hotspur (possible; 4-4-2): R Cerny – P Chimbonda, L King, M
Dawson, Lee Young Pyo – A Lennon, K-P Boateng, J O’Hara, S Malbranque – D
Berbatov, R Keane.
Injuries and suspensions: B Assou-Ekotto (knee), G Bale (foot), D Bent (knee),
A Gardner (ankle), R Rocha (thigh), J Jenas (one match), T Huddlestone
(second match of three), D Zokora (African Cup of Nations).
Referee A Wiley Odds: Ladbrokes Home 4-7, Away 4-1, Draw 5-2 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 64% Away win 15% Draw 22%
Derby v Wigan Today 3pm
With five debutants and nine injured players, Derby might surprise their
relegation rivals today but Lewis Price (hamstring), Claude Davis (knee) and
Kenny Miller (groin) may have to play through the pain. Titus Bramble
returns for Wigan but Paul Scharner is suspended. Antoine Sibierski is
available after a knee injury.
Derby County (possible; 4-4-2): L Price – T Mears, A Todd, C Davis, D
Mills – H Ghaly, R Savage, G Barnes, L Robert – K Miller, E Villa.
Injuries and suspensions: S Bywater (shoulder), R Earnshaw (groin), D Jones
(groin), D Leacock (hip/thigh), J McEveley (knee), S Pearson (shoulder).
Wigan Athletic (possible; 4-4-2): C Kirkland – M Melchiot, E Boyce, T
Bramble, K Kilbane – L A Valencia, D Landzaat, M Brown, J Koumas – E Heskey,
M Bent.
Injuries and suspensions: C Nash (broken leg), R Taylor (ankle), P Scharner
(one match).
Referee M Clattenburg Odds: Ladbrokes Home 7-4, Away 5-4, Draw
11-5 Fink Tank prediction: Home win 34% Away win 37% Draw 29%
Everton v Manchester City Today 3pm
David Moyes, the Everton manager, will be given an indication of how his team
will fare during the African Cup of Nations, with Joseph Yobo, Steven
Pienaar, and Yakubu Ayegbeni absent. Sven-Göran Eriksson, the City manager,
will again be without Michael Johnson, who is out with a groin injury.
Everton (possible; 4-4-1-1): T Howard – A Hibbert, J Lescott, P
Jagielka, L Baines – M Arteta, P Neville, L Carsley, J McFadden – T Cahill –
A Johnson.
Injuries and suspensions: L Osman (toe), A van der Meyde (calf), A Stubbs
(calf), I Turner (hip and thigh), Yakubu Ayegbeni, S Pienaar, J Yobo (all
African Cup of Nations).
Manchester City (possible; 4-4-1-1): J Hart – N Onuoha, M Richards, R
Dunne, M Ball – S Ireland, D Hamann, V Corluka, M Petrov – Elano – D
Vassell.
Injuries and suspensions: V Bojinov (knee), M Johnson (groin).
Referee M Halsey Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 11-10, Away 2-1, Draw
11-5 Fink Tank prediction: Home win 56% Away win 19% Draw 25%
Manchester United v Newcastle Today 5.15pm Setanta Sports 1
Owen Hargreaves faces a fitness test for United after injuring a rib in
training, while Nigel Pearson, the Newcastle caretaker-manager, could
include Obafemi Martins in his 16 if the Nigeria striker is released from
his country’s training camp for the African Cup of Nations. Stephen Carr has
recovered from a hamstring injury.
Manchester United (possible; 4-2-3-1): E van der Sar – J O’Shea, R
Ferdinand, N Vidic, P Evra – Anderson, M Carrick – C Ronaldo, W Rooney, R
Giggs – L Saha.
Injuries and suspensions: B Foster (knee), P Scholes (knee), M Silvestre
(knee), C Tévez (ankle/foot), W Brown (one match).
Newcastle United (possible; 4-4-2): S Given – S Carr, D Rozehnal, S
Taylor, J Enrique – C N’Zogbia, N Butt, A Smith, J Milner – M Owen, M
Viduka.
Injuries and suspensions: F Ameobi (knee), P Ramage (knee), H Beye, A Faye,
Gérémi (all African Cup of Nations).
Referee R Styles Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 1-5, Away 10-1, Draw 4-1 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 77% Away win 8% Draw 15%
Middlesbrough v Liverpool Today 3pm
Liverpool have not won at the Riverside Stadium in their past five attempts
and an extension of that sequence will further dent the credibility of
Rafael BenÍtez after two successive league draws. Middlesbrough are lacking
strikers as well as consistency, while Julio Arca and Lee Cattermole are
suspended.
Middlesbrough (possible; 4-4-1-1): M Schwarzer – L Young, D Wheater, R
Huth, E Pogatetz – G O’Neil, G Boateng, F Rochemback, A Johnson – S Downing
– B Hutchinson.
Injuries and suspensions: Mido (pelvic bone), A Taylor (foot), J Woodgate
(hamstring), Tuncay Sanli (knee), B Jones (thigh), J Aliadière (hamstring),
J Arca (one match), L Cattermole (one match).
Liverpool (possible; 4-4-2): J M Reina – S Finnan, D Agger, J
Carragher, F Aurélio – S Gerrard, X Alonso, J Mascherano, H Kewell – F
Torres, D Kuyt.
Injuries and suspensions: J Pennant (leg).
Referee A Marriner Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 7-2, Away 8-11, Draw
21-10 Fink Tank prediction: Home win 22% Away win 53% Draw 25%
West Ham v Fulham Today 3pm
The sight of Jimmy Bullard, the midfield player, on the substitutes’ bench
after 16 months sidelined with a serious knee injury could cheer up Fulham
fans, while Luis Boa Morte could return from a hamstring injury for West Ham
to face his former club.
West Ham United (possible; 4-4-2): R Green – L Neill, A Ferdinand, M
Upson, G McCartney – N Solano, H Mullins, M Noble, M Etherington – D Ashton,
C Cole.
Injuries and suspensions: S Parker (knee), D Gabbidon (groin), C Davenport
(groin), C Bellamy (stomach), R Zamora (knee), K Dyer (leg).
Fulham (possible; 4-4-2): A Niemi – M Volz, C Bocanegra, D Stefanovic,
P Konchesky – S Davies, D Murphy, A Smertin, H Bouazza – D Healy, C Dempsey.
Injuries and suspensions: P Christanval (knee), K Keller (bicep), L Cook
(knee), B McBride (knee), S Elliott (Achilles).
Referee M Riley Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 5-6, Away 7-2, Draw 23-10 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 51% Away win 26% Draw 24%
Bolton v Blackburn Tomorrow 4pm Sky Sports 1
These Lancashire rivals suffered home defeats by Championship opponents in the
FA Cup last Saturday. For Bolton it is the start of life after Nicolas
Anelka, sold to Chelsea for £15 million, while Roque Santa Cruz should be
fit for Blackburn after a groin injury.
Bolton Wanderers (possible; 4-3-3): J Jaaskelainen – J Samuel, A
O’Brien, A Méïté, R Gardner – K Nolan, I Campo, G McCann – S Giannakopoulos,
K Davies, D Braaten.
Injuries and suspensions: H Helguson (ankle), R Vaz Té (knee), E-H Diouf (two
matches).
Blackburn Rovers (possible; 4-4-2): B Friedel – Z Khizanishvili, C
Samba, R Nelsen, S Warnock – D Bentley, S Reid, D Dunn, M G Pedersen – R
Santa Cruz, B McCarthy.
Injuries and suspensions: B Emerton (groin), Tugay Kerimoglu (groin), J
Roberts (foot).
Referee M Dean Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 11-8, Away 8-5, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 37% Away win 36% Draw 26%
Sunderland v Portsmouth Tomorrow 1.30pm Sky Sports 1
Portsmouth are struggling to raise a manager as well as a team. A run of nine
wins from their past ten away games in all competitions is threatened by the
loss of Sulley Muntari, Kanu, John Utaka and Papa Bouba Diop to the African
Cup of Nations.
Sunderland (possible; 4-4-2): C Gordon – N Nosworthy, D Higginbotham, J
Evans, D Collins – K Richardson, D Whitehead, L Miller, R Wallace – K Jones,
M Chopra.
Injuries and suspensions: C Edwards (leg).
Portsmouth (possible; 4-5-1): D James – G Johnson, S Campbell, S
Distin, H Hreidarsson – P Mendes, S Davis, R Hughes, A Mvuemba, N Kranjcar –
B Mwaruwari.
Injuries and suspensions: J Ashdown (shoulder), L Primus (knee), M Cranie
(leg), S Muntari, Kanu, J Utaka, P Bouba Diop (all African Cup of Nations).
Referee C Foy Odds: Ladbrokes: Home 8-5, Away 11-8, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 27% Away win 47% Draw 26%
Top scorers
Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester Utd 13
Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal 12
Nicolas Anelka Chelsea 10 (for Bolton)
Robbie Keane Tottenham 10
Roque Santa Cruz Blackburn 10
Fernando Torres Liverpool 10
Benjani Mwaruwari Portsmouth 9
Yakubu Ayegbeni Everton 9
Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham 8
Dave Kitson Reading 8
Carlos Tévez Manchester Utd 8
Gabriel Agbonlahor Aston Villa 7
*2 other players have scored 7 goals
Bad boys
Most fouls committed
Alan Smith Newcastle 54
Kevin Davies Bolton 49
Michael Brown Wigan 46
John Carew Aston Villa 44
Benjani Mwaruwari Portsmouth 44
Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham 42
Steve Howard Derby County 41
Nigel Reo-Coker Aston Villa 41
Carlton Cole West Ham 40
Clint Dempsey Fulham 40
Gareth Barry Aston Villa 39
Papa Bouba Diop Portsmouth 39
Highlights BBC One 10.10pm, Sky Sports 1, 10.15pm
