Birmingham v Derby
Today 3pm
Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, has been encouraging his forwards
because his team have scored only twice in five matches. Derby could give
debuts to Roy Carroll, the goalkeeper, and Alan Stubbs, the defender, after
their deadline-day signings, while Lewin Nyatanga is available after
suspension.
Birmingham City (possible; 4-4-2): Maik Taylor - S Kelly, L Ridgewell,
R Schmitz, D Murphy – S Larsson, D Johnson, F Muamba, O Kapo – C Jerome, J
McFadden. Injuries and suspensions: B Oubina (knee), M Nafti (Tunisia
duty), R Jaidi (Tunisia duty). Derby County (possible; 4-4-2): R
Carroll – D Leacock, D Moore, A Stubbs, L Nyatanga – C Fagan, H Ghaly, R
Savage, S Pearson – K Miller, R Earnshaw. Injuries and suspensions:
J McEveley (knee), T Mears (shin), D Mills (knee), C Davis (hamstring), D
Jones (hernia).
Bill Edgar says Wigan’s final-day victory away to Sheffield United last
season to avoid relegation is Paul Jewell’s only win in 19 league matches –
at Wigan (nine) and Derby (ten)
Referee P Walton Odds: Sky Bet Home 8-15, Away 5-1, Draw 12-5 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 62% Away win 16% Draw 22%
Manchester City v Arsenal
Today 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1
Jens Lehmann, the Arsenal goalkeeper, will start a league match for the first
time since August because Manuel Almunia has a thumb injury. The fiasco over
the proposed signing of Benjani Mwaruwari from Portsmouth means that Daniel
Sturridge is likely to make his second league start in attack for City.
Manchester City (possible; 4-2-3-1): J Hart – V Corluka, M Richards, R
Dunne, M Ball – D Hamann, Gelson – S Ireland, Elano, M Petrov – D Sturridge.
Injuries and suspensions: M Johnson (abdomen), N Castillo (shoulder). Arsenal
(possible; 4-4-2): J Lehmann – B Sagna, P Senderos, W Gallas, G Clichy – A
Hleb, M Flamini, F Fàbregas, A Diaby – E Adebayor, Eduardo da Silva.
Injuries and suspensions: M Almunia (thumb), J Djourou (groin), R van Persie
(thigh), Denilson (hamstring), T Rosicky (hamstring), K Touré, E Eboué
(Ivory Coast duty), A Song (Cameroon duty)
Bill Edgar says Arsenal have won their past two league matches 3-0;
Manchester United have won their past two 2-0; Chelsea have won their past
two 1-0
Referee A Marriner Odds: Sky Bet Home 7-2, Away 4-5, Draw 2-1 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 20% Away win 56% Draw 24%
Reading v Bolton Today 3pm Reading have lost five league matches in a
row and have not won in eight games in all competitions; Bolton have won
only one of their past six league outings. Steve Coppell, the Reading
manager, has denied that Bolton failed in a £7 million bid for Leroy Lita,
the striker, on Thursday. “This just never happened, full stop,” he said.
Reading (probable; 4-4-2): M Hahnemann – G Murty, I Ingimarsson, K
Cissé, N Shorey – S Hunt, J Harper, M Matejovsky, R Convey – D Kitson, K
Doyle. Injuries and suspensions: M Duberry (knee), G Little
(Achilles), J Kébé (hamstring), B Gunnarsson (groin), E Faé (Ivory Coast
duty), A Bikey (Cameroon duty). Bolton Wanderers (possible; 4-1-4-1):
J Jasskelainen – G Steinsson, A O’Brien, G Cahill, R Gardner – J O’Brien – D
Guthrie, K Nolan, G McCann, M Taylor – K Davies. Injuries and
suspensions: R Vaz Té (knee).
Bill Edgar says Bolton have signed three Aston Villa players since May
– Jlloyd Samuel, Gavin McCann and, this week, Gary Cahill – but they have
not won in 14 away league matches
Referee P Dowd Odds: Sky Bet Home 10-11, Away 5-2, Draw 9-4 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 49% Away win 27% Draw 24%
Wigan v West Ham
Today 3pm
Wigan have not won any of their past 15 league matches against London clubs.
The omens are not good for them as West Ham aim to make it three wins out of
three in the top flight at the JJB Stadium. Wigan, eighteenth, could climb
four places if they win.
Wigan Athletic (probable; 4-4-2): C Kirkland – M Melchiot, T Bramble, P
Scharner, K Kilbane – A Valencia, W Palacios, M Brown, J Koumas – E Heskey,
M Bent. Injuries and suspensions: E Edman (calf). West Ham United
(possible; 4-4-2): R Green – L Neill, A Ferdinand, M Upson, G McCartney – F
Ljungberg, M Noble, H Mullins, L Bowyer – L Boa Morte, C Cole. Injuries
and suspensions: J Collins (knee), S Parker (knee), R Zamora (knee), K
Dyer (leg).
Bill Edgar says West Ham have celebrated after three last-minute
penalties this season: Robert Green saved to earned draws v Portsmouth and
Tottenham; Mark Noble scored winner v Liverpool
Referee M Atkinson Odds: Sky Bet Home 6-4, Away 6-4, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 34% Away win 36% Draw 30%
Blackburn v Everton
Today 3pm
These teams started the season with Uefa Cup places as their targets, but
because of Liverpool’s decline are eyeing fourth place and the Champions
League. Blackburn are unbeaten in six matches at Ewood Park and have only
one player away at the African Cup of Nations compared with Everton’s three.
Blackburn Rovers (possible; 4-4-2): B Friedel – B Emerton, A Ooijer, Z
Khizanishvili, S Warnock – D Bentley, S Reid, D Dunn, M G Pedersen – B
McCarthy, R Santa Cruz. Injuries and suspension: R Nelsen
(hamstring), C Samba (first match of two), A Mokoena (South Africa duty) Everton
(possible; 4-4-1-1): T Howard – A Hibbert, P Jagielka, J Lescott, N Valente
– M Arteta, L Osman, P Neville, L Carsley – M Fernandes – A Johnson. Injuries
and suspensions: T Cahill (hamstring), I Turner (hip), Yakubu Ayegbeni
(Nigeria duty), S Pienaar (South Africa duty), J Yobo (Nigeria duty).
Bill Edgar says Both have played in the Uefa Cup this term, lost at
home to lower-division teams in the FA Cup, reached at least the Carling Cup
last eight and are chasing fourth in the league
Referee A Wiley Odds: Sky Bet Home 13-10, Away 15-8, Draw 2-1 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 42% Away win 32% Draw 26%
Fulham v Aston Villa
Tomorrow 4pm, Sky Sports 1
Fulham spent about £10 million on seven players last month, but only Brede
Hangeland, Leon Andreasen and Erik Nevland are likely to feature tomorrow.
Ashley Young, one of five Villa players in the provisional England squad, is
suspended.
Fulham (possible; 4-4-1-1): A Niemi – C Baird, A Hughes, B Hangeland, P
Konchesky – M Volz, D Murphy, L Andreasen, S Davies – J Bullard – C Dempsey. Injuries
and suspensions: L Cook (knee), S Elliott (Achilles), P Stalteri (leg),
J Litmanen (not match fit). Aston Villa (possible; 4-4-2): S Carson –
O Mellberg, C Davies, M Laursen, W Bouma – S Petrov, N Reo-Coker, G Barry, S
Maloney – G Agbonlahor, J Carew. Injuries and suspensions: A
Young (one match), P Berger (hamstring).
Bill Edgar says Different defensive strategies: Fulham have caught
their opposition offside 3.5 times as often as Aston Villa this season – 110
times to 31
Referee C Foy Odds: Sky Bet Home 9-4, Away 11-10, Draw 2-1 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 35% Away win 40% Draw 25%
Liverpool v Sunderland
Today 5.15pm, Setanta Sports 1
Liverpool go in search of their first league win since Boxing Day after a run
of four draws and a defeat. Javier Mascherano is expected to return to the
midfield after he was suspended for the 1-0 defeat by West Ham United.
Kieran Richardson could return for Sunderland after overcoming a hamstring
problem.
Liverpool (possible; 4-4-2): J M Reina – S Finnan, J Carragher, S
Hyypia, F Aurélio – S Gerrard, X Alonso, J Mascherano, R Babel – F Torres, P
Crouch. Injuries and suspensions: D Agger (foot), Á Arbeloa (groin),
A Voronin (ankle). Sunderland (probable; 4-4-2): C Gordon – P
Bardsley, N Nosworthy, J Evans, D Collins – D Whitehead, L Miller, K
Richardson, D Murphy – A Stokes, K Jones. Injuries and suspensions:
C Edwards (leg), D Higginbotham (toe), G Leadbitter (ankle), A Reid (knee),
R Wallace (knee), D Yorke (calf).
Bill Edgar says In 18 months at Sunderland Roy Keane has signed nine
former Manchester United colleagues and six fellow Irishmen (Miller and
McShane are in both categories)
Referee R Styles Odds: Sky Bet Home 2-7, Away 8-1, Draw 7-2 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 80% Away win 6% Draw 14%
Portsmouth v Chelsea
Today 3pm
Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, returns to his former club seeking
a tenth successive win. Frank Lampard, who is back in training, will have a
fitness test. For the home team, Sylvain Distin is likely to miss his first
match of the season, but Jermain Defoe should make his debut after moving
from Tottenham.
Portsmouth (possible; 4-4-2): D James – G Johnson, S Campbell, H
Hreidarsson, N Pamarot – Lauren, S Davis, L Diarra, N Kranjcar – J Defoe, M
Baros. Injuries and suspensions: S Distin (hamstring), D Nugent
(hernia), J Ashdown (shoulder), L Primus (knee), M Cranie (leg), S Muntari
(Ghana duty), N Kanu (Nigeria duty), J Utaka (Nigeria duty). Chelsea
(possible; 4-5-1): P Cech – J Belletti, P Ferreira, Alex, W Bridge – S
Wright-Phillips, C Makelele, M Ballack, J Cole, F Malouda – N Anelka. Injuries
and suspensions: J Terry (foot), A Shevchenko (back), R Carvalho (one
match), D Drogba (Ivory Coast duty), S Kalou (Ivory Coast duty), M Essien
(Ghana duty), J O Mikel (Nigeria duty).
Bill Edgar says These clubs have 12 Africa-born players. Portsmouth:
Aubey, Lauren, Bouba Diop, Muntari, Utaka, Benjani, Kanu; Chelsea: Makelele,
Essien, Drogba, Mikel, Kalou
Referee H Webb Odds: Sky Bet Home 4-1, Away 4-6, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 23% Away win 51% Draw 26%
Tottenham v Manchester United
Today 3pm
Alan Hutton and Gilberto could make their Tottenham debuts after signing this
week, although Ledley King’s knee injury could prevent his return to the
England squad. Sir Alex Ferguson has no such problems but must choose who to
leave out as Carlos Tévez returns after being rested in midweek against
Portsmouth.
Tottenham Hotspur (probable; 4-4-2): R Cerny – A Hutton, L King, J
Woodgate, Gilberto – A Lennon, J Jenas, T Tainio, S Malbranque – D Berbatov,
R Keane. Injuries and suspensions: D Bent (knee), G Bale (ankle), B
Assou-Ekotto (knee), D Zokora (Ivory Coast duty).
Manchester United (probable; 4-4-2): E van der Sar – W Brown, R
Ferdinand, N Vidic, P Evra – C Ronaldo, O Hargreaves, P Scholes, R Giggs – W
Rooney, C Tévez. Injuries and suspensions: B Foster (knee), G
Neville (ankle), M Silvestre (shoulder), L Saha (knee).
Bill Edgar says These two are meeting twice in seven days; also, since
mid-January, Arsenal played Newcastle twice in four days, West Ham faced
Manchester City twice in five days
Referee M Clattenburg Odds: Sky Bet Home 5-2, Away 10-11, Draw
9-4 Fink Tank prediction: Home win 25% Away win 51% Draw 24%
Newcastle v Middlesbrough
Tomorrow 1.30pm, Sky Sports 1
Kevin Keegan is searching for his first victory in his fourth match back as
Newcastle manager. Losing to Middlesbrough would mean they have gone eight
league matches without a win. Three points would put Middlesbrough above
their North East rivals.
Newcastle United (possible; 4-4-2): S Given – S Carr, S Taylor, C
Caçapa, C N’Zogbia – J Milner, J Barton, Emre Belözoglu, D Duff – M Owen, M
Viduka. Injuries and suspensions: P Ramage (knee). Middlesbrough
(possible; 4-5-1): M Schwarzer – L Young, D Wheater, R Huth, J Grounds – G
O’Neil, G Boateng, F Rochemback, J Arca, S Downing – Mido. Injuries
and suspensions: Tuncay Sanli (foot), A Taylor (foot), B Jones (thigh),
J Aliadière (thigh), E Pogatetz (ankle).
Bill Edgar says Only four top-flight managers played for their clubs:
Kevin Keegan (Newcastle), Mark Hughes (Blackburn), Gareth Southgate
(Middlesbrough), Alan Curbishley (West Ham)
Referee M Dean Odds: Sky Bet Home 5-6, Away 10-3, Draw 2-1 Fink
Tank prediction: Home win 41% Away win 33% Draw 26%
