Arsenal

Gilberto Silva has spoken of his frustration at the lack of a regular first-team place. “It’s been hard,” the Brazil midfield player said. “I am not happy, but I am trying to manage the situation. We will see what happens at the end of the season.”

Played 25 Won 18 Drawn 6 Lost 1 For 52 Against 18 Points 60 Next match Monday Blackburn Rovers (h)

Manchester United

Grégory Coupet, the Lyons goalkeeper, says the thought of facing United in the last 16 of the Champions League frightens him. “Remember what they did to Roma last season,” he says. “I don’t want to concede seven goals.”

Played 25 Won 18 Drawn 4 Lost 3 For 49 Against 12 Points 58 Next match Sunday Manchester City (h)

Chelsea

Avram Grant insists that Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard can play together for England. “I don’t think it’s a problem,” the first-team coach said. “It is always good when you have good players like that. If you have lazy players, it’s a problem.”

Played 25 Won 16 Drawn 6 Lost 3 For 38 Against 17 Points 54 Next match Sunday Liverpool (h)

Everton

Mikel Arteta, the Spanish midfield player, believes that the club have every chance of qualifying for the Champions League. “We all believe that we can go forward and compete with the big teams and we have a great chance,” he said.

Played 25 Won 13 Drawn 5 Lost 7 For 40 Against 23 Points 44 Next match Saturday Reading (h)

Liverpool

Rafael BenÍtez is frustrated at losing most of his squad through international duty before they play Chelsea on Sunday. “For managers to lose their players for one week is a very bad situation, particularly ahead of such an important game,” he said.

Played 24 Won 11 Drawn 10 Lost 3 For 40 Against 17 Points 43 Next match Sunday Chelsea (a)

Aston Villa

Gabriel Agbonlahor is rated as “doubtful” by Martin O’Neill, the manager, for the match at home to Newcastle on Saturday after withdrawing from the England squad for tonight’s friendly against Switzerland because of a hamstring injury.

Played 25 Won 11 Drawn 8 Lost 6 For 44 Against 33 Points 41 Next match Saturday Newcastle United (h)

Manchester City

Gelson Fernandes has warned his teammates that they must raise their game for Sunday’s derby match. “If we do the same as we did against Arsenal last week, it’s going to be very, very difficult,” the midfield player said.

Played 25 Won 11 Drawn 8 Lost 6 For 32 Against 28 Points 41 Next match Sunday Manchester United (a)

Blackburn Rovers

Brad Friedel has signed a one-year extension to his contract that will tie him to the club until June 2010. “It was not a difficult decision to make,” the 36-year-old goalkeeper said. “I have a special affinity with the club.”

Played 25 Won 10 Drawn 9 Lost 6 For 32 Against 31 Points 39 Next match Monday Arsenal (a)

Portsmouth

The club have denied reports that Joe Jordan, the first-team coach, has held talks with Southampton over their vacant manager’s job. No approach has been received for Jordan, who played for Southampton from 1984 to 1987.

Played 25 Won 10 Drawn 8 Lost 7 For 35 Against 26 Points 38 Next match Saturday Bolton Wanderers (a)

West Ham United

The club expect to announce their new technical director this month. Alan Curbishley, the manager, has been part of the vetting process, which has reached the final shortlist of candidates.

Played 24 Won 10 Drawn 6 Lost 8 For 29 Against 22 Points 36 Next match Saturday Birmingham City (h)

Tottenham Hotspur

Younès Kaboul has said that he has had no explanation for being left out of the team for the past five matches. “I would appreciate it if he [Juande Ramos, the head coach] explained to me why I am playing less,” the defender said.

Played 25 Won 7 Drawn 8 Lost 10 For 45 Against 41 Points 29 Next match Saturday Derby County (a)

Newcastle United

Kevin Keegan has said that Charles N’Zogbia has been unsettled by being linked with Tottenham Hotspur. “He’s just signed a new contract, but we’ll have to revisit it because the signs are he’s not happy here,” the manager said.

Played 25 Won 7 Drawn 7 Lost 11 For 28 Against 43 Points 28 Next match Saturday Aston Villa (a)

Middlesbrough

Afonso Alves will officially meet his new teammates today after the Brazil forward was granted a visa to put the seal on his protracted £10 million transfer from Heerenveen, the Dutch side.

Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 8 Lost 11 For 22 Against 38 Points 26 Next match Saturday Fulham (h)

Bolton Wanderers

Matt Taylor, the midfield player, signed from Portsmouth last month, believes that the team are too good to be relegated. “From what I’ve seen, we’ve got the quality in the squad to get out of the position we are in,” Taylor said.

Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 7 Lost 12 For 26 Against 34 Points 25 Next match Saturday Portsmouth (h)

Wigan Athletic

Chris Kirkland was delighted to make his 50th league appearance for the club in the 1-0 victory over West Ham United last weekend. “A couple of years ago no one would have given me a cat in hell’s chance of making that,” he said.

Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 14 For 24 Against 40 Points 23 Next match Saturday Sunderland (a)

Sunderland

Daryl Murphy says that he came close to joining Queens Park Rangers before a late change of mind by Roy Keane. “The club accepted an offer when the gaffer said he wanted to give me a run in the team,” the Ireland forward said.

Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 14 For 24 Against 45 Points 23 Next match Saturday Wigan Athletic (h)

Reading

Brynjar Gunnarsson expects to return from a groin injury against Aston Villa on February 24. The midfield player has been out for three weeks but has had the problem since November. “Playing on one leg won’t do anyone any favours,” he said.

Played 25 Won 6 Drawn 4 Lost 15 For 30 Against 52 Points 22 Next match Saturday Everton (a)

Birmingham

David Gold insists he did not intend to cast doubts over Alex McLeish’s future in his controversial programme notes last Saturday. “I wouldn’t change Alex at all,” the chairman said. “I have been very impressed by what he has done here.”

Played 25 Won 5 Drawn 6 Lost 14 For 24 Against 37 Points 21 Next match Saturday West Ham United (a)

Fulham

Guy Roux, the former Lens coach, believes that Fifa will not allow Daniel Cousin, who has played for Lens and Rangers this season, to move to Fulham, as he is not allowed to play for more than two clubs in a season. “What a waste of time,” he said.

Played 25 Won 3 Drawn 10 Lost 12 For 25 Against 43 Points 19 Next match Saturday Middlesbrough (a)

Derby County

Claude Davis is awaiting a diagnosis of his knee injury, while Stephen Pearson has groin and hamstring problems before the match at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, when Hossam Ghaly, on loan from the London club, is ineligible.

Played 25 Won 1 Drawn 6 Lost 18 For 13 Against 52 Points 9 Next match Saturday Tottenham Hotspur (h)