Blackburn v Fulham
Today 3pm
David Dunn, the Blackburn midfield player, will have a fitness test on a calf
injury but is expected to take a place on the bench. Fulham hope that the
return of Leon Andreasen, the Denmark midfield player, from suspension will
prove decisive as they attempt to end a run of 30 away league games without
a win.
Blackburn Rovers (possible; 4-4-2): B Friedel - A Ooijer, Z Khizanishvili,
C Samba, S Warnock – B Emerton, D Bentley, S Reid, M G Pedersen – R Santa
Cruz, B McCarthy. Injuries and suspensions: R Nelsen (hamstring).
Fulham (possible; 4-5-1): A Niemi – P Stalteri, B Hangeland, A Hughes,
P Konchesky – S Davies, J Bullard, L Andreasen, D Murphy, C Dempsey – B
McBride. Injuries and suspensions: J Litmanen (groin), P Christanval
(thigh), A Smertin (calf).
Bill Edgar says Roy Hodgson, of Fulham, began his first English
manager’s job 26 years ago but faces a former club for the first time in
this country, having spent most of his career abroad.
Referee M Riley
Odds: Sky Bet Home 1-2, Away 5-1, Draw 5-2
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 56% Away win 22% Draw 22%
Liverpool v Newcastle
Today 3pm
Javier Mascherano is out with a leg muscle injury that could rule him out of
Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Inter Milan. For Newcastle, Nicky
Butt is fit, but Shay Given, the goalkeeper, has been in Belgium seeing a
groin specialist. Joey Barton is not eligible to play in Liverpool because
of his bail conditions.
Liverpool (possible; 4-4-2): J M Reina – Á Arbeloa, M Skrtel, J Carragher,
F Aurélio – Y Benayoun, S Gerrard, X Alonso, R Babel – D Kuyt, F Torres.
Injuries and suspensions: J Mascherano (leg), S Finnan (hamstring).
Newcastle United (possible, 4-4-2): S Harper – H Beye, S Taylor, A
Faye, J Enrique – J Milner, N Butt, C N’Zogbia, D Duff – M Owen, A Smith.
Injuries and suspensions: M Viduka (hamstring), Emre Belözoglu (calf), S
Carr (hamstring), S Given (groin), P Ramage (knee), T Krul (shoulder).
Bill Edgar says If Liverpool eliminate Inter Milan on Tuesday, there
will be as many Premier League teams in the Champions League quarter-finals
as the FA Cup quarter-finals (four in each).
Referee P Walton
Odds: Sky Bet Home 4-11, Away 7-1, Draw 3-1
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 76% Away win 8% Draw 16%
Reading v Manchester City
Today 3pm
Did Reading find luck and form in the nick of time with their late winner
against Middlesbrough last weekend? Another victory today and that run of
eight defeats will seem a distant nightmare. City, though, are wondering if
their excellent start to the season was a distant dream. Elano is fit, but
he needs to rediscover form.
Reading (possible; 4-4-2): M Hahnemann – L Rosenior, A Bikey, I
Ingimarsson, N Shorey – J Oster, J Harper, M Matejovsky, S Hunt – D Kitson,
K Doyle. Injuries and suspensions: M Duberry (knee), G Little (Achilles), B
Gunnarsson (groin).
Manchester City (possible; 4-4-2): J Hart – Sun Jihai, V Corluka, R Dunne,
M Ball – G Fernandes, M Johnson, S Ireland, Elano – D Vassell, Benjani
Mwaruwari. Injuries and suspensions: N Onuoha (hamstring), M Richards
(knee), M Petrov (second match of three).
Bill Edgar says Steve Coppell’s tenure as Reading manager has lasted 49
times longer than his spell in charge of Manchester City (33 days in 1996).
Referee U Rennie
Odds: Sky Bet Home 5-4, Away 7-4, Draw 9-4
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 49% Away win 26% Draw 25%
Sunderland v Everton
Tomorrow 3pm
A match with ramifications at both ends of the table as Everton battle for the
fourth Champions League place and Sunderland struggle against relegation.
With Chelsea visiting the Stadium of Light next weekend, Roy Keane’s side
will be hoping to grasp an advantage from Everton’s European exertions on
Thursday.
Sunderland (possible; 4-4-2): C Gordon – P Bardsley, N Nosworthy, J
Evans, D Collins – M Chopra, D Whitehead, A Reid, K Richardson – K Jones, D
Murphy. Injuries and suspensions: D Yorke (calf), R Wallace (knee), C
Edwards (leg).
Everton (possible; 4-4-2): T Howard – A Hibbert, J Yobo, P Jagielka, J
Lescott – T Cahill, P Neville, M Arteta, S Pienaar – Yakubu Ayegbeni, A
Johnson. Injuries and suspensions: L Osman (groin), L Carsley (one match).
Bill Edgar says Peter Reid, a former Everton player, oversaw
Sunderland’s best league finish since 1955. Howard Kendall, Everton’s last
title-winning manager, was born in the North East.
Referee A Wiley
Odds: Sky Bet Home 2-1, Away 11-10, Draw 9-4
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 24% Away win 49% Draw 27%
Tottenham v West Ham
Tomorrow 3pm
For the first time under Juande Ramos, the head coach, Tottenham have lost two
matches in a row. The hangover from their Carling Cup celebrations appears
to be lingering. West Ham have lost their past two games also, 4-0 defeats
against Chelsea and Liverpool. Not one for the fainthearted at White Hart
Lane.
Tottenham Hotspur (possible; 4-4-2): P Robinson – A Hutton, J Woodgate, M
Dawson, J O’Hara – A Lennon, T Huddlestone, D Zokora, S Malbranque – R
Keane, D Bent. Injuries and suspensions: J Jenas (ankle), B Assou-Ekotto
(knee), G Bale (foot).
West Ham United (possible; 4-4-2): R Green – L Neill, A Ferdinand, M
Upson, G McCartney – N Solano, M Noble, H Mullins, F Ljungberg – L Boa
Morte, C Cole. Injuries and suspensions: M Etherington (abdomen), L Bowyer
(abdomen), C Bellamy (groin), K Dyer (leg), J Collins (knee), C Davenport
(neck), D Gabbidon (groin), N Quashie (foot).
Bill Edgar says Tottenham had only two cup games in 2005-06, but
Wednesday’s Uefa Cup match away to PSV Eindhoven will be their 40th in the
subsequent two seasons.
Referee C Foy
Odds: Sky Bet Home 8-11, Away 10-3, Draw 9-4
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 59% Away win 19% Draw 22%
Wigan v Arsenal
Tomorrow 4pm, Sky Sports 1
Spirits may be high after the 2-0 win away to AC Milan, but Arsenal are low on
numbers. Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott have picked up injuries while Kolo
Touré and Robin van Persie are lacking match fitness. Wigan, who are looking
for a third consecutive home win, have not beaten Arsenal in the league.
Wigan Athletic (possible; 4-4-2): C Kirkland – M Melchiot, P Scharner,
E Boyce, E Edman – L A Valencia, M Brown, W Palacios, J Koumas – E Heskey, M
King. Injuries and suspensions: E Hagen (hamstring).
Arsenal (possible; 4-4-2): M Almunia – B Sagna, P Senderos, W Gallas, G
Clichy – A Hleb, M Flamini, F Fàbregas, Denilson – E Adebayor, N Bendtner.
Injuries and suspensions: J Djourou (groin), A Diaby (calf), Eduardo da
Silva (leg and ankle), A Song (thigh), T Rosicky (hamstring), T Walcott
(thigh), E Eboué (final match of three).
Bill Edgar says Of the 509 players to have appeared in the Premier
League this season, Emmanuel Adebayor is the first alphabetically and the
second in terms of leading scorers.
Referee R Styles
Odds: Sky Bet Home 9-2, Away 4-7, Draw 12-5
Fink Tank prediction: Home win 19% Away win 55% Draw 26%
