Birmingham v Everton
Today 3pm
Birmingham welcome back Franck Queudrue and Liam Ridgewell from suspension,
but James McFadden and Olivier Kapo are injury doubts. For Everton, Mikel
Arteta has a stomach problem, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert
could also miss out.
Birmingham City (possible; 4-4-2): Maik Taylor - S Kelly, L Ridgewell,
R Jaidi, D Murphy – S Larsson, F Muamba, M Nafti, G McSheffrey – M Zárate, J
McFadden. Injuries and suspensions: Martin Taylor (groin), D Johnson
(first match of three).
Everton (possible; 4-4-2): T Howard – P Neville, J Yobo, J Lescott, L
Baines – M Arteta, P Jagielka, L Carsley, L Osman – A Johnson, Yakubu
Ayegbeni. Injuries and suspensions: A van der Meyde (thigh), T Cahill
(foot), J Vaughan (knee), I Turner (hip), A Hibbert (hip).
Bill Edgar says: Alex McLeish and David Moyes, Scottish former centre
backs, meet as managers for the first time. Birmingham have won three of
their past 46 games against Everton.
Referee: S Bennett Odds: Coral: Home 7-4, Away 5-4, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 29% Away win 44% Draw 28%
Bolton v West Ham
Today 3pm
Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, pleaded for backing from the team’s fans
yesterday. The club played a huge part in sending down West Ham five years
ago and Megson’s team can expect little sympathy from them today.
Bolton Wanderers (possible; 4-4-2): A Al Habsi – G Steinsson, G Cahill,
A O’Brien, J Samuel – S Giannakopoulos, K Nolan, D Guthrie, M Taylor – K
Davies, E-H Diouf. Injuries and suspensions: N Hunt (shoulder), R
Gardner (rib), J Jaaskelainen (back).
West Ham United (possible; 4-4-2): R Green – J Paintsil, M Upson, A
Ferdinand, G McCartney – N Solano, H Mullins, S Parker, L Boa Morte – D
Ashton, R Zamora. Injuries: F Ljungberg, M Noble (hamstring), D Gabbidon, C
Bellamy, M Etherington, L Bowyer, (groin), C Davenport (neck), K Dyer,
NQuashie, L Neill, J Collins (leg).
Bill Edgar says: West Ham are on course for a sixth top-ten finish in
their past nine top-flight campaigns but they have been the top-placed
London side only once since 1930.
Referee: R Styles Odds: Coral: Home 11-10, Away 9-5, Draw 12-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 47% Away win 27% Draw 26%
Derby v Aston Villa
Today 3pm
Derby, who will be relegated, are on a Premier League-record run of 27 matches
without a victory and will miss Mile Sterjovski, the Australia midfield
player, who has an Achilles injury. John Carew is sidelined for Villa with a
groin strain.
Derby County (possible; 4-4-2): R Carroll – A Todd, D Moore, D Leacock,
E Lewis – T Mears, R Savage, H Ghaly, D Jones – K Miller, E Villa. Injuries
and suspensions: G Barnes (knee), C Davis (knee), D Mills (knee), A
Stubbs (calf), M Sterjovski (Achilles).
Aston Villa (possible; 4-3-1-2): S Carson – O Mellberg, Z Knight, M
Laursen, W Bouma – N Reo-Coker, S Petrov, G Barry – A Young – G Agbonlahor,
M Harewood. Injuries and suspensions: C Davies (Achilles), C Gardner
(thigh), J Carew (groin).
Bill Edgar says: Manchester United, the leaders, have seven times
Derby’s points (77-11). In the Championship, West Brom, the leaders, have
less than twice the points of Colchester.
Referee: K Stroud Odds: Coral: Home 4-1, Away 4-7, Draw 5-2 Fink
Tank: Home win 19% Away win 57% Draw 24
Portsmouth v Newcastle
Today 5.15pm, Setanta Sports 1
Jermain Defoe, the top scorer, returns for Portsmouth after attending his
grandmother’s funeral and should play alongside David Nugent. Newcastle, who
have Steven Taylor back after illness, will be confident after three
successive victories.
Portsmouth (possible; 4-4-2): D James – G Johnson, S Campbell, S
Distin, H Hreidarsson – P Bouba Diop, P Mendes, S Muntari, N Kranjcar – D
Nugent, J Defoe. Injuries and suspensions: M Baros (calf), N Pamarot
(knee), L Diarra (thigh), J Utaka (hamstring), J Ashdown (back), L Primus
(knee).
Newcastle United (possible; 4-3-3): S Harper – H Beye, A Faye, S
Taylor, J Enrique – Gérémi, N Butt, J Barton – O Martins, M Owen, M Viduka. Injuries
and suspensions: S Given (groin), C Caçapa (groin), J Milner (foot), P
Ramage (knee), S Carr (hamstring), Emre Belözoglu (ankle).
Bill Edgar says: This fixture in 1956 was the first floodlit league
match. Defoe has scored in his past five matches for Portsmouth, Michael
Owen in his past four for Newcastle.
Referee: P Dowd. Odds: Coral: Home 10-11, Away 5-2, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 54% Away win 23% Draw 23%
Reading v Fulham
Today 3pm
Reading, who could be one victory away from securing their place in the
Premier League, have Marek Matejovsky back from suspension. Fulham are
losing their battle against relegation and defeat will accelerate their
fall.
Reading (probable; 4-4-2): M Hahnemann – L Rosenior, A Bikey, I
Ingimarsson, N Shorey – R Convey, J Harper, M Matejovsky, S Hunt – D Kitson,
K Doyle. Injuries and suspensions: J Kebe (ankle), B Gunnarsson
(groin).
Fulham (probable; 4-4-2): K Keller – P Stalteri, A Hughes, B Hangeland,
P Konchesky – S Davies, J Bullard, D Murphy, L Andreasen – B McBride, D
Healy. Injuries and suspensions: A Niemi (shoulder), S Elliott
(Achilles), E Johnson (illness) J Litmanen (groin).
Bill Edgar says: David Healy has scored four goals in 1,136 Premier
League minutes for Fulham this season, but 14 goals in his past 1,136
minutes for Northern Ireland.
Referee: C Foy Odds: Coral: Home 8-11, Away 10-3, Draw 10-3 Fink
Tank: Home win 54% Away win 24% Draw 22%
Sunderland v Manchester City
Today 3pm
With City fading and Sunderland all but safe, tension should be absent from
the Stadium of Light, but Roy Keane, whose team have won three matches in a
row, is not complacent. “We shouldn’t be celebrating too much,” the manager
said.
Sunderland (possible; 4-4-2): C Gordon – P Bardsley, N Nosworthy, J
Evans, D Collins – C Edwards, D Whitehead, A Reid, K Richardson – M Chopra,
K Jones. Injuries and suspensions: D Yorke (knee), D Etuhu (knee), D
Ward (back), D Connolly (leg), R Wallace (knee).
Manchester City (possible; 4-5-1): J Hart – Sun Jihai, V Corluka, R
Dunne, M Ball – Elano, S Ireland, G Fernandes, M Johnson, M Petrov – Benjani
Mwaruwari. Injuries and suspensions: N Onuoha (shoulder), M Richards
(knee), J Garrido (groin).
Bill Edgar says: Sunderland have won three league matches in a row,
having not even won two in succession in their previous 125 games in the top
flight.
Referee: M Riley Odds: Coral: Home 11-10, Away 2-1, Draw 11-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 39% Away win 32% Draw 28
Tottenham v Middlesbrough
Today 3pm
Middlesbrough could finish the season as the highest-placed North East club,
playing more entertaining football than Newcastle. Tottenham may be dawdling
along, but to end the campaign in the bottom half of the table would surely
be unacceptable.
Tottenham Hotspur (possible; 4-4-2): R Cerny – A Hutton, M Dawson, J
Woodgate, P Chimbonda – A Lennon, J Jenas, D Zakora, S Malbranque – D
Berbatov, R Keane. Injuries and suspensions: L King (knee), G Bale
(foot), B Assou-Ekotto (knee), P Robinson (ankle), J O’Hara (foot).
Middlesbrough (possible; 4-4-2): M Schwarzer – L Young, D Wheater, E
Pogatetz, A Taylor – Tuncay Sanli, G Boateng, J Arca, S Downing – J
Aliadière, Afonso Alves. Injuries and suspensions: R Huth
(ankle), Mido (hernia).
Bill Edgar says Tottenham’s past 39 home matches in all competitions
have averaged more than four goals. Middlesbrough’s past 52 away have
averaged fewer than two goals.
Referee: M Halsey Odds: Coral: Home 4-6, Away 10-3, Draw 12-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 58% Away win 20% Draw 23
Liverpool v Blackburn
Tomorrow 1.30pm, Sky Sports 1
Javier Mascherano will complete his three-match suspension, so Lucas Leiva
could be in contention. Jason Roberts, the Blackburn forward, will have a
fitness test on a groin injury, but David Dunn may miss out again because of
a knee problem.
Liverpool (possible; 4-2-3-1): J M Reina – J Carragher, S Hyypia, M
Skrtel, Á Arbeloa – X Alonso, Lucas Leiva – D Kuyt, S Gerrard, R Babel – F
Torres. Injuries and suspensions: D Agger (knee), H Kewell
(hamstring), J Pennant (hamstring), J Mascherano (final match of three).
Blackburn Rovers (probable; 4-4-2): B Friedel – A Ooijer, C Samba, R
Nelsen, S Warnock – D Bentley, S Reid, J Vogel, M G Pedersen – R Santa Cruz,
B McCarthy. Injuries and suspensions: D Dunn (knee).
Bill Edgar says Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Arsenal on Tuesday had half as
many goals as in the other 11 all-English meetings in the European
Cup/Champions League combined.
Referee: A Wiley Odds: Coral: Home 4-9, Away 11-2, Draw 13-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 66% Away win 14% Draw 21
Manchester United v Arsenal
Tomorrow 4pm, Sky Sports 1
Gerard Piqué is expected to continue in the United defence, with Nemanja Vidic
not ready to return. Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney will return after
being rested against AS Roma on Wednesday. Arsenal have lost Mathieu Flamini
to injury.
Manchester United (possible; 4-3-3): E van der Sar – W Brown, R
Ferdinand, G Piqué, P Evra – O Hargreaves, M Carrick, P Scholes – C Ronaldo,
W Rooney, C Tévez. Injuries and suspensions: N Vidic (knee), D
Fletcher (knee), Nani (thigh), L Saha (hamstring).
Arsenal (possible; 4-4-1-1): M Almunia – K Touré, W Gallas, P Senderos,
G Clichy – E Eboué, Gilberto Silva, F Fàbregas, A Diaby – A Hleb – E
Adebayor. Injuries and suspensions: B Sagna (ankle), M Flamini
(ankle), T Rosicky (hamstring), Eduardo Da Silva (leg and ankle).
Bill Edgar says: In their past three league meetings with United,
Arsenal have produced an 86th-minute winner, a stoppage-time winner and a
stoppage-time equaliser.
Referee: H Webb Odds: Coral: Home 4-5, Away 13-5, Draw 12-5 Fink
Tank: Home win 56% Away win 21% Draw 23%
