Israel Saria
Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of for Manchester United‘s match against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Click on the relevant links below the picture to see predicted line-ups, match facts, injuries and suspensions
All matches kick off at 15:00 UK time unless otherwise stated
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17
Aston Villa v Chelsea (12:45)
Villa remain without centre-back Curtis Davies (shoulder) and winger Stewart Downing (ankle), still yet to turn out for the club since joining from Middlesbrough in the summer. They are joined on the sidelines by Ashley Young, who sustained a foot injury in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, so Fabian Delph is set to take his place.
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has goalkeeper Petr Cech back from suspension and right-back Jose Bosingwa recovered from injury to replace Hilario and Branislav Ivanovic respectively. Joe Cole is also pushing for a start after returning from injury.
Gael Clichy is out with an injury sustained while away with France. Gunners goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has recovered from a virus and is ready to resume his role in the team at the expense of Vito Mannone, should Arsene Wenger think the same. Samir Nasri (leg), Johan Djourou (knee) and Denilson (back) all remain out. Carlos Vela has not returned from Mexico in time to make the squad.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is also missing a player after it emerged that Christian Benitez missed a connecting flight following Ecuador’s 1-0 defeat in Chile. Defender Martin Taylor will miss out for Blues, while Damien Johnson (hamstring), James McFadden (thigh), Marcus Bent (hamstring) and David Murphy (knee) are also sidelined, but striker Cameron Jerome is fit after two months out.
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini has been cleared to play for Everton after Belgium tried to block him playing for not turning out for his national side. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov should recover from a knock sustained while away with Russia, but Mikel Arteta, Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville, Victor Anichebe and Steven Pienaar all remain out with knee problems.
Michael Kightly, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Stefan Maierhofer are all in first-team contention for Wolves, though Chris Iwelumo has not yet recovered from a knee injury. Andrew Surman, David Jones, Richard Stearman and Stephen Ward all remain in the treatment room.
Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers
Wayne Rooney (pictured) has been ruled out as he has not recovered from the calf strain he picked up while playing for England last week. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is also being made to wait on Darren Fletcher and Dimitar Berbatov, but he has confirmed that Edwin van der Sar will return in goal at the expense of Ben Foster. Owen Hargreaves remains out after surgery on both knees, but Ferguson hopes the midfielder will make his first-team return in three weeks.
Full-back Samuel Ricketts should be Gary Megson’s only fresh injury doubt for Bolton, meaning Gretar Steinsson could come into the side.
Portsmouth v Tottenham Hotspur
Goalkeeper David James is set to play after resting his troublesome knee for Wednesday’s England international. Jamie O’Hara is ineligible for this match as he is on loan from Spurs. Papa Bouba Diop and Richard Hughes (hamstring) are back in training but this match has perhaps come too soon. Hermann Hreidarsson (foot) remains on the sidelines.
Harry Redknapp looks set to return to his old club without midfielder Wilson Palacios, who remains in Honduras by order of the president to celebrate the nation’s World Cup qualification. Luka Modric (broken leg), Jonathan Woodgate (groin), Giovani Dos Santos (ankle) and Roman Pavlyuchenko (calf) are missing, while captain Ledley King is a doubt.
Glenn Whelan is Tony Pulis’s only fresh inury concern following the international break. The midfielder picked up a calf strain while away with Ireland. Diego Arismendi and Abdoulaye Faye are also doubts.
West Ham skipper Scott Parker is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season. Kieron Dyer (hamstring), Danny Gabbidon (calf), Jack Collison (calf), Dean Ashton (ankle) and Luis Boa Morte (knee) will again miss out.
Kieran Richardson is suspended for the visit of Liverpool after his sending off against former club Manchester United. George McCartney returns in timely fashion to fill the left-back slot. Midfielder Lee Cattermole and defender John Mensah also return. New recruit Boudewijn Zenden has been cleared to play and could face his former club.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has been hit with a double blow as both Fernando Torres (adductor) and Steven Gerrard (groin) have been ruled out with injuries sustained while on international duty. Benitez will hope Dirk Kuyt recovers from an ankle injury he aggravated in Holland’s frienldy in Australia in time to feature. Defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos will also be examined to find out the extent of a knee injury that could end his season. Alberto Aquilani (ankle) and Andrea Dossena (knee) also remain sidelined.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 18
Blackburn Rovers v Burnley (13:00)
Goalkeeper Paul Robinson should recover from a hip problem to play in the East Lancashire derby. However, Sam Allardyce is preparing to do without Christopher Samba (knee), Benni McCarthy (ankle), and skipper Ryan Nelsen (back) for the clash between two founding members of the Football League.
Burnley boss Owen Coyle is still missing long-term absentees Jay Rodriguez, Martin Paterson, Chris McCann, Fernando Guerrero and Kevin McDonald, so is set to field the same side that overcame Birmingham last time out.
Wigan Athletic v Manchester City (16:00)
There are no reports that Wigan’s Honduran contingent, Hendry Thomas and Emmerson Boyce, have been forced to stay behind like Spurs’ Wilson Palacios. Aside from Jason Scotland and Hugo Rodallega also travelling back across the Atlantic, Roberto Martinez should have no other selection problems.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has several doubts for the trip to the DW Stadium. Kolo Toure (heel), Craig Bellamy (groin), Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring), and Nigel De Jong (knock) are all struggling with injury, while Robinho is yet to return to full fitness. However, Joleon Lescott should be fit.
MONDAY October 19
South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi begins his three-match ban following his red card against West Ham. Simon Davies (ankle) and David Stockdale (knee) remain sidelined.
Hull boss Phil Brown hopes to name former Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard on the bench for his return to Craven Cottage. Tigers captain Ian Ashbee and Anthony Gardner (both knee) remain sidelined.
Eurosport
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