Tuesday 1st January 2013
Barclays Premier League
WBA v Fulham (kick off 12:45)
West Brom’s physio has a busy start to the year as a number of players are put through their paces before kick-off. These include Jonas Olsson (groin), Steven Reid (ankle), Goran Popov (hamstring), Youssouf Mulumbu and Claudio Yacob (both hamstring).
Mark Schwarzer (neck) is likely to be fit to return for Fulham as is Damien Duff but Mahamadou Diarra and Mladen Petric are definite absentees.
Wigan v Man Utd (kick off 15:00)
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has no fresh injury worries with Ben Watson (broken leg), Albert Crusat (knee), Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) and Adrian Lopez (hamstring) all still out.
Rafael is in contention after returning from suspension. Phil Jones could also be available whilst Michael Carrick is doubtful after Alex Ferguson noted he was particularly tired after Saturday’s win at West Brom.
Man City v Stoke (kick off 15:00)
Manchester City will be without Samir Nasri (suspension). Mario Balotelli (virus) is not yet ready to return while Aleksandar Kolarov and Maicon (knee) also remain on the
sidelines. Micah Richards (knee) and Jack Rodwell (hamstring) are still long-term casualties.
Ryan Shawcross and Geoff Cameron are both likely to return after serving one-match bans, while defenders Robert Huth and Andy Wilkinson should also play despite a clash of heads on Saturday. Charlie Adam is in contention for a starting berth.
Tottenham v Reading (kick off 15:00)
Gareth Bale (suspension) will watch from the sidelines alongside Clint Dempsey (groin) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) but the fit-again Scott Parker could make the squad.
Reading are likely to start with the same line-up for the third game running. Sean Morrison returned to the bench for Saturday’s win over West Ham after recovering from an ankle injury while Alex McCarthy (shoulder) is a long-term absentee.
Swansea v Aston Villa (kick off 15:00)
Michu (ankle) will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability while Angel Rangel is a doubt with a calf problem. Ben Davies, Chico Flores, Michel Vorm and Leon Britton could all be restored to the starting line-up after being rested.
Fabian Delph will return after suspension but Villa’s lengthy injury list shows little sign of improving. Darren Bent (hamstring), Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh), Charles N’Zogbia
(knee), Ron Vlaar (calf), Nathan Baker (hamstring) and long-term casualty Richard Dunne (knee) will all be watching from the treatment room.
West Ham v Norwich (kick off 15:00)
West Ham will be without Kevin Nolan and James Collins (both suspended). Andy Carroll (knee) and Mohamed Diame (hamstring) will also watch from the sidelines.
Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson will serve a one match ban. Steve Morison (thigh) is doubtful, as is Grant Holt (hamstring), so on-loan Tottenham forward Harry Kane could lead the attack. Steven Whittaker (hip) and Andrew Surman (hip) continue their rehabilitation while goalkeeper John Ruddy (thigh) also remains sidelined.
Southampton v Arsenal (kick off 17:30)
Southampton will again be without captain Adam Lallana (knee) while Nathaniel Clyne is a doubt with a knee complaint that forced him to miss the last game.
Per Mertesacker is available after illness while Tomas Rosicky is in contention for a starting place. Andre Santos
(stomach muscle) and midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) are expected to start training again this week..
Wednesday 2nd January 2013
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v QPR (kick off 19:45)
Goalkeeper Petr Cech is expected to miss the visit of QPR after injuring himself in Sunday’s win at Everton. Ross Turnbull will deputise. John Obi Mikel (knee) remains doubtful.
QPR have no fresh injury doubts for the game. Strikers Andrew Johnson (knee) and Bobby Zamora (hip) are sidelined with long-term injuries.
Liverpool v Sunderland (kick off 19:45)
Liverpool defender Jose Enrique will miss the game with a hamstring injury. Stewart Downing may be asked to provide cover at left back. Illness has been sweeping through the camp but the club are confident of keeping infection down to a minimum.
Sunderland will be without John O’Shea (hamstring) for the trip to Liverpool. Danny Rose returns to the squad after being ineligible against his parent club, but Lee Cattermole and Wes Brown (both knee) remain on the sidelines.
Newcastle v Everton (kick off 17:30)
Marouane Fellaini returns from a three-match suspension for the trip to Newcastle. Kevin Mirallas (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (calf) and Seamus Coleman are all unlikely to feature but Phil Neville (knee) could return having been rested.
Newcastle will be without Danny Simpson for up to four games after he broke a toe on Saturday. Steven Taylor (hamstring) and Yohan Cabaye (groin surgery) have
returned to training but are still some way away from being available, while Ryan Taylor (knee), Vurnon Anita (ankle), Hatem Ben Arfa (hamstring), Jonas Gutierrez, Dan Gosling and Haris Vuckic (all knee) are still out.
