Saturday 16th August 2014
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Swansea (kick off 12:45)
Robin van Persie is not up to full fitness and will miss the season opener against Swansea. Michael Carrick (ankle), Danny Welbeck (knee), Jonny Evans (leg) and Antonio Valencia (leg) are all sidelined while Rafael has overcome a groin injury and is in contention. Summer signing Luke Shaw (hamstring) will be out for four weeks making way for either Tyler Blackett or Reece James to play their first competitive game for the club.
Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge are back in Swansea’s squad having missed the Swans’ final pre-season game at home to Villarreal last week through injury. Garry Monk is without knee-injury victims Leon Britton, Marvin Emnes and Jay Fulton for the trip to Old Trafford.
Leicester v Everton (kick off 15:00)
Jamie Vardy (thigh) and new signing Marc Albrighton (groin) are both doubtful for Leicester while Anthony Knockaert (ankle) has recovered and is set to start. Matt Upson (ankle) will watch the game from the stands.
Seamus Coleman (hamstring) will undergo a fitness test before kick-off while Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku are both short of match fitness but will be included in the squad. Striker Arouna Kone, out since October with a knee injury, will not be fit for another month. Ross Barkley (leg) could be out for up to six weeks after picking up an injury in training.
QPR v Hull City (kick off 15:00)
Want-away midfielder Adel Taarabt is two weeks away from fitness so will miss QPR’s opener against Hull at Loftus Road. Boss Harry Redknapp can call on striker Loic Remy however, despite the failed medical that scuppered his move to Liverpool.
Hull boss Steve Bruce has no new injury concerns. Maynor Figueroa is back in contention in the wake of his World Cup exertions while new boys Tom Ince and Robert Snodgrass are both expected to figure.
Stoke v Aston Villa (kick off 15:00)
Mark Hughes has a full squad to choose from for the season opener against Aston Villa. Summer signings Bojan Krkic, Mame Biram Diouf, Steve Sidwell, Phil Bardsley and Dionatan Teixeira are all in contetion to make their competitive debuts. Brek Shea and Wilson Palacios look set to depart the club and will miss out on selection for the match squad.
Christian Benteke (achilles) and Libor Kozac (broken leg) are back in training but will not be available for another few weeks according to Paul Lambert. Otherwise, the Villa boss has a full squad to choose from, however, Ron Vlaar may be left out due to his impending move away from Villa Park.
WBA v Sunderland (kick off 15:00)
Record signing Brown Ideye is set to make his debut but fellow new signing Joleon Lescott (knee) will miss out. Gareth McAuley (calf) and James Morrison (knee) will watch the match from the stands. New signings Craig Gardner, Cristian Gamboa, Sebastien Pocognoli, Andre Wisdom and Jason Davidson are all in contention for a starting place.
Gus Poyet will be without Emanuele Giaccherini (groin) and new signing Billy Jones (hamstring) for the trip to West Brom. Poyet faces a major decision with Carlos Pantilimon challenging Vito Mannone for the number one spot, while Patrick van Aanholt, Jordi Gomez and Will Buckley are all in contention for a starting berth.
West Ham v Tottenham (kick off 15:00)
Sam Allardyce has to deal with a long casualty list with Andy Carroll (ankle) a long-term absentee, summer signing Enner Valencia is short of fitness and Matt Jarvis (thigh), Ravel Morrison (groin) and Carl Jenkinson (hamstring) will all watch from the treatment room. However, new recruit, Diafra Sakho will be hoping to be involved despite only joining on Thursday.
Tottenham will assess Belgians Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli as well as Brazil midfielder Paulinho following their late return from World Cup duty. Andros Townsend is expected to be involved after shaking off his ankle injury while summer signings Michel Vorm, Ben Davies and Eric Dier are fit and in contention. Kyle Walker (pelvis) will be assessed along with Michael Dawson (ankle) and Vlad Chiriches (back).
Arsenal v Crystal Palace (kick off 17:30)
Arsenal hope to have Laurent Koscielny fit following a minor achilles problem and Abou Diaby has recovered match fitness and should be in the squad. Germany World Cup winning trio Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker will be given more time after their late return to pre-season training. Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina is still recovering from a thigh injury while Theo Walcott (knee) and Serge Gnabry (knee) continue their rehabilitation.
Crystal Palace caretaker boss Keith Millen will have defender Adrian Mariappa available after shaking off a rib injury while new signings Martin Kelly, Brede Hangeland and Fraizer Campbell are all expected to feature.
Sunday 17th August 2014
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Southampton (kick off 13:30)
New signings Adam Lallana (knee) and Lazar Markovic (ankle) will not be fit for the season opener but both players are expected to return to full training next week. Striker Rickie Lambert and centre-back Dejan Lovren, who also both moved from the Saints this summer, are available but defenders Jon Flanagan (knee) and Daniel Agger (calf) will watch from the stands
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman will be without new defensive acquisition Florin Gardos (hamstring) while midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin in contention despite ongoing rumours of a move to Tottenham. New recruits Shane Long and Graziano Pelle are in contention for a starting place while academy graduate Lloyd Isgrove could grab himself a place on the bench.
Newcastle v Man City (kick off 16:00)
Summer signing Siem de Jong (foot) will be denied a competitive debut for Newcastle and will be joined on the sidelines by fellow midfielder Cheick Tiote who is nursing a hamstring strain. Papiss Cisse is back in training after the knee injury he suffered towards the end of last season but is still some way away from a return, while Davide Santon (knee) remains on the sidelines.
Sergio Aguero (groin) is doubtful while new signing Eliaquim Mangala will not feature. Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart, Bacary Sagna, Fernandinho and Frank Lampard, none of whom featured in the community shield, are all in contention but striker Alvaro Negredo (foot) is a definite absentee.
