November 8

Arsenal v Man Utd

Arsene Wenger’s struggling Gunners will be severely weakened when they host the champions on Saturday, with first-choice strikers Emmanuel Adebayor (ankle) and Robin van Persie (suspension) joining Emmanuel Eboue (knee) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, skipper William Gallas (hamstring), Bacary Sagna (ankle), Theo Walcott (shoulder), and Mikael Silvestre (broken nose) are all doubtful for the lunchtime kickoff. Sir Alex Ferguson is still without Wes Brown (ankle), Paul Scholes, and Owen Hargreaves (both knee), but should otherwise have a fit squad for the trip to the Emirates. Given the poor recent form and injury problems being faced by the hosts, Ferguson’s Red Devils will never have a better chance to claim a rare victory at the home of their fierce rivals.

Verdict: 1-2

Wigan v Stoke City

Both teams continue to be spared fresh injury problems. Latics defender Erik Edman (knee) returned for the reserves on Tuesday but is not ready for first-team action, while the only absentees for the visitors remain Liam Lawrence (ankle) and Andrew Davies (knee). Tony Pulis’ Potters visit the JJB on the back of two successive wins – the latter a shock 2-1 victory over Arsenal – but the home side should also be in good spirits after a 2-1 away win over Portsmouth last weekend. Expect a hotly contested, physical match with Wigan’s superior quality up front just being enough to earn all three points for Steve Bruce.

Verdict: 2-1

Hull City v Bolton

Tigers skipper Ian Ashbee returns after missing Saturday’s loss at Old Trafford through suspension, but defender Anthony Gardner (thigh) and striker Craig Fagan (leg) are still out of action. Phil Brown has an otherwise full-strength squad though, and may even hand Stelios Giannakopoulos his Hull debut against his former club. The Trotters, who alleviated some of the pressure on manager Gary Megson with a solid home win over Manchester City on Sunday, will be without their own captain Kevin Nolan due to suspension, but striker Johan Elmander (groin) may return after missing the City game. With the daunting task of facing Chelsea and United now behind them, the home side should return to winning ways against a Bolton team still mired in the bottom three.

Verdict: 2-0

Sunderland v Portsmouth

The Black Cats are set to be without keeper Craig Gordon (ankle), for whom Martin Fulop deputises once again, and striker Michael Chopra who has been loaned to Cardiff. Full-back George McCartney (foot) is a doubt as Roy Keane’s men look to recover from last weekend’s 5-0 hammering at Stamford Bridge. New Pompey boss Tony Adams can report a clean bill of health for Saturday’s encounter, with striker David Nugent finally back from groin surgery, and midfield schemer Niko Kranjcar is pushing for a start after coming off the bench to score against Wigan last weekend. The home side should produce a much-improved performance having dropped only two points (against Arsenal) from the last three games at the Stadium of Light, but Portsmouth have enough quality in their ranks to nick a point.

Verdict: 1-1 

Pushing for a start - Niko Kranjcar

West Ham v Everton

Scott Parker (calf) is fit again for the hosts, but fellow midfielders Valon Behrami (groin) and Mark Noble (calf) are still out along with top scorer Carlton Cole who is suspended. Striker Diego Tristan (leg) and defender Calum Davenport (thigh) are having their fitness assessed. Record signing Marouane Fellaini misses out for the visitors due to suspension, while striker Yakubu (heel) and midfielder Steven Pienaar (knee) are doubts, but David Moyes may bring back Segundo Castillo (groin) after the midfielder completed a midweek reserve game. Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola will be desperate for a first victory in six games but an improving Toffees side will force his side to settle for a point at Upton Park.

Verdict: 1-1

Liverpool v West Brom

Rafa Benitez is expected to hand striker Fernando Torres a start after the Spanish star missed the last four league games with a hamstring injury. That leaves defender Martin Skrtel (knee) as the only absentee for the hosts, who are looking to bounce back from Saturday’s shock defeat at Spurs. Baggies boss Tony Mowbray is still without defenders Abdoulaye Meite (calf) and Leon Barnett (knee), but midfielder Felipe Teixeira is finally available again after knee ligament trouble. The visitors have managed only two goals on their travels this season, and the return of Torres makes their prospects of taking anything from Anfield even bleaker.

Verdict: 3-0

Back from injury - Fernando Torres

November 9

Blackburn v Chelsea

Rovers boss Paul Ince is expected to be without strikers Roque Santa Cruz (calf) and Benni McCarthy (suspension). Australian midfielder Brett Emerton and Vince Grella have both sustained hamstring injuries, and the former is definitely unavailable for Sunday. Luis Felipe Scolari has seen a number of his injury issues clear up in the last couple of weeks, but defenders Ricardo Carvalho (hamstring) and Ashley Cole (calf) and midfielders Michael Essien (knee) and Michael Ballack (foot) remain sidelined for the visitors. Brazilian midfielder Miniero could make his first start for the Blues, who will take out the frustration of their midweek Champions League thrashing at Roma on the depleted hosts.

Verdict: 0-2

Aston Villa v Middlesbrough

Stiliyan Petrov is has been ruled out once again with a hamstring strain, but fellow midfielder James Milner is back after injuring his side against Newcastle on Monday. Martin O’Neill will likely restore Brad Friedel, Luke Young, Martin Laursen, Nigel Reo-Coker, and Gareth Barry to the starting eleven after they were all rested for Thursday’s UEFA Cup action. The visitors are again without Mohamed Shawky (thigh) and Robert Huth (ankle), but the big decision facing Gareth Southgate is whether to start record signing Afonso Alves or leading scorer Mido alongside Tuncay Sanli in attack. Boro’s main problems, however, will come at the back, specifically in containing a Villa side boasting the league’s most productive strike partnership in John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Verdict: 3-1

Man City v Tottenham

Mark Hughes may be without midfield anchor Vincent Kompany, who missed Thursday’s UEFA Cup match against FC Twente with a groin problem, but striker Benjani is in contention for a starting berth after scoring in the same game on his return from a thigh injury. Vedran Corkuka and Roman Pavluchenko return for Spurs after being cup-tied for the UEFA Cup win over Dinamo Zagreb, while skipper Ledley King is vying for a return to the centre of the defence, but Giovani dos Santos (ankle) misses out and Jermaine Jenas (toe) is doubtful. City’s games have produced a total of 41 goals – the highest figure in the league – while Spurs have found the net 12 times in their last four games in all competitions, so a high-scoring game is on the cards, with the visitors claiming a point to continue their rapid resurgence under new boss Harry Redknapp.

Verdict: 2-2

Fulham v Newcastle

Toni Kallio has recovered from his virus, but Roy Hodgson will be without another defender in Fredrik Stoor who has a cold, and forward Seol Ki-Hyeon is doubtful with a knee problem. Magpies boss Joe Kinnear will likely name the same starting team that defeated Villa on Monday, which would force skipper Michael Owen to accept a place on the bench once again. The Cottagers have been terrible on their travels season, but their excellent results at home have kept them out of the relegation places, and they should be able to continue in a similar vein despite Newcastle’s improved form of late.

Verdict: 2-1

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