Football
ESPN staff 8y

Premier League team news: Updates on injuries and suspensions

SATURDAY'S GAMES

PREDICTION: A 1-1 draw
FANTASY PICK: Bojan Krkic
KEY STAT: Stoke City have won just one of their 14 Premier League matches against Manchester United (W1 D2 L11), but have lost just one of the last four at home (W1 D2 L1).

- STOKE CITY

Midfielder Stephen Ireland is still working his way back from a hamstring injury and will also miss the Dec. 28 trip to Everton but could be back in contention for West Brom on Jan. 2. Striker Peter Crouch (hamstring) is back in training but not yet match fit while defenders Geoff Cameron and Marc Muniesa are also still sidelined with hamstring problems.

Provisional squad: Butland, Haugaard, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Joselu, Bardsley, Wilson, Whelan, Affelay, Van Ginkel, Adam, Walters, Sidwell, Arnautovic, Bojan, Shaqiri, Diouf.

- MAN UNITED

Bastian Schweinsteiger will miss out as he serves the final game of a three-match ban. Defender Matteo Darmian is still recovering from a hamstring injury, but is likely to be considered for selection against Chelsea on Dec. 28. Midfielder Jesse Lingard (hamstring), and defenders Marcos Rojo (shoulder), Antonio Valencia (foot) and Luke Shaw (leg) are out.

Provisional squad: De Gea, Romero, Varela, Borthwick-Jackson, Smalling, Jones, Blind, McNair, Schneiderlin, Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini, Depay, Powell, Mata, Young, Pereira, Martial, Rooney.

PREDICTION: A 2-1 win for Palace
FANTASY PICK: Wilfried Zaha
KEY STAT: Crystal Palace have lost three of their last four league matches played on Boxing Day (W1).

- BOURNEMOUTH

Bournemouth will be without forward Josh King after he pulled out of the visit to West Brom last week during the warm-up. The 23-year-old was expected to start but suffered a hamstring injury before the game and Glenn Murray, who replaced him last weekend, is expected to be in the starting XI again for the Boxing Day clash. Midfielder Junior Stanislas (hamstring) is still out after being substituted during the Baggies match but Lee Tomlin (groin/ pelvis) could make his return.

Provisional Squad: Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Surman, Ritchie, Gosling, Arter, Murray, Pugh, Rantie, MacDonald, Kermorgant, Federici, Distin, O'Kane, Tomlin.

- CRYSTAL PALACE

Mile Jedinak has beaten his ankle injury in time. The Australia midfielder will travel with Palace to the south coast, but neither Bakary Sakho nor Dwight Gayle have recovered from hamstring injuries. Palace boss Alan Pardew rated Yohan Cabaye's chances of featuring at Bournemouth as "50-50'' as the midfielder fights a foot problem.

Provisional squad: Hennessey, Speroni, Dann, Delaney, Hangeland, Kelly, Souare, Mariappa, Ward, Lee, Cabaye, Ledley, McArthur, McCarthy, Mutch, Puncheon, Bamford, Bolasie, Campbell, Chamakh, Wickham, Zaha.

PREDICTION: A 2-2 draw
FANTASY PICK: Andy Carroll
KEY STAT: Both Aston Villa and West Ham have failed to score in three of the last four meetings between the two sides.

- ASTON VILLA

Captain Micah Richards is set to miss out again as he continues to struggle with a knee injury. It means Villa could be unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Newcastle, with Gabby Agbonlahor struggling to regain his place under Remi Garde. While Charles N'Zogbia and Libor Kozak are available, they face a fight to convince Garde they deserve a place in the matchday squad. Jordan Amavi (knee) remains out for the season.

Provisional squad: Guzan, Bunn, Clark, Hutton, Ilori, Bacuna, Lescott, Okore, Richardson, Westwood, Sanchez, Gil, Grealish, N'Zogbia Veretout, Gana, Gestede, Ayew, Traore, Agbonlahor, Kozak.

- WEST HAM

Andy Carroll could be available after missing the draw against Swansea with a thigh injury. Dimitri Payet (ankle) -- who is set to return against Liverpool on January 2 -- Winston Reid, Victor Moses (both hamstring), Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini (both thigh) will not be fit in time.

Provisional squad: Adrian, Randolph, Jenkinson, Tomkins, Collins, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Obiang, Zarate, Ogbonna, Valencia, Carroll, Jelavic, Antonio, Cullen, Oxford.

PREDICTION: A 1-1 draw
FANTASY PICK: Oscar
KEY STAT: Chelsea have won seven and lost none of the last eight meetings with Watford in all competitions.

- CHELSEA

Eden Hazard could be back after he missed the win over Sunderland with a hip problem. Hiddink is back for his second caretaker spell with the Blues, and hopes the 24-year-old could be fit in time to take on the Hornets. Radamel Falcao is the only other player who is unavailble.

Provisional squad: Courtois, Begovic, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Zouma, Rahman, Ramires, Oscar, Falcao, Hazard, Mikel, Traore, Kenedy, Pedro, Remy, Costa, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Blackman, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Djilobodji.

- WATFORD

Watford will have to make one change as full-back Nathan Ake is ineligible as he is on loan from the Blues, so Ikechi Anya could return to the side. Defenders Tommie Hoban (groin) and Joel Ekstrand (knee) remain sidelined through injury.

Provisional squad: Gomes, Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Prodl, Anya, Capoue, Jurado, Watson, Behrami, Deeney, Ighalo, Arlauskis, Guedioura, Abdi, Paredes, Diamanti, Oulare, Holebas.

PREDICTION: A 4-2 win for Liverpool
FANTASY PICK: Riyad Mahrez
KEY STAT: Liverpool have won four and lost none of their last six Barclays Premier League games against Leicester City.

- LIVERPOOL

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to return. Centre-back Martin Skrtel is out for six weeks with a hamstring problem but will be replaced by fellow defender Dejan Lovren, who has recovered from a similar problem which kept him out of last weekend's defeat at Watford. Midfielder James Milner (calf) faces another couple of weeks out while striker Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) will continue to train for the next 10 days before a decision is made on his selection chances.

Provisional squad: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Benteke, Lallana, Bogdan, Toure, Randall, Allen, Ibe, Firmino, Origi.

- LEICESTER

Danny Drinkwater is expected to again sit out the match after missing Saturday's 3-2 win at Everton with a hamstring injury. Robert Huth is back after suspension and could replace Marcin Wasilewski, who deputised for him at Goodison Park, while Jeff Schlupp (hamstring) remains sidelined.

Provisional squad: Schmeichel, Schwarzer, Simpson, Huth, Morgan, de Laet, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Fuchs, Kante, King, Inler, Mahrez, Dyer, Albrighton, Vardy, Okazaki, Ulloa, Kramaric.

PREDICTION: A 3-1 win for City
FANTASY PICK: Adam Johnson
KEY STAT: Manchester City have won four and lost four of the last 10 Premier League matches against Sunderland, though they won both meetings last season.

- MAN CITY

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is poised to return after an eight-game absence with a calf injury. Right-back Pablo Zabaleta (knee) and midfielder Fernando (hamstring) are also available again after layoffs, leaving playmaker Samir Nasri (leg) as the only major absentee.

Provisional squad: Hart, Caballero, Zabaleta, Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov, Clichy, Toure, Fernandinho, Fernando, Delph, De Bruyne, Sterling, Silva, Navas, Aguero, Bony, Iheanacho.

- SUNDERLAND

Sunderland defender Younes Kaboul is out and is likely to be sidelined for several weeks with a hamstring problem. He has been joined in the treatment room for a lengthy period by full-back Adam Matthews after he damaged ankle ligaments in training. Lee Cattermole is closing in on a return from a back problem and Jeremain Lens is included after being left out for disciplinary reasons, but fellow midfielder Jack Rodwell is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign and Sebastian Larsson (knee) remains on the casualty list.

Provisional squad: Pantilimon, Mannone, Jones, Yedlin, Van Aanholt, O'Shea, Coates, Brown, M'Vila, Gomez, Johnson, Lens, Toivonen, Borini, Fletcher, Defoe, Watmore, Graham.

PREDICTION: A 0-0 draw
FANTASY PICK: Boaz Myhill
KEY STAT: There have only been two goals scored across the three Premier League Boxing Day fixtures featuring Swansea City.

- SWANSEA

Wayne Routledge returns to the Swansea squad after missing the goalless draw with West Ham with a knee injury, while Angel Rangel, who sprained his ankle in that game last Sunday, has been cleared to play. Lukasz Fabianski missed training on Tuesday after his wife gave birth to a baby boy but the Poland goalkeeper will feature, though Eder (knee) and Franck Tabanou (thigh) remain out.

Provisional squad: Fabianski, Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Cork, Ki, Routledge, Ayew, Sigurdsson, Nordfeldt, Naughton, Bartley, Amat, Shelvey, Montero, Gomis, Emnes, Barrow, Grimes.

- WEST BROM

Salomon Rondon and James McClean start three-game bans after they were sent off in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth -- Rickie Lambert and Callum McManaman are possible replacements. Saido Berahino will rival Lambert for a start after six games on the bench while Claudio Yacob is available after a family bereavement but Ben Foster continues his battle back from a long-term knee injury.

Provisional squad: Myhill, Lindegaard, Gamboa, Chester, Dawson, Olsson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt, Fletcher, Yacob, McManaman, Gardner, Gnabry, Morrison, Sessegnon, Berahino, Lambert, Anichebe.

PREDICTION: A 3-0 win to Spurs
FANTASY PICK: Harry Kane
KEY STAT: Spurs have conceded only five goals in their last 10 Premier League games against Norwich City.

- TOTTENHAM

Ryan Mason is available after recovering from an ankle injury. Mason has not played in almost a month but returned to training this week and is in contention for the clash at White Hart Lane. Danny Rose is also back after missing last weekend's win over Southampton through illness but Alex Pritchard remains out with an ankle problem.

Provisional squad: Lloris, Vorm, Walker, Rose, Trippier, Davies, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Vertonghen, Carter-Vickers, Fazio, Winks, Dier, Alli, Mason, Carroll, Bentaleb, Dembele, Townsend, Eriksen, Onomah, Chadli, Lamela, Son, Kane.

- NORWICH

Matt Jarvis is still out with a knee injury but he is expected to be back in the squad at some stage over the Christmas period. Andre Wisdom, who missed the win at Manchester United with a hamstring injury, is "touch and go'' while boss Alex Neil has no other concerns.

Provisional squad: Rudd, Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson, Redmond, O'Neil, Tettey, Brady, Hoolahan, Jerome, Ruddy, Whittaker, Howson, Mbokani, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Odjidja-Ofoe.

PREDICTION: A 2-2 draw
FANTASY PICK: Ayoze Perez
KEY STAT: Newcastle have won 12 Premier League home games against Everton -- only against Aston Villa (14) have they won more at St James' Park.

- NEWCASTLE

Papiss Cisse is doutbful after he suffered a groin injury against Aston Villa and is awaiting a second opinion after undergoing a scan, and 19-year-old Ivan Toney has since been recalled from his loan spell at Barnsley. Jamaal Lascelles is back in training after a hamstring injury and is soon to be joined by fellow central defender Steven Taylor (also hamstring), midfielder Rolando Aarons and striker Emmanuel Riviere (both foot), but keeper Tim Krul (knee ligaments), defenders Mike Williamson (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee cartilage) and midfielder Gabriel Obertan (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.

Provisional squad: Elliot, Darlow, Janmaat, Dummett, Coloccini, Mbemba, Lascelles, Mbabu, Sterry, Colback, Anita, Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Thauvin, De Jong, Gouffran, Mitrovic, Perez, Toney.

- EVERTON

Phil Jagielka, Steven Pienaar, James McCarthy and Bryan Oviedo are all set to feature at some point over the festive period, although Boxing Day's clash with Newcastle is likely to come too soon. McCarthy (hip) has missed the last four games, captain Jagielka (knee) and Oviedo (hamstring) have been out for two months while Pienaar (hamstring) has only played one match in the last year. Forward Steven Naismith should be fit to face Newcastle after recovering from a knock to his ankle.

Provisional squad: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Galloway, Barry, Cleverley, Deulofeu, Barkley, Kone, Lukaku, Robles, Baines, Gibson, Osman, Lennon, Besic, Naismith, Mirallas.

PREDICTION: A 3-1 win for Arsenal
FANTASY PICK: Mesut Ozil
KEY STAT: Southampton will be looking to win successive league meetings against Arsenal for the first time since April 1988 after winning 2-0 versus the Gunners back in January.

- SOUTHAMPTON

Maarten Stekelenburg faces a race against time to beat his toe injury, but boss Ronald Koeman hopes he will be fit to face the Gunners. Southampton can otherwise select from the same squad that took on Tottenham.

Provisional squad: Gazzaniga, K Davis, Stekelenburg, Soares, Caulker, Van Dijk, Bertrand, Clasie, Wanyama, Tadic, Mane, S Davis, Pelle, Yoshida, Long, Romeu, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, Fonte.

- ARSENAL

Arsene Wenger will not be able to welcome back any of his injured players. Alexis Sanchez has suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury, with the Chile forward missing Monday's win over Manchester City and not expected to feature over the festive period. Jack Wilshere (leg) should be back in January while Mikel Arteta (calf) is not far away from a comeback. Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky (all knee) are also missing.

Provisional squad: Cech, Ospina, Monreal, Debuchy, Koscielny, Gabriel, Mertesacker, Bellerin, Chambers, Ramsey, Flamini, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Campbell, Walcott, Giroud.


Injury Table

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