The weekend’s Premier League team news

More defensive issues for Liverpool as Man City have fully fit squad for Sunday’s derby

The Manchester derby is the clash of the weekend. Can United end City’s winning run? Photograph: Getty Images
The Manchester derby is the clash of the weekend. Can United end City’s winning run? Photograph: Getty Images

Saturday

Aston Villa (9th) v Wolves (12th)

Aston Villa are expected to be without skipper Jack Grealish for a fourth game. The midfielder is still struggling with a shin injury and is yet to resume full training. Matt Cash (hamstring), Kortney Hause (foot) and Wesley (knee) are also sidelined for Dean Smith but all are nearing a return.

Wolves have no fresh injuries after Tuesday's 4-1 defeat at Manchester City. Daniel Podence and Marcal (both groin) remain out. Raul Jimenez is continuing his recovery from the fractured skull he suffered in November but is in non-contact training with the squad.

Last season: Aston Villa 0 Wolves 1, Wolves 2 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches: Aston Villa W D L W L; Wolves D W W D L
Top scorers: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) 12; Willian Jose (Wolves) 6
Referee: Craig Pawson

Brighton (16th) v Leicester (3rd)

Tariq Lamptey has been ruled out for Brighton after suffering an injury setback. The 20-year-old full-back, who has not played since December, is to see a specialist over his hamstring problem. Irish attacker Aaron Connolly needs a fitness check on a back issue, while defender Adam Webster and winger Solly March are still out.

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Leicester still have seven players unavailable due to injury. As was the case for their 1-1 draw at Burnley on Wednesday, the Foxes will be without Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Ayoze Perez, Dennis Praet, Jonny Evans, James Justin and Wes Morgan. Defender Wesley Fofana made his return to action after a hamstring issue when he came off the bench in the second half of the Burnley game.

Last season: Leicester 0 Brighton 0, Brighton 0 Leicester 2
Last five league matches: Brighton W D D L L; Leicester D W W L D
Top scorers: Neal Maupay (Brighton) 7; Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 14
Referee: Stuart Burt

Burnley (15th) v Arsenal (10th)

Jack Cork could add to Burnley's injury worries. The midfielder played with a hamstring problem in the midweek draw with Leicester and must be assessed along with Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Irish international Robbie Brady, who are being nursed back to full fitness. Striker Ashley Barnes, however, remains out.

Arsenal will be hoping to have Emile Smith Rowe available. The attacking midfielder suffered a muscular injury in the 3-1 win at Leicester but manager Mikel Arteta does not believe it was a serious problem. The Gunners have no other fitness concerns as the likes of Bukayo Saka and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang push for recalls having been dropped to the bench last time out.

Last season: Burnley 0 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 2 Burnley 1
Last five league matches: Burnley W D D L D; Arsenal L L W L W
Top scorers: Chris Wood and Matej Vydra (Burnley) 4; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) 13
Referee: Andre Marriner

Sheff Utd (20th) v Southampton (14th)

Phil Jagielka has been added to Sheffield United's lengthy list of absentees. The 38-year-old is suspended following his red card in the midweek win against Aston Villa and he joins Chris Basham (hamstring), Jayden Bogle (shin), Jack O'Connell (knee), Ireland's John Egan (toe), Jack Robinson (foot), Jack Rodwell and Sander Berge (hamstring) on the sidelines.

Kyle Walker-Peters, Takumi Minamino and Ibrahima Diallo could return for Southampton. The trio have returned to training this week and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is hopeful they will be available. Moussa Djenepo, who took a knock in Monday's 1-0 loss at Everton, needs managing during a frantic schedule, while Theo Walcott, Oriol Romeu, Irish midfielder Will Smallbone and attacker Michael Obafemi remain absent.

Last season: Southampton 3 Sheff Utd 1, Sheff Utd 0 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Sheff Utd L L L L W; Southampton L L D L L
Top scorers: David McGoldrick (Sheff Utd) 7; Danny Ings (Southampton) 9
Referee: Paul Tierney

Sunday

Liverpool (7th) v Fulham (18th)

Liverpool's problems at centre-back continue, with on-loan defender Ozan Kabak likely to miss out through injury. Nat Phillips, who missed the defeat to Chelsea, is available to return and that will probably mean a like-for-like swap, while Ben Davies, the deadline-day signing who has yet to make an appearance, is also available. Manager Jurgen Klopp has a decision to make on whether to start Diogo Jota as the forward looked lively in his first 30 minutes since returning from three months out with a knee injury.

Scott Parker has no new injury concerns to deal with ahead of Fulham’s trip to Anfield. However, with the short turnaround from Thursday’s narrow defeat to Tottenham, the Fulham boss admitted he would have to assess the players on Saturday ahead of the match. Captain Tom Cairney will remain sidelined with an ongoing knee problem that has kept him out of the first-team squad since December.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Liverpool L L L W L; Fulham W D W D L
Top scorers: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 24; Bobby Reid (Fulham) 7
Referee: Kevin Friend

Man City (1st) v Man Utd (2nd)

Manchester City have a fully-fit squad available for the derby at the Etihad Stadium. With centre-back Nathan Ake now available after a muscular problem, City have no players in the treatment room for the first time this season. After making six changes for the midweek win over Wolves, manager Pep Guardiola is again likely to shuffle his pack as the Premier League leaders chase a 22nd successive win in all competitions.

Dean Henderson will start in goal for United after first-choice stopper David De Gea returned to Spain for the birth of his first child. Anthony Martial and Donny Van De Beek missed Wednesday's goalless draw at Crystal Palace through injury, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is "hoping to get one or two back" this weekend. Paul Pogba is unlikely to return from his thigh injury, but Victor Lindelof could start as United continue to manage an ongoing back issue. Juan Mata and Phil Jones are out.

Last season: Man Utd 2 Man City 0, Man City 1 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches: Man City W W W W W; Man Utd D D W D D
Top scorers: Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling (Man City) 13; Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd) 22
Referee: Anthony Taylor

Tottenham (8th) v Crystal Palace (13th)

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho expects Serge Aurier to be fit after missing Thursday's win at Fulham due to soreness in his calf following a recent injury. Giovani Lo Celso (hamstring) is unlikely to be fit but could return in the Europa League next Thursday.

Nine-goal attacker Wilfried Zaha will return for Crystal Palace after a month out with a hamstring injury. Irish midfielder James McCarthy has returned to the treatment table with a reoccurrence of his previous groin issue. The midfielder joins Nathan Ferguson (knee), Nathaniel Clyne (muscle), James Tomkins (eye), Mamadou Sakho (thigh), Tyrick Mitchell (muscle) and James McArthur (calf) in being absent for the trip across the capital.

Last season: Crystal Palace 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 4 Crystal Palace 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham W L L W W; Crystal Palace L L W D D
Top scorers: Harry Kane (Tottenham) 22; Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) 9
Referee: Stuart Attwell

West Brom (19th) v Newcastle (17th)

Winger Grady Diangana is expected to be out for West Brom after missing Thursday's 1-0 defeat to Everton with illness. Kieran Gibbs also sat the game out with a neck problem but Robert Snodgrass made his return from a knee injury against the Toffees.

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has suffered a fresh double injury blow. Allan Saint-Maximin (groin) and Miguel Almiron (knee) have both been ruled out until April, joining 10-goal leading scorer Callum Wilson (hamstring) on the sidelines. Central defender Federico Fernandez (thigh) could return to the squad, but midfielder Isaac Hayden (ankle) and full-back Emil Krafth (shin) are doubts and defenders Javier Manquillo (ankle) and Fabian Schar (knee) are still out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom L D D W L; Newcastle L W L L D
Top scorers: Mbaye Diagne (West Brom) 12; Callum Wilson (Newcastle) 10
Referee: Martin Atkinson

Monday

Chelsea (4th) v Everton (5th)

Thiago Silva could be fit to return for Chelsea. The Brazil defender returned to light training last week after a thigh complaint and might be ready. Thomas Tuchel could rotate his resources following Thursday's 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Playmaker James Rodriguez remains a doubt for Everton. The Colombia international has missed the last two matches with a calf problem and he may not be ready to return. Midfielder Tom Davies and defender Seamus Coleman have also sat out the last two and need to be assessed, while centre-back Yerry Mina and midfielder Fabian Delph are still sidelined.

Last season: Chelsea 4 Everton 0, Everton 3 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W D D W; Everton L L W W W
Top scorers: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) 12; Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) 18
Referee: Chris Kavanagh

West Ham (4th) v Leeds (11th)

West Ham have injury worries over both of their goalkeepers, with Lukasz Fabianski yet to train due to an arm injury and Darren Randolph enduring a hip problem. Angelo Ogbonna, Andriy Yarmolenko and Arthur Masuaku are still out injured.

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa is hoping some of his injured players can prove their fitness in time. Kalvin Phillips (calf), Rodrigo, Jamie Shackleton (both groin) and Ian Poveda (ankle) have all been sidelined in recent weeks. Pascal Struijk is the latest injury doubt after he was withdrawn in last week's home defeat to Aston Villa. Robin Koch is working his way back from knee surgery and Gaetano Berardi recently returned to training after a serious knee injury.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Ham W D W W L; Leeds W L L W L
Top scorers: Tomas Soucek (West Ham) 8; Patrick Bamford (Leeds) 13
Referee: Mike Dean


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