BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE BRIEFING

Current league positions in brackets)


Saturday, January 19

Birmingham (16) v Chelsea (3)

Alex McLeish must decide whether to give a debut to full-back David Murphy after his £1.5million move from Hibernian. Skipper Damien Johnson missed a training session with a stiff back but is expected to be fit to play.

Chelsea are waiting on the fitness of midfielder Frank Lampard (thigh). John Terry is still out with a fractured foot along with Andriy Shevchenko (ankle) while Mikel John Obi, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba are away on international duty in the African Nations Cup. New signings Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka could make their first starts.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Birmingham L W D L D; Chelsea W D W W W

Top scorers: Cameron Jerome & Olivier Kapo (Birmingham) 5; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 11

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

Blackburn (8) v Middlesbrough (14)

Brett Emerton (hamstring) and Tugay (groin) are set to come back into contention for Blackburn. Unsettled striker Jason Roberts is pushing for a starting berth after coming off the bench to score a last-minute winner at Bolton. South African midfielder Aaron Mokoena remains unavailable as he is on African Nations Cup duty.

Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca returns from suspension and could replace skipper George Boateng. Fellow midfielder Lee Cattermole was also due to return from suspension but is ill and is likely to miss the trip. Defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Emanuel Pogatetz return from a shin injury and illness respectively but strikers Mido and Ben Hutchinson are out.

Last season: Blackburn 2 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 0 Blackburn 1

Last five league matches: Blackburn L D W W W; Middlesbrough L L W L D

Top scorers: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) 14; Adam Johnson & Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) 5

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Fulham (19) v Arsenal (2)

Brede Hangeland was not signed in time to feature for Fulham. Full-back Paul Konchesky is suspended. Jimmy Bullard is fit following his long spell out with a serious knee injury. Ian Pearce, Brian McBride and Philippe Christanval have been back in training following injuries. Striker Diomansy Kamara is on African Nations Cup duty for Senegal.

Arsenal will have winger Tomas Rosicky back after suffering from a virus, but striker Robin van Persie will be sidelined for another couple of weeks by a niggling thigh problem.Theo Walcott is set to be rested ahead of the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final with Tottenham. Johan Djourou (groin) is also out, while Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Alex Song are away at the African Nations Cup.

Last season: Arsenal 3 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Arsenal 1

Last five league matches: Fulham D L D L L; Arsenal W D W W D

Top scorers: Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 6; Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 13

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Newcastle (11) v Bolton (15)

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan will have few selection decisions to make. Emre's dismissal against Stoke in midweek means he, along with Alan Smith and Nicky Butt, is suspended, while Habib Beye, Abdoulaye Faye, Geremi and Obafemi Martins are away on African Nations Cup duty. Joey Barton is still unavailable and Peter Ramage (knee) remains on the sidelines.

Gretar Steinsson and Matt Taylor could play for Bolton after signing for the Trotters. Steinsson, a right-sided defender, arrived in a £3.5million deal from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Taylor finally completed his protracted move from Portsmouth. Gavin McCann is doubtful after sustaining a minor injury in last week's 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn. El-Hadji Diouf and Abdoulaye Meite are away on African Nations Cup duty.

Last season: Bolton 2 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 1 Bolton 2

Last five league matches: Newcastle D L L L L; Bolton W L L W L

Top scorers: Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 7; Kevin Nolan & El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton) 4

Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Portsmouth (9) v Derby (20)

Portsmouth are set to give new signing Lassana Diarra his debut in midfield and he could replace fellow Frenchman Arnold Mvuemba. Glen Johnson could replace Noe Pamarot after recovering from a hamstring strain. Sean Davis could also return in midfield from a foot injury.

Derby full-back Tyrone Mears (shin) joins fellow defenders Jay McEveley (knee), Dean Leacock (groin) and Claude Davis (suspended) on the sidelines. Stephen Bywater (shoulder) and David Jones (hernia) also miss the game but there is better news on Kenny Miller and Stephen Pearson who have returned to training, with the former the more likely to feature.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Portsmouth L D L W L; Derby D L L L L

Top scorers: Benjani Mwaruwari (Portsmouth) 9; Kenny Miller (Derby) 7

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Reading (13) v Man Utd (1)

Reading will be without defender Michael Duberry (knee). Fellow defenders Ibrahima Sonko and Andre Bikey are both away on international duty, as is midfielder Emerse Fae, and wingers John Oster (ankle) and Glen Little (heel) remain sidelined.

England midfielder Owen Hargreaves is available again after being sidelined with a rib injury. Defender Wes Brown also comes into contention after suspension. Louis Saha is unlikely to be risked as he recovers from a knee problem.

Last season: Man Utd 3 Reading 2, Reading 1 Man Utd 1

Last five league matches: Reading W D L L L; Man Utd W W L W W

Top scorers: Simon Cox (Reading) 9; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 22

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).

Tottenham (12) v Sunderland (18)

Spurs' Tom Huddlestone has completed a three-match ban but Steed Malbranque is suspended. Goalkeeper Paul Robinson, defender Ledley King and striker Dimitar Berbatov could return. Didier Zokora is on international duty but Darren Bent (knee), Gareth Bale (foot), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Anthony Gardner (ankle) are out injured.

Sunderland winger Ross Wallace is out for the rest of the season after damaging knee ligaments. Defender Danny Higginbotham and midfielder Grant Leadbitter are out with toe fractures. Dickson Etuhu is on African Nations Cup duty with Nigeria, while Carlos Edwards continues his recovery from a broken leg.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Tottenham L W W L L; Sunderland L L W L W

Top scorers: Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 15; Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland) 6

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Sunday, January 20

Man City (7) v West Ham (10)

Manchester City striker Nery Castillo has been ruled out for up to six weeks after fracturing a bone on his shoulder in the FA Cup victory against West Ham in midweek. City face the Hammers again on Sunday and apart from Castillo, Michael Johnson (abdominal strain) and Emile Mpenza (hamstring) are again ruled out through injury.

Danny Gabbidon is available for West Ham after recovering from a groin injury. Fellow centre-back James Collins is also pushing for a place. French midfielder Julien Faubert is edging closer to a first-team start. Hayden Mullins and Carlton Cole are in contention but Craig Bellamy is not expected to be ready.

Last season: West Ham 0 Man City 1, Man City 2 West Ham 0

Last five league matches: Man City D D D W L; West Ham W D W L W

Top scorers: Elano (Man City) 7; Dean Ashton (West Ham) 6

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Wigan (17) v Everton (5)

Erik Edman could go straight into the Wigan side after his £500,000 move from French club Rennes. With Ryan Taylor (knee) and Carlo Nash (broken leg) the only absentees, manager Steve Bruce has virtually a full squad to choose from.

Striker Andrew Johnson is set to return to Everton's squad having recovered from a training knock. Leon Osman, out since mid-December with a broken toe, could also feature in the squad, while fellow midfielder Manuel Fernandes is available after completing a six-month loan deal at the weekend.

Last season: Wigan 0 Everton 2, Everton 2 Wigan 2

Last five league matches: Wigan D W L D W; Everton L W L W W

Top scorers: Marcus Bent (Wigan) 8; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 12

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Monday, January 21

Liverpool (4) v Aston Villa (6)

Danish defender Daniel Agger is the only certain absentee facing Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez after he suffered a recurrence of his metatarsal injury last weekend, sidelining him for a month. Fabio Aurelio has recovered from a hamstring problem and Steve Finnan and Javier Mascherano could return. Slovakian new boy Martin Skrtel could also get his first call-up to the squad.

Stuart Taylor is set to start as goalkeeper Scott Carson cannot play due to his loan from Liverpool. Skipper Gareth Barry is an injury doubt after suffering a bruised pelvis in training but defender Olof Mellberg is fit to return after missing the 3-1 home win over Reading through sickness.

Last season: Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1

Last five league matches: Liverpool W W D D D; Aston Villa D D W W W

Top scorers: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 17; Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 7

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).