BPL Sunday Team News

BPL Sunday Team News

We bring you the latest team news from the Midlands, Merseyside and London as the Barclays Premier League goes derby crazy.

Wolves vs Birmingham

Wolves are boosted by the return of striker Kevin Doyle for Sunday's Premier League derby against Birmingham at Molineux.

Doyle was rested for the 4-0 reversal at Chelsea last weekend after playing for the Republic of Ireland in their two-legged World Cup play-off against France.

But defender Ronald Zubar has suffered another injury setback and has been ruled out of the clash with Alex McLeish's side.

Right-back Zubar missed the game with Chelsea via a thigh strain sustained in training. The 24-year-old returned to training on Thursday but suffered an ankle setback.

Birmingham will again be without striker Garry O'Connor and on-loan Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio.

O'Connor has undergone surgery on a hip problem and will be out of action for several months while Tainio will require a knee operation which will also sideline him for a lengthy period.

Club captain Damien Johnson is available after a hamstring injury but is likely to be on the substitutes' bench after the loaning out of Jordon Mutch to Hereford.

Teams:
Wolves (from):
Hennessey, Hahnemann, Foley, Stearman, Berra, Craddock, Mancienne, Elokobi, Kightly, Halford, Henry, Milijas, Castillo, Edwards, Jarvis, Ebanks-Blake, Keogh, Maierhofer, Doyle.

Birmingham (from): Hart, Carr, R Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Queudrue, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, McFadden, Jerome, Benitez, Maik Taylor, Phillips, Fahey, McSheffrey, Carsley, Vignal, D Johnson.


Everton vs Liverpool

Fernando Torres will have a test on Saturday to see whether he is fit enough to be considered for a place in Liverpool's squad against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Torres has been having treatment on his serious groin injury, and has done light training this week under the control of Liverpool's fitness coaches.

Winger Ryan Babel is still out with an ankle injury, but Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani is likely to be on the substitutes' bench. Glen Johnson, Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun, who have all struggled with injuries over the past week, should be in the squad.

Everton midfielders Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Marouane Fellaini both return from suspension.

However, there are slight doubts over midfielder Jack Rodwell (groin) and striker Louis Saha, who also picked up a knock in Wednesday's defeat at Hull.

Steven Pienaar made a welcome return in that match after a two-month absence with a knee injury and is likely to start again against Liverpool.

Teams
Everton (from):
Howard, Heitinga, Yobo, Baines, Distin, Hibbert, Cahill, Gosling, Rodwell, Bilyaletdinov, Fellaini, Saha, Yakubu, Neill, Nash, Jo, Baxter, Agard, Wallace, Pienaar.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Aurelio, Insua, Dossena, El Zhar, Aquilani, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Riera, Kuyt, Ngog, Cavalieri, Spearing, Torres.


Arsenal vs Chelsea

Chelsea have been boosted by a fully fit Frank Lampard ahead of their clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Lampard has recovered from a thigh injury sustained on England duty but despite flying to Serbia for placenta treatment, Chelsea have confirmed the midfielder only underwent standard massage therapy.

Jose Bosingwa (knee) remains sidelined for the Blues but Michael Essien has shaken off a knee injury to be included in the squad.

Arsenal defender William Gallas is rated as only 50/50 because of an eye problem for Sunday's clash, but full-back Kieran Gibbs is out following an operation on his foot.

Veteran Mikael Silvestre is on stand-by to fill in at centre-half, while Armand Traore should fill in on the left following Gibbs' injury.

Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin will be available despite needing staples in a wound after a clash of heads with Gallas against Standard Liege on Tuesday night, but strikers Robin van Persie (ankle) and Nicklas Bendtner (groin) remain sidelined so England forward Theo Walcott could make only a second start of an injury-hit season.

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (knee) is close to a comeback, but Abou Diaby (calf), Gael Clichy (back) and Johan Djourou (knee) are still out.

Teams:
Arsenal (from):
Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Gallas, Traore, Song, Denilson, Fabregas, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Mannone, Eduardo, Eboue, Vela, Senderos, Wilshere, Silvestre, Ramsey, Rosicky.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, A Cole, Zhirkov, Carvalho, Terry, Alex, Essien, Lampard, Belletti, Mikel, Ballack, Malouda, Kakuta, Deco, J Cole, Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.


Powered by Disqus
  • Join us on Facebook Join us on Facebook


standard
 

  • ESPN is a trademark of ESPN, Inc and STAR is a trademark of Star Television Productions Limited. Trademarks used under license by ESPN STAR Sports.
  • Presented by ESPN, Star Sports, Star Cricket