Aston Villa Versus Cardiff
Aston Villa will go into this game at home to Cardiff as favourites and manager Paul Lambert will realize these are the type of games that his side need to collect all three points.
Cardiff ‘s Malky Mackay will think differently however, after seeing his side collect three points in the first ever Premier League Welsh derby to Swansea last weekend.
Villa will be stretched upfront as Andreas Weimann looks set to the miss the game following a hamstring injury he suffered in the goalless draw at West Ham last weekend. He joins striker Gabriel Agbonlahor on the treatment table as both look likely to miss the fixture.
Lambert will be able to bring back Fabian Delph back into the side after the youngster has recovered following his recent bout of illness.
Mackay goes into the game with no new injury concerns and has welcomed back to training Danish striker Andreas Cornelius who had been out following a lengthy ankle injury.
Villa will hope to claim all three points and leapfrog their Welsh opposition, in this first ever fixture between the two sides in the Premier League.
Chelsea Versus West Brom
Jose Mourinho will look to either Samuel Eto’o or Demba Ba to start upfront this weekend against West Brom following Fernando Torres’ recent thigh problem.
Torres suffered the damage to his leg last week and subsequently missed the Blues’ 3-0 romp at home to FC Schalke 04 on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Eto’o stepped in for the Spanish international and impressed grabbing a smartly finished brace before allowing his striking partner Ba to grab a third.
Eden Hazard will return to the squad for the fixture this weekend after he was left out of the victory on Wednesday night for “disciplinary reasons”.
Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka and winger Scott Sinclair look set to miss the tie as the pare are both recovering from injuries respectively. The injury to Anelka raises the chances of playing for Victor Anichebe who has recently recovered from a hamstring injuy.
Mourinho will hope that his side will collect the three points and put pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table, before they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sunday.
A victory for West Brom would propel Steve Clarke’s men into the top half of the table.
Crystal Palace Versus Everton
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku looks set to be fit for this weekends clash away to Crystal Palace, even though he took a knock following a collision with Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Lukaku took a big fall in the later stages of the game against Spurs as himself and France international Lloris battled for the ball.
Forward Arouna Kone, who unfortunately will now miss the majority of the season, will miss the game as he prepares for knee surgery.
Palace look to welcome back Adlene Guedioura after he becomes available following a punctured lung and two broken ribs which he suffered against West Brom.
The game comes to quick for captain Paddy McCarthy however as he has returned to training following a recent injury. The midfielder was able to complete a fixture for the development side midweek but this fixture will come soon for the palyer.
Roberto Martinez will be hoping for the victory as he takes his side to London, a victory would leave the boys from Merseyside amongst the Champions League places.
Liverpool versus Fulham:
Liverpool will be looking to bounce back after last weekends lacklustre performance away to Arsenal, as they host Martin Jol’s Fulham.
Fit again full back Glen Johnson will hope to return to the side at the expense of youngster Jon Flanagan. Daniel Agger will also be looking for a recall to the starting line up after the vice-captain hasn’t featured in the starting X1 since his recent injury to his ribs. Spaniard Jose Enrique will also be looking to return after facing a month on the sidelines following a problem to his knee.
Brazilian Phillipe Coutinho recovered enough to get a substitute appearance at the Emirates last weekend and will be hopeful of returning to his position in Liverpool’s midfield.
As for Jol’s side, which suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United last weekend, they will be looking to pick up points however they can. Fulham have been woeful on the road this season collecting only two victories in the league whilst on their travels.
The London club will be without full back Sascha Reither who begins his three-match ban following his stamp on youngster Adnan Januzaj. Fulham will also have late fitness tests for both captain Brede Hangeland, who has returned to full training after an injury to his leg, and Bryan Ruiz who has suffered a slight back strain.
Norwich Versus West Ham
Norwich City will be looking to bounce back this weekend following the 7-0 destruction they suffered at the hands of Man City last Saturday.
Midfielder Robert Snodgrass looks likely to return following his spell out the team due to concussion. Club record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel is set to miss out again due to a reoccurring toe injury.
Hammers will be without long-term absentees Andy Carroll and Ricardo Vaz Te, whilst defender Winston Reid and striker Mladen Petric also looks set to miss out.
There is some good news for the team from East Londern however as veteran James Collins has overcome a hamstring niggle and looks set to return.
Norwich manager Chris Hughton will be asking a lot of his team following the thrashing that was dished out to them recently at the Eastlands. The Canaries find themselves in the relegation zone after a torrid start to the campaign and this game could well decide whether boss Hughton still has employment at the East Anglian club.
Southampton Versus Hull City
Mauricio Pochettino’s Southampton side have been high flying this season and the Manager of the Month will be looking to extend his good start to the season this Saturday as his side host Hull City.
Club record signing Daniel Osvaldo will have to undergo a late fitness test after the forward had been struggling with a slight nerve problem.
Hull City will be available to call upon forward Danny Graham after the Englishman was ineligible to play last week against Sunderland, with them being his parent club.
City however will not be able to call upon Sone Aluko, James Cheser, Allan McGregor and Robbie Brady who all face spells on the sidelines.
Southampton have started the season better than anyone could have expected and a victory is nothing less that what Pochettino will demand from his players if they are to stay in the top half of the Premier League table.
As for the newly prompted Hull, they hope that they can extend their equally good start to the campaign and cement a place in the top half of the league.
Source: DSG
