PL team news: United and Arsenal boosted, City’s Silva blow

Ian Watson

Silva sits out this weekend but Cech and Rooney return

All this weekend’s Premier League team news, with Man Utd and Arsenal boosted by the return of senior players, but Man City are without one of their biggest stars.

Chelsea v Liverpool

Friday, 8pm, Stamford Bridge

David Luiz will start for Chelsea in place of captain John Terry.

Defender Terry suffered an ankle injury during the 2-2 draw with Swansea on Sunday and was ruled out for around 10 days.

Boss Antonio Conte confirmed Luiz would make his first appearance for Chelsea since his £34million deadline-day switch from Paris Saint-Germain in Terry’s absence.

Dejan Lovren: Liverpool defender back after eye injury

Defender Dejan Lovren is expected to return to the Liverpool starting line-up after an eye injury.

The Croatia centre-back missed Saturday’s 4-1 win over Leicester after sustaining a badly-bruised eye in training and midfielder Lucas Leiva had to deputise.

Midfielder Emre Can is back in training after an ankle problem but is not yet match fit, while manager Jurgen Klopp has to decide whether to bring back Philippe Coutinho after he was rested following a long trip back from international duty with Brazil.

 

Hull v Arsenal

Saturday, 3pm, KC Stadium

Hull’s new signing Dieumerci Mbokani is expected to be included in caretaker boss Mike Phelan’s squad.

Phelan confirmed former Norwich striker Mbokani is now ready to join the group following his deadline-day arrival on loan with a view to a permanent deal from Dynamo Kiev.

Club record signing Ryan Mason and Will Keane may be given bigger roles after making their debuts off the bench in last week’s 1-1 draw at Burnley, while fellow new recruits Markus Henriksen, James Weir and David Marshall hope to feature. Phelan has no new injury concerns.

Petr Cech Arsene Wenger Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will recall Petr Cech and could also have Theo Walcott available again.

Cech was rested from Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris Saint-Germain. In his absence, David Ospina impressed, but Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper will return.

Walcott faces a late fitness test, as does Olivier Giroud who is carrying a knock. Saturday’s fixture will come to early for Aaron Ramsey, who has a hamstring injury, and Gabriel Paulista, who is short of match fitness.

 

Leicester v Burnley 

Saturday, 3pm, King Power Stadium

Danny Simpson is set to return for Leicester after missing their Champions League win at Club Brugge with a hamstring injury.

The right-back is likely to be replaced by Luis Hernandez, who deputised in the 3-0 victory at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday, in what could be the Foxes’ only change.

Nampalys Mendy is still sidelined with an ankle injury and Matty James is also struggling with an ankle problem of his own but Jeff Schlupp is available after a muscle strain and Shinji Okazaki is fit despite being left out of the squad in Belgium. Record signing Islam Slimani, who replaced Okazaki in the Champions League, is expected to make his Premier League debut.

Islam Slimani Leicester

 

Burnley remain without only Ashley Barnes, while Jeff Hendrick could be given a full debut.

Barnes is yet to appear this season because of an issue with his lower hamstring and record signing Hendrick only made a 15-minute cameo against Hull last weekend having returned from international duty with the Republic of Ireland.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche has now seen Hendrick up close for over a week and may be tempted to pair him with previous record signing Steven Defour in a central-midfield tandem.

 

Man City v Bournemouth

Saturday, 3pm, Etihad Stadium

Striker Sergio Aguero misses Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday as he continues his domestic suspension.

Midfielder David Silva is unlikely to return after missing the midweek win over Borussia Monchengladbach but manager Pep Guardiola is yet to decide whether Ilkay Gundogan will continue in his place. The German impressed against Borussia but that was his first game following a five-month lay-off with a knee injury.

Captain Vincent Kompany, out since April with a thigh injury, is close to fitness but Guardiola will not risk him this weekend.

Sergio Aguero Manchester City

Eddie Howe has no fresh injury or suspension concerns.

The Cherries travel to the Etihad with a fully-fit squad but loanee Jack Wilshere is expected to start on the bench as he builds his fitness.

Callum Wilson is believed to be in the starting XI after scoring last time out against West Brom, his first goal since coming back from an injury which kept him sidelined of the majority of last season.

 

West Brom v West Ham

Saturday, 3pm, The Hawthorns

Hal Robson-Kanu could be included in the West Brom squad for the first time.

The Wales international striker has been building up his fitness since signing for the club at the end of last month and he might make the bench against the Hammers.

James Morrison is also nearing a return from his hamstring problems but Saturday’s match may come too soon for the midfielder.

Hal Robson-Kanu: New Baggies striker

The trip may come too soon for West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa to make his debut and he will most likely wait until next week’s EFL Cup tie against Accrington.

The former Real Madrid full-back, who signed on a free transfer on deadline day, was expected to be in line for his first start of the campaign but Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is set to stick with Sam Byram at right-back.

Mark Noble is available despite needing stitches for a hand injury suffered in their 4-2 defeat against Watford. Diafra Sakho, Andre Ayew and Aaron Cresswell are all making “good progress” as the trio edge closer to a return to action. Simone Zaza should keep is place up-front.

 

Everton v Middlesbrough

Saturday, 5:30pm, Goodison Park

Everton have no fresh injury concerns.

Forward Enner Valencia, signed on loan from West Ham on transfer deadline day, is set to come into the Toffees’ matchday squad for the first time.

While boss Ronald Koeman has confirmed his intention to select Gareth Barry for what will be his 600th Premier League appearance, it is more unclear what Ross Barkley’s involvement will be after he was substituted at half-time at Sunderland on Monday. Fellow midfielder James McCarthy (groin) remains sidelined.

Cristhian Stuani: Scored twice

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka has doubts over strikers Cristhian Stuani and Jordan Rhodes.

Stuani limped out out last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Place with a groin problem, while Rhodes suffered a knock to his knee in training on Thursday and both are being assessed.

Gaston Ramirez came off the bench against Palace after – like Stuani – only arriving back from international duty with Uruguay the previous day, and he will hope for a recall, while otherwise only long-term absentees James Husband (dislocated shoulder), Fabio da Silva (knee) and Grant Leadbitter (hernia surgery) are still missing.

 

Watford v Manchester United

Sunday, 3pm, Vicarage Road

Watford manager Walter Mazzarri is expected to retain much of the starting XI that won 4-2 at West Ham last weekend.

Younes Kaboul faces a late fitness test, as does Sebastian Prodl, who replaced him as a substitute at the London Stadium.

Stefano Okaka also made his debut, coming on as substitute, but has been ruled out for the next month with a hamstring injury.

Wayne Rooney: Defended by Carragher

Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw return to Jose Mourinho’s matchday squad as Manchester United go to Vicarage Road.

The trio were rested for Thursday’s Europa League tie at Feyenoord, with the latter not risked after complaining of a tight hamstring following the derby defeat to Manchester City.

Centre-back Eric Bailly will be assessed after receiving a knock during the midweek loss in Holland, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan (thigh) is set to join Phil Jones (knee) on the sidelines.

 

Crystal Palace v Stoke

Sunday, 2:15pm, Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace will be without defender Pape Souare for up to six months after he was injured in a car accident.

The 26-year-old suffered a broken thigh and jaw in the incident and is expected to be released from hospital this weekend.

Yohan Cabaye (groin strain) faces a late fitness test, but Connor Wickham (knock) and Bakary Sako (groin strain) have fully recovered and will be involved.

Pape Souare: Remains in hospital after M4 crash

Stoke’s Mame Diouf and Glen Johnson look set to be available at Selhurst Park.

Forward Diouf and full-back Johnson have been sidelined by hamstring and thigh injuries respectively, but both have been in training this week.

Winger Xherdan Shaqiri remains out due to his calf problem.

 

Southampton v Swansea

Sunday, 2:15pm, St Mary’s

Southampton will assess forward Jay Rodriguez ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Swansea.

Rodriguez came off the bench to score a last-minute goal in the 3-0 Europa League win over Sparta Prague on Thursday evening, and manager Claude Puel reported him as a fitness concern.

Puel made seven changes for the European tie, so the likes of Charlie Austin, who scored twice, and midfielder James Ward-Prowse could be back on the bench. Club-record signing Sofiane Boufal remains out with a knee injury, as does right-back Jeremy Pied.

Jay Rodriguez Shane Long Southampton

Swansea are set to return to a four-man defence, and that could mean more disappointment for Neil Taylor.

The Wales international was hauled off before half-time of the 2-2 draw against Chelsea last weekend as manager Francesco Guidolin abandoned the experiment of playing three central defenders. Taylor could once again lose out to Stephen Kingsley, who has been first-choice left-back this season, at St Mary’s.

Record signing Borja Baston could make the bench after a thigh injury which has delayed his debut since a £15.5million move from Atletico Madrid, but winger Nathan Dyer has been ruled out for two months with an ankle problem.

 

Tottenham v Sunderland

Sunday, 4:30pm, White Hart Lane

Mousa Dembele is set to make his first Premier League appearance of the season when Tottenham host Sunderland on Sunday.

Dembele came off the bench against Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday but has missed the start of Spurs’ domestic campaign through suspension.

Danny Rose is unavailable for the match at White Hart Lane as he is still recovering from a hamstring strain.

Mousa Dembele: Signs new deal until June 2019

Lee Cattermole and Steven Pienaar are close to returns for Sunderland.

Midfielder Cattermole has not played this season after undergoing hernia surgery, while Pienaar has been nursing a hamstring strain, but both are back in training.

Defender Billy Jones (hip) is also training, but not quite as close to playing again, while striker Victor Anichebe has picked up a thigh problem while working his way towards match fitness, and goalkeeper Vito Mannone (elbow surgery), midfielder Sebastian Larsson (knee) and striker Fabio Borini (groin) remain on the long-term casualty list.