Prem Preview (30/12/06-02/01/07)

Pompey are travelling again, this time to an opponent in the shape of Bolton that we are battling with for European football in our latest Barclays Premiership match, what about the others.

Saturday 30/12/06
Blackburn v Middlesbrough, 15:00
Blackburn have no fresh injury worries as Brad Friedel (dead leg) should be fit whilst Francis Jeffers (hamstring) is back in training.

James Morrison should come in for Gaizka Mendieta whilst Abel Xavier will probably start from the bench. Julio Arca (hip) is a doubt while Robert Huth (foot) is out for the next couple of weeks at least.

Charlton v Aston Villa, 12:45
Jerome Thomas (virus) is a doubt while Amdy Faye (unknown injury) is struggling. They could join the already injured Andy Reid (hamstring) and Luke Young (knee) who are out.

Stilian Petrov (hamstring), Olof Mellberg (knee) and Aaron Hughes (leg) are doubts but could return. Chris Sutton has joined Luke Moore (shoulder), Thomas Sorensen, Stuart Taylor and Mark Delaney (all knee) and Martin Laursen (medial knee ligament) on the injury list.

Chelsea v Fulham, 15:00
Khalid Boulahrouz, Ashley Cole and Andrei Shevchenko could return in place of Paulo Ferreira, Wayne Bridge and Salomon Kalou respectively. Carlo Cudicini (muscular problem) is likely to miss out again so Hilario will continue. Joe Cole (fractured foot) is still out.

Collins John will replace Heidar Helguson (suspension) but Claus Jensen (groin) is out. Luis Boa Morte is fit enough to return to the bench.

Everton v Newcastle, 15:00
Phil Neville (suspension) returns but Alan Stubbs (knee) is still out along with Tim Cahill, Tony Hibbert and Alessandro Pistone, although Stubbs and Cahill are nearing returns.

Shay Given and Nolberto Solano (groin) both require late fitness checks. Among several others Celestine Babayaro (hamstring) and Damien Duff (knee) are out.

Man Utd v Reading, 15:00
Michael Carrick returns and will replace Paul Scholes (suspension). Rio Ferdinand also returns in place of Nemanja Vidic (also suspension).

Reading have no fresh injury worries. Bobby Convey and Dave Kitson are both on the road to recovery but will not feature.

Sheff Utd v Arsenal, 17:15
Danny Webber, Claude Davis, Michael Tonge and Keith Gillespie (all virus) will need late fitness checks but Stephen Quinn (fibula) and Derek Geary (thigh) are both definitely out.

Emmanuel Adebayor (thigh) is out so Julio Baptista may come in. Johan Djourou (hamstring) and Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) are doubts but Lauren may return to the squad after a long term injury.

Tottenham v Liverpool, 15:00
Robbie Keane (knee) and Jermaine Jenas (ankle) are still out whilst Aaron Lennon (knee) and Mido (groin) are still doubtful.

Liverpool have no fresh injury worries; Jermaine Pennant and Luis Garcia are pressing for recalls while Peter Crouch may drop out in place of Dirk Kuyt.

Watford v Wigan, 15:00
Danny Shittu (ankle) needs a fitness test. Hameur Bouazza (shoulder) could be out for a month or more. He joins Marlon King (knee), James Chambers (gash) and Clarke Carlisle (muscle) on the sidelines.

Arjan de Zeeuw (toe) returns but Paul Scharner (knee) has had surgery and will be out for two months, he joins Henri Camara (knee) and Lee McCulloch (suspension) in missing out.

West Ham v Man City, 15:00
Nigel Reo-Coker and Paul Konchesky (both suspension), James Collins (groin) and Dean Ashton (broken ankle) are all out.

With Dietmar Hamann (back), Claudio Reyna (hamstring) and Joey Barton (suspension) out Micah Richards may play a midfield role. Paul Dickov (toe) and Darius Vassell (groin) are doubtful.


As with the Christmas fixtures a Premiership review will take place on Saturday's games Saturday evening or Sunday morning with a review of the New Years Day and Tuesdays games taking place on Wednesday. With it being the drinking season (New Years Eve etc!) I will not be doing a Premiership preview for the New Years Day games but here are the fixtures anyway.

New Years Day will see us entertain Spurs as we once again face an opponent who we will most likely be battling it out with come May if we are going to get into Europe.

Monday 01/01/07
Fulham v Watford, 15:00
Liverpool v Bolton, 12:45
Man City v Everton, 15:00
Middlesbrough v Sheff Utd, 15:00
Newcastle v Man Utd, 17:15
Portsmouth v Tottenham, 15:00
Reading v West Ham, 15:00
Wigan v Blackburn, 15:00

Tuesday 02/01/07
Arsenal v Charlton, 19:45
Aston Villa v Chelsea, 20:00

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