EPL Predictions - Week 8

Arsenal (home vs. Watford)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Lehmann - Djourou, Toure, Hoyte , Gallas - Hleb, Gilberto Silva, Fabregas, Rosicky, - Van Persie, Henry

Subs: Almunia, Flamini, Song, Clichy, Senderos, Aliadiere, Walcott, Adebayor.
Injured: Lauren, Diaby, Baptista, Eboue, Ljungberg
Suspended: None

Team News: Arsenal are without Eboue, Baptista and Ljungberg for the trip of Watford. Senderos and Clichy made midweek appearances in a reserve match but Wenger confirmed that Clichy will only start on the bench. Frenchman Gallas is suffering from a niggling hamstring problem but should start.
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Aston Villa (home vs. Tottenham)
Starting XI: (4-3-3) Sorensen – Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Barry - S. Davis, McCann, Petrov - Agbonlahor, Baros, Angel.
Subs: Taylor, Laursen, Gardner, Berger, Djemba-Djemba, Bouma, Whittingham.
Injured: Cahill, Samuel, Delaney, Moore.
Suspended: None

Team News: Striker Luke Moore has been ruled out for up to six weeks after undergoing shoulder surgery, which means that Baros should be drafted back into the starting xi. Mellberg has recovered from a stomach bug that kept him out of the midweek Sweden game, while Davis has shaken off a dead leg sustained in the midweek international.
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Blackburn (away vs. Liverpool)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Friedel - Neill, T, Khizanishvili, Ooijer, Emerton – Tugay, Bentley, Savage, Gamst Pedersen - Roberts, McCarthy.
Subs: Brown, Henchoz, Todd, Gray, Mokoena, Douglas, McEveley, Matteo, Gallagher, Peter, Jeffers, Nonda.
Injured: Enckelman, Nelsen, Reid.
Suspended: None

Team News: Blackburn keeper Friedel will take a last minute test on his groin today but he should more than likely be available for selection. Neill and Emerton meanwhile, returned late from international duty with Australia and could be too tired to play, although I suspect they will start a game of such magnitude.
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Bolton (away vs. Newcastle)
Starting XI: (4-3-3) Jaaskelainen - Hunt, Ben Haim, Meite, Abdoulaye Faye – Campo, Nolan, Speed - Davies, Diouf, Anelka
Subs: Walker, Tal, Fojut, Q. Fortune, Sissons, Smith, Wolfe, Stelios, Vaz Te
Injured: Gardner, O'Brien, Pedersen
Suspended: None

Team News: Faye is the big doubt after picking up an international injury so Fortune is on standby to jump in at left-back with Ben Haim returning to centre-back. Anelka also picked up a knock in France’s win over Andorra.
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Charlton (away vs. Fulham)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Carson - Young, Fortune, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson - A Faye, Pouso, Rommedahl, A. Reid - D. Bent, Hasselbaink
Subs: Myhre, Sam, Ashton, M Bent, Holland, Hughes, Ambrose, Diawarra, Kishishev, Thomas
Injured: Gibbs, Walker, Sorondo, D. Traore, Lisbie
Suspended: None

Team News: Charlton can call upon a few fresh faces after Pouso, Diawarra and Thomas all return from spells on the sidelines. It is the Uruguayan, Puoso, who should make the starting xi.
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Chelsea (away vs. Reading)
Starting XI: (4-1-3-2) Cech - Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge – Makelele – Essien, Lampard, Robben - Shevchenko, Drogba.
Subs: Hilario, Cudicini, Diarra, Ferreira, A. Cole, Mancienne, Boulahrouz, Mikel, Wright-Phillips, Kalou J. Cole
Injured: None
Suspended: Ballack (3 of 3)

Team News: Ashley Cole looks set to miss out with an injury picked up in midweek and Ballack is still suspended. Joe Cole has returned to training but isn’t at match fitness levels.
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Everton (away vs.Middlesbrough)
Starting XI: (4-3-1-1) Howard – Hibbert, Lescott, Yobo, Valente - Davies, Carsley, Arteta, Osman – Cahill - Johnson.
Subs: Wright, Weir, van der Meyde, Anichebe, Vaughan, Neville, Beattie, Vidarsson, McFadden
Injured: Stubbs, Pistone, Naysmith
Suspended: None

Team News: Phil Neville is a major doubt ahead of this weekends game while Moyes has other injury worries with Valente and Johnson both suffering too.
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Fulham (home vs. Charlton)
Starting XI: (4-1-3-2) Niemi - Queudrue, Knight, Pearce, Rosenior – Bocanegra, - Diop, Volz , M. Brown - McBride, Helguson
Subs: Crossley, N. Jensen, C. Jensen, Zakuani, Timlin, Runstrom, John, Milsom, Routledge.
Injured: Bullard, Elliott, Elrich, Boa Morte, Christanval, Pembridge.
Suspended: None

Team News: Bocanegra has recovered from a groin injury and is available for selection along with Diop and Helguson who return from international duty. Boa Morte will be out until Novermber and Coleman hinted this week that Claus Jensen is at full fitness and could be given time against Charlton on Monday night.
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Liverpool (home vs. Blackburn)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Reina - Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise - Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Pennant – Fowler, Crouch
Subs: Dudek, Warnock, Hyypia, Zenden, Garcia, Aurelio, Paletta, Gonzalez, Bellamy.
Injured: Kewell, Kuyt
Suspended: None

Team News: The magical merry-go-round of Rafa’s team rotation policy continues in vain against Blackburn with the Spaniard set to rest a few players in between internationals and the European Cup. Agger is expected to start even with his broken hand, while Sissoko is a slight doubt after suffering an ankle injury with Mali (you can see why the clubs want compensation with all these international injuries..) but Rafa said it wasn’t too bad. Fowler should be ok after having back troubles and Rafa may take a gamble on starting the King of the Kop.
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Man City (away vs. Everton)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Weaver - Trabelsi, Dunne, Distin, Jordan - Sinclair, Miller, Barton, Hamann - Corradi, Samaras
Subs: Hart, Ireland, Richards, Sun Jihai, Beasley, Reyna, Mills, Sturridge, Dickov, Vassell
Injured: Isaksson, Onuoha, Dabo
Unavailable: None
Suspended: Thatcher

Team News: Nicky Weaver is the big doubt ahead of Sheffield game but sources inside Eastland are confident that the player will start after a back complaint on Friday. Richards is also a major doubt with a calf injury so Trabelsi could come in for him on the left-berth. Pearce should revert to the winning 4-4-2 formation with the impressive Corradi returning to partner Samaras. Beasley will have a late fitness test but the “locomotive” Miller should start on the right flank. In other news… Sun Jihai will not shave his beard off until he gets a start – that’s going to be one long beard.
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Man Utd (away vs. Wigan)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Van der Sar - R. Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, G. Neville - Fletcher, Carrick, Ronaldo, Scholes - Saha, Rooney.
Subs: Kuszczak, W. Brown, Richardson, Smith, O’Shea, D. Jones.
Injured: Park, Giggs, Silvestre, Heinze
Suspended: None

Team News: Ronaldo picked up a slight knock in the international week but should be ok to face Wigan.
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Middlesbrough (home vs. Everton)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Schwarzer – Davies, Huth, Pogatetz, Taylor– Morrison, Rochemback, Downing, Boateng – Yakubu, Viduka
Subs: Turnbull, Parnaby, Bates, Mendieta, Johnson, Cattermole, J. Euell Christie, Maccarone.
Injured: Ehiogu, Arca, Riggott, Parlour, Woodgate.
Suspended: None

Team News: Boro are without injured Woodgate so Huth gets a call up into the team.
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Newcastle (home vs.Bolton)
Starting XI: (4-5-1) Harper – Carr, Ramage, Bramble, Moore – Milner, Parker, Emre, Duff – Martins, Ameobi
Subs: Krul, Srnicek, O’Brien, Solano, Taylor, Luque, N’Zogbia, Rossi
Injured: Owen, Dyer, Given, Bernard.
Suspended: Babayaro (3 0f 3)

Team News: Solano returns to the squad and could get a recall at the expense of Milner on the right. Carr and Bramble have also recovered from injuries and should return to the team.
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Porstmouth (home vs. West Ham)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) James – Primus, Campbell, Johnson, Stefanovic – O’Neill, Davis, Mendes, M. Taylor – Benjani, Kanu
Subs: Kiely, Jordan, Pamarot, Krancjar, Thompson, Douala, Fernandes, Hughes, O’Brien, Cole, LuaLua
Injured:
Suspended: None

Team News: Kanu has overcome a hamstring problem and should partner Benjani as Redknapp tries to return to winning ways. Matt Taylor is also pushing for a recall to the side.
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Reading (home vs. Chelsea)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Hahnemann – Murty, Sonko, Ingmarrson, Shorey – Seol, Harper, Sidwell, Convey – Doyle, Lita
Subs: Stack, Hunt, Oster, Halls, Gunnarsson, Long, Little, Osano, Cox.
Injured: Brown, Kitson, Sodje, Mate
Suspended: None

Team News: Reading have injury worries to Murty and Doyle but both are expected to start.
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Sheffield Utd (away vs. Man City)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Bennett - Armstrongl, Davis, Jagielka, Bromby – Gillespie, Tonge, Leigertwood, A. Quinn – Hulse, Kabba.
Subs: Kenny, Kozluk, Lucketti, Morgan, Geary, Unsworth, S. Quinn, Li Tie, Akinbiyi, Kazim-Richards, Short, Montgomery, Wright, Webber, Shipperley
Injured:
Suspended: None

Team News: Kenny is a major doubt ahead of the trip to City and should be replaced by Bennett (yet another international injury). Warnock will try to retain the same side that beat Boro’ apart from Kazim-Richards, who picked up a knee injury in training this week.
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Tottenham (away vs. Aston Villa)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Robinson – Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto – Murphy, Zokora, Davids, Jenas – Berbatov, Defoe
Subs: Cerny, Stalteri, Davenport, Gardner, Lennon, Ziegler, Huddlestone, Barnard, Ghaly, Keane, Mido
Injured: Malbranque, Tainio, Lee
Suspended: None

Team News:.Chimbonda and Defoe have passed late fitness tests and are available for the trip to Aston Villa but King will undergo a late fitness test and is a slight doubt but Gardner is on standby after returning from injury. Mido will have a late fitness test while Davids should come into the squad to bolster the midfield. Korean Lee is absent with an ankle problem he picked up in midweek.
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Watford (away vs. Arsenal)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Foster – Powell, Shittu, Mackay, DeMerit – Bouazza, Francis, Mahon, Smith – Young, King
Subs: Lee, Mariappa, Doyley, Stewart, Jarrett, Spring, Bangura, McNamee, Priskin.
Injured: Carlisle,
Suspended:

Team News: Powell has returned from four weeks on the sidelines and is in strong contention to replace Stewart at left-back. The rest of the team should remain unchanged with the impressive Ashley Young starting upfront alongside Marlon King.
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West Ham (away vs. Portsmouth)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Carroll – Mears, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky – Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Etherington, Mascherano – Zamora, Harewood
Subs: Green, Spector, Cole, Dailly, Collins, Mullins, Reid, Sheringham, Tevez.
Injured: McCartney, Ashton, Paintsil, Bowyer
Suspended: Newton

Team News: West Ham welcome back Ferdinand and Mears at the back, while there is a slight doubt over Gabbidon and Tevez.
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Wigan (home vs. Man Utd)
Starting XI: (4-4-2) Kirkland – Baines, De Zeeuw, Hall, Boyce – Kilbane, Landzaat, Scharner, Valencia – Heskey, Camara
Subs: Pollitt, Wright, McMillan, Webster, Jackson, Johansson, Todorov, McCulloch
Injured: Taylor, Teale
Suspended: None

Team News: Wigan are unchanged.

Note: Those denoted in red indicates doubts