English Premier Leaugue : Match Previews : week 13

[zoris]

• 15th Nov 2008

Bolton Wanderers (11th) v Liverpool (2nd)

CET : 13.45
Ground: Reebock stadium

Last 6 results

Bolton Wanderers
Hull - Bolton 0 - 1
Bolton - Man City 2 - 0
Bolton - Everton 0 - 1
Tottenham - Bolton 2 - 0
Bolton - Blackburn 0 - 0
West Ham - Bolton 1 - 3

Liverpool
Tottenham - Liverpool 4 - 2
Liverpool - West Brom 3 - 0
Liverpool - Atletico Madrid 1 - 1
Tottenham - Liverpool 2 - 1
Liverpool - Portsmouth 1 - 0
Chelsea - Liverpool 0 - 1

Liverpool bid to bounce back from their Carling Cup defeat at Tottenham Hotspur by returning to the top of the Barclays Premier League.
The Merseysiders need at least a draw from this lunchtime kick-off against a Bolton Wanderers side chasing a third successive top-flight victory.
Gary Megson's side beat Manchester City in their last match at the Reebok, but have not completed back-to-back home wins since the end of last season.
Liverpool are still enjoying their best start to a Premier League season under Rafa Benitez, despite the loss to Tottenham in their last away fixture.
The Reds have not suffered successive Premier League defeats on the road since May 2007.
Liverpool have won their last three meetings with Bolton and took three points from the Reebok for the first time in five visits from last season's corresponding fixture in March.
On six of the last eight occasions when these clubs have met, the side playing at home has kept a clean sheet.

Bolton team news
Bolton captain Kevin Nolan returns from suspension. The boyhood Reds supporter served a one-match ban during last weekend's 1-0 victory at Hull but he should make an immediate return to the starting line-up. Wanderers boss Gary Megson has no other concerns and could discard the 4-4-2 formation he used at the KC Stadium, reverting to a 4-5-1 and bringing back Nolan at Johan Elmander's expense.

Liverpool team news
Liverpool can expect to have their big guns back for the Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton. Boss Rafael Benitez retained only Daniel Agger from the side that beat West Bromwich Albion last weekend for the Carling Cup defeat at Spurs on Wednesday. But Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Robbie Keane and Xabi Alonso are expected to play at the Reebok. Full-back Philipp Degan picked up a foot injury at White Hart Lane, while Jermaine Pennant is unlikely to figure after being left out of the last two squads.

Squads
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, A O'Brien, Samuel, Nolan, Riga, McCann, J O'Brien, Muamba, Gardner, Taylor, Davies, Elmander, Al Habsi, Shittu, Smolarek, Helguson, Basham, Cohen, Fojut.
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Riera, Kuyt, Torres, Keane, Cavalieri, Hyypia, Benayoun, Babel, Lucas, Dossena, El Zhar.

[zoris]

Arsenal (3rd) v Aston Villa (5th)
CET : 16:00
Ground : Emirates Stadium

Last 6 results

Arsenal
Arsenal - Wigan 3 - 0
Arsenal - Man Utd 2 - 1
Arsenal - Fenerbahce 0 - 0
Stoke - Arsenal 2 - 1
Arsenal - Tottenham 4 - 4
West Ham - Arsenal 0 - 2

Aston Villa
Aston Villa - Middlesbrough 1 - 2
Slavia Prague - Aston Villa 0 - 1
Newcastle - Aston Villa 2 - 0
Aston Villa - Blackburn 3 - 2
Wigan - Aston Villa 0 - 4
Aston Villa - Ajax 2 - 1

Arsenal have not lost a home Premier League game against a Midlands club under Arsene Wenger while Villa have won only one of the last 26 league visits to the capital in more than four years.
The Gunners are unbeaten in 19 Premier League matches against Villa. They have won 13 and drawn six since Villa prevailed by the odd goal in five at Villa Park on 13 December 1998.
Villa have drawn both their Premier League visits to the Emirates Stadium 1-1. They had failed to claim a single point from their eight previous trips to Highbury.
The Midlanders have not won on Gunners' turf since back-to-back victories in their first two Premier League trips to Highbury on 12th April 1993 (0-1, with Tony Daley the scorer), and on 6th November 1993 (1-2, with Guy Whittingham and Andy Townsend netting).

Martin O'Neill began his Aston Villa managerial reign with a 1-1 draw away to Arsenal in August 2006, and desperately needs something from this trip, having lost ground of late with back-to-back defeats.

Arsenal team news
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia could both return to Arsenal's starting-line-up after recovering from injury.
Adebayor damaged his ankle against Stoke a fortnight ago but is back in the squad, while Almunia has returned after taking a blow to the head in the victory over Manchester United last weekend and should start in place of Lukasz Fabianski.
However, the Gunners will be without Robin van Persie who is suspended, and Emmanuel Eboue who is still struggling with a knee problem.

Villa team news
Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov and right-back Luke Young could return from injuries for the Barclays Premier League fixture against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Petrov has missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury while Young was ruled out of the meetings with Slavia Prague and Middlesbrough with a thigh problem.
Striker John Carew remains a doubt with a hip injury and, if he is side-lined, Gabriel Agbonlahor could again be supported by James Milner in the second striker role.

Squads
Arsenal: Almunia, Fabianski, Diaby, Sagna, Fabregas, Toure, Nasri, Gallas, Vela, Walcott, Denilson, Ramsey, Song, Silvestre, Wilshere, Gibbs, Djourou, Clichy, Bendtner, Adebayor.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Guzan, Luke Young, Cuellar, Davies, Laursen, Shorey, Milner, Sidwell, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Carew, Harewood, Gardner, Routledge, Salifou, Knight, Delfouneso.

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Blackburn Rovers (15th) v Sunderland (19th)
CET : 16:00
Ground: Ewood Park

Last 6 results

Blackburn Rovers
Sunderland - Blackburn 1 - 2
Blackburn - Chelsea 0 - 2
West Brom - Blackburn 2 - 2
Aston Villa - Blackburn 3 - 2
Blackburn - Middlesbrough 1 - 1
Bolton - Blackburn 0 - 0

Sunderland
Sunderland - Blackburn 1 - 2
Sunderland - Portsmouth 1 - 2
Chelsea - Sunderland 5 - 0
Stoke - Sunderland 1 - 0
Sunderland - Newcastle 2 - 1
Fulham - Sunderland 0 - 0


Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland lock horns for the second time in a week, and three days after Rovers won 2-1 at the Stadium of Light to claim a place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Rovers' current run of six matches without victory is the longest in the Barclays Premier League. Sunderland have lost their last three league fixtures - plus the midweek Carling Cup defeat which was Rovers' first win in any competition for just under seven weeks.
Paul Ince's Rovers are chasing only their second home win of this league campaign; Roy Keane's Black Cats travel in search of their second away win.
Sunderland have gained just one victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park in the Premier League. Niall Quinn got a brace, and Kevin Kilbane the other in a 0-3 victory on Boxing Day 2001.
That victory is their only maximum in 12 league visits since 1977.

Blackburn team news
Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy has been ruled out because of a family bereavement.
Roque Santa Cruz is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after scoring in midweek in the Carling Cup victory against the same opponents after recovering from a hamstring strain.
Andre Ooijer is also in contention following a knee problem but Keith Andrews remains doubtful with a similar injury.

Sunderland team news
Sunderland manager Roy Keane will hope Kenwyne Jones has suffered no reaction to his midweek outing as he sends his side out against Blackburn for the second time in four days.
Jones was a surprise inclusion for Wednesday night's 2-1 Carling Cup fourth-round defeat by Rovers after being given the all-clear over his knee injury and could continue at Ewood Park.
However, keeper Craig Gordon (ankle) and full-back George McCartney (foot) remain doubts, while young striker Martyn Waghorn (ankle) is still missing.

Squads
Blackburn: Robinson, Brown, Simpson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Khizanishvili, Olsson, Warnock, Mokoena, Andrews, Tugay, Treacy, Pedersen, Roberts, Derbyshire, Villanueva, Santa Cruz, Fowler.
Sunderland: Fulop, Colgan, Bardsley, Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Nosworthy, Collins, Malbranque, Whitehead, Tainio, Leadbitter, Miller, Yorke, Richardson, Reid, Diouf, Cisse, Jones, Murphy, Healy, Henderson, Meyler, Kay.

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Fulham (10th) v Tottenham Hotspur (16th)
CET : 16:00
Ground: Craven Cottage

Last 6 results

Fulham
Fulham - Newcastle 2 - 1
Everton - Fulham 1 - 0
Fulham - Wigan 2 - 0
Portsmouth - Fulham 1 - 1
Fulham - Sunderland 0 - 0
West Brom - Fulham 1 - 0

Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham - Liverpool 4 - 2
Man City - Tottenham 1 - 2
Tottenham - Dinamo Zagreb 4 - 0
Tottenham - Liverpool 2 - 1
Arsenal - Tottenham 4 - 4
Tottenham - Bolton 2 - 0

Tottenham Hotspur boast the joint longest current unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League. They have not lost in four league matches, taking 10 points since Harry Redknapp replaced Juande Ramos as manager.
The resurgent Spurs would leapfrog Fulham with a victory and could move into the top half.
Fulham are hoping to complete three successive home wins in a single Premier League campaign for the first time in over two seasons; Spurs are aiming to clinch their first back-to-back away league victories since the season before last.
The Cottagers are unbeaten in six home league matches against Spurs who have not won at Craven cottage since their 0-2 victory on 24th March 2002 when Teddy Sheringham and Gus Poyet were the scorers.
The two most recent corresponding fixtures were drawn, and followed four straight home wins by Fulham over their North London opponents.
The two league matches between Fulham and Tottenham last season produced a total of 12 goals.

Fulham team news
Fulham have welcomed back forward Seol Ki-Hyeon (knee) and defender Toni Kallio (virus). Midfielder Dickson Etuhu has resumed training following a knee injury but is not yet ready for first-team action. Manager Roy Hodgson is still without long-term absentee Diomansy Kamara (knee).

Spurs team news
Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas has recovered from a toe injury and is back in the squad for the Barclays Premier League match at Fulham. Left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto is back from suspension, Heurelho Gomes should be fit despite his recent head injury but Giovani dos Santos is out with an ankle injury. Skipper Ledley King could return after being rested in midweek against Liverpool in the Carling Cup.

Squads
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Bullard, Murphy, Gera, Zamora, Johnson, Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gray, Dempsey, Andreasen, Kallio, Baird, Seol, Stoor.

Spurs: Gomes, Cesar, Hutton, Bale, Gunter, Dawson, Woodgate, Corluka, O'Hara, Zokora, Bentley, Huddlestone, Jenas, Gilberto, Modric, Bostock, Dervite, Lennon, Bent, Campbell, Pavlyuchenko, Stalteri, Rocha, Taarabt, Boateng, Ghaly, Assou-Ekotto.

[zoris]

Manchester United (4th) v Stoke City (12th)
CET : 16:00
Ground: Old Trafford

Last 6 results

Manchester United
Man Utd - QPR 1 - 0
Arsenal - Man Utd 2 - 1
Celtic - Man Utd 1 - 1
Man Utd - Hull 4 - 3
Man Utd - West Ham 2 - 0
Everton - Man Utd 1 - 1

Stoke City
Stoke - Rotherham 2 - 0
Wigan - Stoke 0 - 0
Stoke - Arsenal 2 - 1
Stoke - Sunderland 1 - 0
Man City - Stoke 3 - 0
Stoke - Tottenham 2 - 1

Manchester United will be aiming for a fifth successive home win as they welcome newly-promoted Stoke City who have already ground out goalless draws at Liverpool and Wigan Athletic.
The Potters have picked up seven points from a last possible nine, a run which includes a notable 2-1 victory at home to Arsenal who last Saturday ended United's seven-match unbeatenrun in the Barclays Premier League.
Stoke will be looking for their first ever away win in the Barclays Premier League while Sir Alex Ferguson's men are in danger of losing successive matches for the first time in 130 Premier League outings since losing away to Norwich and Everton on 9th and 20th April 2005 respectively.
City are going for their first victory at Old Trafford in 32 years, since their 0-1 top-flight triumph on 21 April 1976 when Alan Bloor scored the winner.

Man Utd team news
Sir Alex Ferguson expects Wayne Rooney to shrug off a slight chest infection in time to face Stoke at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Rooney missed a couple of days' training this week but Ferguson is confident he will be fit as Manchester United look to bounce back from last Saturday's reverse at Arsenal.
Wholesale changes are expected from the midweek Carling Cup win over Queens Park Rangers, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov and Rio Ferdinand among those who can expect a recall.

Stoke team news
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis is hoping striker Mamady Sidibe will be fit for the Barclays Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Sidibe suffered an ankle injury in the draw with Wigan Athletic and missed the Carling Cup victory over League Two side Rotherham United.
After making wholesale changes in midweek, Pulis is set to revert to the side that secured a point last Saturday .

Squads
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Park, Anderson, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Fletcher, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez.
Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Olofinjana, Amdy Faye, Diao, Delap, Sidibe, Fuller, Whelan, Cresswell, Kitson, Simonsen, Wilkinson, Cort, Tong, Pugh, Dickinson.

[zoris]

Newcastle United (18th) v Wigan Athletic (17th)
CET : 16:00
Ground: St James' Park, Newcastle

Last 6 results

Newcastle United
Fulham - Newcastle 2 - 1
Newcastle - Aston Villa 2 - 0
Newcastle - West Brom 2 - 1
Sunderland - Newcastle 2 - 1
Newcastle - Man City 2 - 2
Everton - Newcastle 2 - 2

Wigan Athletic
Arsenal - Wigan 3 - 0
Wigan - Stoke 0 - 0
Portsmouth - Wigan 1 - 2
Fulham - Wigan 2 - 0
Wigan - Aston Villa 0 - 4
Liverpool - Wigan 3 - 2

All six Premier League meetings between Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic have been won by the club playing at home.
This season the clubs have identical records of three wins, three draws and six defeats, averaging a point a match.
Honours are even in all competitions between these clubs. They have met each other nine times in the Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup with four wins apiece and one draw.
Wigan have never won in any competition at St James' Park.

Newcastle team news
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is out. The England Under-21s skipper missed Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Fulham with a groin problem and is not yet ready to return, so Claudio Cacapa, who deputised at Craven Cottage, and Sebastien Bassong are standing by. Michael Owen is again likely to start on the bench, but although Mark Viduka (Achilles) has returned to training, the match will come too soon for him. Xisco (hamstring) and Igancio Gonzalez (Achilles) are both on the casualty list, as is Alan Smith (stress fracture of the foot).
Wigan team news
Wigan manager Steve Bruce is sweating on the fitness of Emile Heskey ahead of Saturday's trip to Newcastle. The England striker, who aggravated a long-standing hamstring problem against Stoke City last weekend and missed the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal, is rated 50-50 to return. Daniel de Ridder deputised at the Emirates and is standing by to again feature in a five-man midfield, although Bruce could elect for a more attacking line-up and pair Henri Camara up front with top scorer Amr Zaki. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland strained his back at Arsenal but is expected to keep his place at St James' Park, while skipper Mario Melchiot will also feature despite picking up a knock in the week.

Squads
Newcastle: Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, Bassong, Coloccini, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Barton, Guthrie, Duff, Gutierrez, Geremi, Ameobi, Owen, Martins, Carroll.
Wigan: Kirkland, Kingson, Pollitt, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Taylor, Kilbane, De Ridder, Valencia, Palacios, Brown, Cattermole, Koumas, Kapo, Heskey, Zaki, Camara.

[zoris]

West Ham United (14th) v Portsmouth (9th)
CET : 16:00
Ground: Upton Park

Last 6 results

West Ham United
West Ham - Everton 1 - 3
Middlesbrough - West Ham 1 - 1
Man Utd - West Ham 2 - 0
West Ham - Arsenal 0 - 2
Hull - West Ham 1 - 0
West Ham - Bolton 1 - 3

Portsmouth
Sunderland - Portsmouth 1 - 2
Portsmouth - Wigan 1 - 2
Liverpool - Portsmouth 1 - 0
Portsmouth - Fulham 1 - 1
Braga - Portsmouth 3 - 0
Aston Villa - Portsmouth 0 - 0

West Ham United have lost five of the last six, taking just one point out of 18 and are bottom of the "Form" table.
New manager Gianfranco Zola won his first two Barclays Premier League games in charge of the East London club while opposite number Tony Adams lost his first two at the helm of Pompey in succession to Harry Redknapp.
Both clubs appear vulnerable in the last 15 minutes with the Hammers shipping eight goals and Portsmouth six.
West Ham have lost every home Premier League meeting with Pompey and have not beaten them in a top-flight match at Upton Park for half a century, since trouncing them 6-0 on 20th December 1958.
The Hammers have failed to score in three of the last four Premier League matches against Portsmouth.

West Ham team news
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami is back from a calf problem for the Barclays Premier League match against Portsmouth at Upton Park.
James Tomkins is fit again, while striker Carlton Cole returns from suspension.
Kieron Dyer has been training with the first-team again but it not ready for a return, and Diego Tristan is still out after taking a knock in the reserves.

Portsmouth team news
Captain Sol Campbell could again be missing from Portsmouth's defence after suffering a toe injury. Campbell returned for Pompey's last two matches after missing the previous two with a hamstring problem and Younes Kaboul is on standby to replace him at centre back.
John Utaka's likely absence with a stomach virus should mean another start for Niko Kranjcar, who was back in the starting line-up last week for the first time since an ankle operation in August, while another wide man, Glen Little is also back in contention after a hamstring tear.
Fellow winger Jerome Thomas will resume full training on Monday following a back problem.

Squads
West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Faubert, Parker, Collison, Mullins, Boa Morte, Bowyer, Bellamy, Sears, Etherington, Walker, Lastuvka, Lopez, Tomkins, Di Michele, Davenport, Behrami, Cole, Noble, Tomkins, Reid.
Portsmouth: James; Johnson, Kaboul, Distin, Pamarot, Kranjcar, Davis, Diarra, Belhadj, A Traore, Defoe, Crouch, Campbell, Diop, Hughes, Little, Kanu, Utaka, Nugent, Hreidarsson, Ashdown.

[zoris]

West Bromwich Albion (20th) v Chelsea (1st)
CET : 18:30
Ground: The Hawthorns

Last 6 results

West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool - West Brom 3 - 0
West Brom - Blackburn 2 - 2
Newcastle - West Brom 2 - 1
West Brom - Hull 0 - 3
Man Utd - West Brom 4 - 0
West Brom - Fulham 1 - 0

Chelsea
Chelsea - Burnley 1 - 1
Blackburn - Chelsea 0 - 2
Roma - Chelsea 3 - 1
Chelsea - Sunderland 5 - 0
Hull - Chelsea 0 - 3
Chelsea - Liverpool 0 - 1

West Bromwich Albion are the only club not to have enjoyed a half-time lead in any Barclays Premier League game this season.
By contrast, Chelsea are the only side not to have conceded a single goal in the second half.
The Blues are defending a 100 per cent Premier League record over West Brom of six wins out of six, with an aggregate of 15-2.
The Baggies have not gained a single home point against the Londoners since a 1-0 top-flight victory on 14 March 1979, when Alistair Brown scored the winner.

West Brom team news
West Brom centre-back Abdoulaye Meite will return to the squad for the visit of Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea if he suffers no reaction to his calf after returning to training on Thursday.
Meite sustained the initial injury against his former club Bolton Wanderers in late August and then broke down in the warm-up before the home match with Aston Villa three weeks later.
Midfielder James Morrison is also in contention after overcoming a back problem. Defender Neil Clement (knee) is the only long-term casualty as bottom-placed Albion look to pull off a shock and improve on a record of one point from the last five games.

Chelsea team news
Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will add youngsters Miroslav Stoch and Michael Woods to his injury-hit squad.
Alex (thigh), Juliano Belletti (ankle), Franco Di Santo (hamstring), Ricardo Carvalho (knee), Michael Essien (knee), and Joe Cole (hamstring) are all out.
Left-back Ashley Cole is fit enough to travel along with Michael Ballack but both are likely to start on the bench.

Squads
West Brom: Carson, Kiely, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Morrison, Greening, Koren, Valero, Brunt, Miller, Bednar, Hoefkens, Cech, Do-Heon, Moore, MacDonald, Pele, Teixeira, Meite.
Chelsea: Cech, Cudicini, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Deco, Obi, Sinclair, Stoch, Woods, Kalou, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba, Ferreira.

[zoris]

Sunday 16th November 2008

Everton (7th) v Middlesbrough (8th)
# CET : 14:30
# Ground: Goodison Park

Last 6 results

Everton
West Ham - Everton 1 - 3
Everton - Fulham 1 - 0
Bolton - Everton 0 - 1
Everton - Man Utd 1 - 1
Arsenal - Everton 3 - 1
Everton - Newcastle 2 - 2

Middlesbrough
Aston Villa - Middlesbrough 1 - 2
Middlesbrough - West Ham 1 - 1
Middlesbrough - Man City 2 - 0
Blackburn - Middlesbrough 1 - 1
Middlesbrough - Chelsea 0 - 5
Wigan - Middlesbrough 0 - 1

Everton and Middlesbrough both boast four-match unbeaten runs in the Barclays Premier League.
The Toffees are hoping to mark David Moyes' 250th Premier League match in charge by securing a fourth successive win for the first time since March.
Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough are looking to gain back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
The Toffees are at their most dangerous in the final 15 minutes when eight of their 18 goals have been scored; the Teessiders are at their most vulnerable in the final quarter-four, when seven of their 17 goals have been conceded.
If this game does not finish goalless, Middlesbrough will have completed the equivalent of an entire Premier League season of 38 matches without a no-score draw.
Everton did the double over Middlesbrough last season, and are unbeaten in eight home league matches against them.
Middlesbrough have picked up just three points from the possible 24 at Goodison Park since a 0-2 end-of-season triumph on 14th May 2000, when Brian Deane and Juninho were on target.

Everton team news
Ayegbeni Yakubu should return to the Everton starting line-up against his former club after recovering from a heel injury. The striker missed the 3-1 victory over West Ham last week with the complaint but manager David Moyes has confirmed he is back to full fitness. Midfielder Steven Pienaar also returns following an ankle problem and Marouane Fellaini will replace Jack Rodwell after completing a one-match suspension.
Middlesbrough team news
Manager Gareth Southgate is ready to name an unchanged Middlesbrough side for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Everton. With top scorer Mido struggling to overcome a frustrating groin injury and Justin Hoyte impressing at right-back in last weekend's 2-1 win at Aston Villa, Southgate has no compelling reasons to shuffle his pack. That would mean David Wheater making do with a place on the bench for the second match running, which could hamper his hopes of winning an England call-up ahead of Wednesday's friendly in Germany.

Squads
Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Arteta, Cahill, Rodwell, Vaughan, Fellaini, Osman, Yakubu, Saha, Hibbert, Anichebe, Baines, Nash, Castillo, Jutkiewicz, Gosling.
Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Hoyte, Taylor, Riggott, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Digard, Aliadiere, Downing, Tuncay, Alves, Jones, Wheater, Grounds, Arca, Walker, Johnson A, Emnes.

[zoris]

Hull City (6th) v Manchester City (13th)
# KO 17:00
# Ground: Kingston Communications Stadium

Last 6 results

Hull City
Hull - Bolton 0 - 1
Man Utd - Hull 4 - 3
Hull - Chelsea 0 - 3
West Brom - Hull 0 - 3
Hull - West Ham 1 - 0
Tottenham - Hull 0 - 1

Manchester City
Man City - Tottenham 1 - 2
Man City - FC Twente 3 - 2
Bolton - Man City 2 - 0
Middlesbrough - Man City 2 - 0
Man City - Stoke 3 - 0
Newcastle - Man City 2 - 2

Manchester City make their first ever visit to the KC Stadium to meet Barclays Premier League newcomers Hull City.
Both clubs are going through their worst spells under their current managers with both losing their last three Barclays Premier League matches.
Manchester City have not claimed maximum league points in East Yorkshire since their very first visit to the Tigers on 2nd October 1909, when they achieved a 1-2 triumph in the old Second Division.
Both league meetings when these two last met in 1988-89 in the old Second Division were home wins.

Hull City team news
Hull City strikers Marlon King and Dean Windass must wait to find out if they have paid the price for a midweek bust-up when boss Phil Brown picks his side.
Assistant manager Brian Horton insists the incident has been dealt with but while Windass has been a peripheral figure, King has been a key man in the Tigers' impressive start to the season.
Defender Andy Dawson looks unlikely to shake off a training ground knock, meaning Wales international Sam Ricketts should return.

Man City team news
Richard Dunne and Gelson Fernandes both serve one-match bans as Manchester City look to get their season back on track with a win over Hull City at the KC Stadium on Sunday.
The pair were both sent off in last weekend's home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, a result that left the Blues anchored in the bottom half of the table.
Daniel Sturridge (ankle) is a doubt but Vincent Kompany should return after a groin problem.

Squads
Hull City: Myhill, McShane, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Marney, Hughes, Boateng, Geovanni, King, Cousin, Barmby, Garcia, Windass, Mendy, Halmosi, Folan, Ricketts, Giannakopoulos, Duke, Ashbee.
Man City: Hart, Schmeichel, Zabaleta, Onouha, Richards, Ben Haim, Garrido, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Kompany, Elano, Robinho, Jo, Hamann, Evans, Benjani, Vassell, Caicedo, Berti.