Brighton vs Bournemouth
The American Express Community Stdium, Susex
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @3:30pm
Ref: Paul Tierney
Brighton defender Lewis Dunk missed the Boxing Day match against Tottenham because of illness and will be assessed for the visit of Bournemouth. Davy Propper, Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay are among the players pushing for a return to the starting line-up.
Bournemouth defender Simon Francis remains a doubt with the bruised knee which kept him out of the home draw against Arsenal. Full-back Diego Rico is available again after serving a one-match suspension.
Brighton are without a win in the past 10 league meetings, drawing four and losing six. That run includes a 5-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season, their heaviest home league loss since December 1973. Bournemouth are unbeaten in five away games against Brighton in all competitions, winning two and drawing three.
Newcastle United vs Everton
St. James Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Lee Mason
Newcastle, who came from two goals down to win 3-2 in last season’s corresponding fixture, have not won back-to-back league games against Everton since December 2002. Everton have won on four of their past six Premier League visits to Newcastle.
Newcastle defender Javier Manquillo has a calf muscle problem and will be assessed ahead of Saturday’s game. Paul Dummett is another doubt, because of a groin injury, while Ki Sung-yueng may remain unavailable due to illness.
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed he will make numerous changes to the starting line-up in order to protect his players from injuries. Theo Walcott, Michael Keane, Tom Davies and Leighton Baines could all be recalled, but Alex Iwobi remains out.
Southampton vs Crystal Palace
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Andy Madley
Southampton will assess the condition of Shane Long, who missed the win over Chelsea because of a knee injury. Moussa Djenepo remains out with a hamstring injury but Kevin Danso has recovered from illness.
Patrick van Aanholt sustained another hamstring problem against Chelsea, adding to Palace’s injury crisis. Christian Benteke missed that game with a muscle problem and joins Scott Dann, Gary Cahill, Joel Ward, Andros Townsend and Jeffrey Schlupp on the injury list.
Crystal Palace have won just one of the past five league meetings (D1, L3). This fixture ended in a 1-1 draw last season, with Palace’s Wilfried Zaha both scoring and getting sent off.
Watford vs Aston Villa
Vicarage Road, London
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Simon Hooper
Aston Villa’s solitary victory in their nine away games against Watford came in the Premier League in August 1999 (D3, L5).
Watford winger Ismaila Sarr should be fit despite suffering a swollen eye when he collided with an advertising hoarding against Sheffield United.Troy Deeney could be rested, with head coach Nigel Pearson mindful of the captain’s injury problems this season.
Conor Hourihane is likely to be recalled to Villa’s starting line-up following his match-winning goal against Norwich on Boxing Day. Tyrone Mings and Keinan Davis hope to be in contention after injuries.
Norwich City vs Tottenham Hotspur
Carrow Road, Norfolk
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @8:30pm
Ref: Kevin Friend
Norwich head coach Daniel Farke may make changes as he tries to address a run of six matches without a victory. He remains without striker Josip Drmic and long-term injury victims Ben Godfrey and Timm Klose.
Tottenham are without the suspended trio of Son Heung-min, Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks. Head coach Jose Mourinho said Tanguy Ndombele was not “feeling in condition to play” against Brighton and it is unclear whether he will be available.
Norwich have won just one of their eight Premier League home games against Tottenham: 1-0 in February 2014. Tottenham could win three in a row against the Canaries for the first time since 1995.
After a run of 12 Premier League away games without a win, Tottenham have won two of their last three on the road. They are without a clean sheet in 16 Premier League away fixtures, their longest run in the top flight since a sequence of 20 between April 1976 and April 1977. Jose Mourinho has lost each of his last three Premier League away games against promoted sides, all with Manchester United in the 2017-18 campaign. He had won 17 of his first 18 such games. Since Mourinho took charge of Tottenham, Dele Alli has provided five goals and three assists in all competitions. Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus is the only Premier League player to have been directly involved in more goals during that time.
West Ham vs Leicester City
London Stadium, London
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @8:30pm
Ref: David Coote
West Ham have won just one of the past nine Premier League meetings (D4, L4). Their 2-0 victory in May 2018 is also the only clean sheet they have kept against the Foxes during that period. Leicester are unbeaten in four Premier League away games against West Ham, having lost seven of their previous eight in the top flight.
West Ham have Ryan Fredericks available again after a ban, but fellow full-back Aaron Cresswell now serves a one-match suspension of his own. Roberto is expected to continue in goal in the absence of David Martin and Lukasz Fabianski.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers may decide to rest top scorer Jamie Vardy due to the hectic fixture list. Midfielder Matty James, who has not featured since January because of an Achilles injury, is close to a return.
Burnley vs Man United
Turf Moor, Burnley
Saturday, 28-12-2019 @10:45pm
Ref: Mike Dean
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay suffered a suspected knee ligament injury on Boxing Day and is likely to miss the trip to Burnley. Paul Pogba could replace McTominay, having come off the bench in United’s last two matches.
Burnley forward Ashley Barnes is set to return to the starting line-up for the visit of United. Barnes was rested at Everton on Boxing Day in an attempt to manage his ongoing groin problem.
Burnley won the first Premier League meeting in August 2009 but are without a win in nine subsequent attempts, drawing four and losing five. United have conceded just one goal in their five Premier League away games against Burnley.
United have only lost one of their past eight matches, winning four and drawing three. They have won just two of their last 13 Premier League away games (D4, L7). They are on a 14-match Premier League run without a clean sheet, and their tally of two this season is the fewest in the division. Among teenagers in the top five European leagues, only Jadon Sancho’s tally of 12 goals in all competitions is better than Mason Greenwood’s eight. Four of Marcus Rashford’s 11 Premier League goals this season have been winners – only Mohamed Salah has scored more.
The fixtures on Sunday, 29-12-2019
-Arsenal vs Chelsea @5pm
-Liverpool vs Wolves @7:30pm
-Man City vs Sheffield United @9pm
Result on Friday, 27-12-2019
-Wolves 3-2 Man City
