BPL Match Preview (Sep 24, 2011)

Manchester City (2nd) vs Everton (7th)

Roberto Mancini must decide whether to keep Kolo Toure in his starting line-up for Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter. Toure returned from serving a six-month suspension for a failed drugs test in Wednesday's Carling Cup win over Birmingham but Mancini has to work out whether the Ivorian defender is fit enough to complete back-to-back matches. Mancini has already decided that such a task would be too much for Owen Hargreaves after ending three years on the sidelines with a goalscoring contribution to the Birmingham win.

Everton manager David Moyes is likely to restore several players to his first XI. Tim Howard, Sylvain Distin, Leon Osman and Tim Cahill were all left out of the team that started the Carling Cup third round victory over West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday and are set to return. Louis Saha's chances of featuring against City remain unclear after he missed the last four matches and been working on his fitness. Victor Anichebe (groin) is injured and new signing Marcus Hahnemann is not part of the squad heading to Manchester.

Manchester City boast three of the top four scorers in the Premier League, with Sergio Aguero on eight goals and Edin Dzeko (pictured right) six, while Emmanuel Adebayor, currently on loan at Tottenham, has three. Until last week's draw against Fulham, Manchester City were on a seven-match winning streak. Everton hold an impressive record against the hosts, having won seven of the previous eight meetings between the two sides.

Betting Recommendations:

A tough one to call, but once again, I believe Manchester City has too much option in the attacking area, and they will beat Everton despite Everton having a good record against them. Man City to win 2-1 or 3-1.

Liverpool (8th) vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (10th)

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has a decision to make over whether to start Steven Gerrard against Wolves on Saturday after his captain ended a six-month injury lay-off with a 20-minute comeback in midweek. Midfielder Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel are both available again after serving one-match suspensions in the Carling Cup win over Brighton for their red cards last weekend. Skrtel is likely to replace Daniel Agger (broken rib) in central defence while Martin Kelly is expected to return at right-back with Glen Johnson (hamstring) still injured.

Wolves skipper Roger Johnson and striker Steven Fletcher will return. Johnson missed the midweek Carling Cup win over Millwall with a sore calf while Fletcher has recovered from a recent groin injury. Kevin Foley (ankle), Jody Craddock (hamstring), Ronald Zubar (groin) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (knee) are still sidelined.

All Liverpool’s goals in their last victory over Wolves, a 3-0 win at Molineux, were scored by Raul Meireles and Fernando Torres who both now play for Chelsea. Wolves’ 1-0 victory at Anfield last season proved to be Roy Hodgson’s penultimate game in charge at Anfield. These two sides have met just three times in the Premier League at Anfield. Liverpool have won two and Wolves one.

Betting Recommendations:

We will not see another shock in this fixture. The Reds will be extra careful not to lose points in matches against weaker teams. Liverpool to win this on 1-0 or 2-0. Liverpool to keep a clean sheet may also be an option.

West Bromwich Albion (20th) vs Fulham (18th)

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson will revert to his first-choice side. Hodgson made nine changes for the Carling Cup defeat at Everton, with only Jonas Olsson and Peter Odemwingie surviving, but most of those should return. Defender Gabriel Tamas remains suspended following his red card against Norwich City, but striker Shane Long could return after illness ruled him out of Wednesday's match.

Fulham could have defender Aaron Hughes back from a knee injury for the trip to West Brom. Forward Andrew Johnson (ankle) is also close to being in contention, but midfielder Dickson Etuhu (thigh) and defender Bjorn Helge Riise (groin) remain sidelined. Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and captain Danny Murphy are all set to feature after being rested for the midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Chelsea.

Betting Recommendation:

Both sides are in need of a win after a disastrous start. West Brom are currently bottom and Fulham are not that far on 18th leading only by goal difference. A six-pointer game which I would back the home side to get the win. West Brom to win for me.

Barclays Premier League Preview

Manchester United will put the Premier League's only 100 per cent record on the line this weekend, while Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will be hoping for home comforts. Newcastle and Aston Villa be looking to make it six games without defeat and Tottenham head to the North West aiming to secure a third victory on the bounce. Finally, Roy Hodgson welcomes one of his former employers to the Hawthorns with West Brom stuck at the foot of the top flight table.

Manchester United are now the only side in the Premier League to still boast a perfect record and have been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks. Stoke are the next side charged with the task of trying to halt the Red Devils juggernaut, while attempting to make amends for a sorry showing at Sunderland last weekend. The Potters required penalties to see off Tottenham in the Carling Cup in midweek, but Tony Pulis is likely to make sweeping changes to the team that figured in that game. United should be fresh after resting players for their trip to Leeds on Tuesday.

United wrap up Saturday's action, while their arch-rivals Manchester City get the weekend up and running. The Blues saw two points slip through their grasp at Fulham in their last top flight fixture and will still be smarting when they welcome Everton to the Etihad Stadium. The Toffees will make the short journey from Merseyside looking to build on a recent run that has seen them pick up seven points from their last three outings.

Arsenal find themselves languishing in 17th place in the table, with just one win to their name, and desperately need to establish some momentum in a home date with out-of-sorts Bolton. Arsene Wenger saw his men slip to a 4-3 defeat at Blackburn last weekend and make hard work of Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup. He will, however, feel that now is a good time to be facing the Trotters. Owen Coyle's men have lost four on the bounce since opening up with a convincing win at Queens Park Rangers and are currently second from bottom in the top flight standings.

Chelsea left Old Trafford last Sunday feeling they had been harshly treated by the match officials, with manager Andre Villas-Boas lodging a complaint to referees' chief Mike Riley. The Blues must put those grievances to one side, though, when they welcome Swansea to Stamford Bridge. The Swans have made a steady start to their debut campaign among English football's elite and secured their first Premier League victory against West Brom last time out. Chelsea is a formidable force on home soil, though, and will be keen to give former coach Brendan Rodgers a harsh reality check.

Liverpool, following a bright start, have suffered back-to-back defeats in the league and need to address that wobble before they fall too far behind the frontrunners. A meeting with Wolves will provide them with an ideal opportunity to rediscover their league form. Not that Mick McCarthy's side will be a pushover. Wolves may have also tasted defeat in their last two fixtures, but they will have fond memories of their last visit to Anfield - when they left with a 1-0 victory.

Newcastle are performing admirably under Alan Pardew and are one of only four sides yet to taste defeat in the league this season. They could have done without seeing their Carling Cup clash with Nottingham Forest in midweek go to extra-time, but can take plenty of positives from that tie - not least the return to action of Hatem Ben Arfa. The Magpies will be looking to bring Blackburn back down to earth with a bump this weekend, with Rovers' thrilling victory over Arsenal last weekend giving manager Steve Kean a bit of breathing space.

Tottenham blasted four goals past nine-man Liverpool in their last Premier League fixture and will be looking for more of the same when they go to Wigan. The DW Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for Spurs down the years, though, with only two victories secured in their five previous trips to the North West. The Latics will be looking to pick up at least a point in their latest meeting, with successive defeats seeing them slip down the table.

The final fixture on Saturday sees West Brom boss Roy Hodgson square up to one of his former employers. Fulham are the next visitors to the Hawthorns and will arrive in the Midlands still searching for their first victory of the season. The Baggies and the Cottagers have both taken three points from their opening five fixtures and find themselves languishing inside the relegation zone. There is, however, still plenty of time for them to turn things around.

Sunday brings only one game this weekend, as Queens Park Rangers entertain Aston Villa. Neil Warnock's side, led by Joey Barton, eased past Wolves in their last top flight fixture, suggesting they are ready to make their mark back among the big boys. They will, however, have their work cut out against Villa. Alex McLeish may not have been a welcome appointment among a certain section of Villa supporters this summer, but the Scot has overseen an unbeaten start to the season - that has included four draws - and has his team sit sixth in the early standings.

Arsenal Hold Talks Over Daniel Parejo January Transfer

Arsenal are keeping a close eye on £5million-rated Valencia midfielder Daniel Parejo, and are reportedly lining up a shock move for the former Real Madrid starlet in January.

Parejo only joined Los Che this summer from Getafe, but has found first-team opportunities hard to come by at the surprise La Liga early leaders.

The Gunners had scouts in the stands for Valencia’s impressive 2-2 draw against Barcelona, and although 22-year-old Parejo played no part, Spanish reports claim initial discussions were held between the two parties.

Despite his relative youth, Parejo is no stranger to English football having spent five-months at QPR in 2008, where he made a total of 18 appearances.

He was recalled to his then-parent club Real Madrid following injuries to Ruben de la Red and Mahamadou Diarra, but hardly featured for the Spanish giants.

Arsene Wenger is set to lose Emmanuel Frimpong to the African Cup of Nations in January, and will likely be in the market for another midfielder, while Parejo would jump at the chance of regular game time at the Emirates.

Tottenham Alerted As Prolific Spanish Striker Hints At Exit

Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo could be on his way out of the Spanish side after reports linked the striker with a move in the January transfer window.

The Spain international striker has been strongly linked with a number of European clubs after a fantastic couple of seasons in La Liga with Tottenham one of the most likely options.

Spurs attempted to land the striker in the summer, but could not come up with enough funds to persuade Sevilla to part with their star player.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is a known admirer of the striker and with Roman Pavlyuchenko linked with a move away from White Hart Lane in January, they may need to strengthen their attacking options.

The 26-year-old has scored five goals in just seven appearances for Spain and is regarded as one of the hottest properties in Spanish football.

Negredo was signed by Real Madrid in 2005 but never managed to progress past the B team and was eventually sold to Almeria. However, Madrid exercised their but back option and once again re-signed the player for €5million.

They then instantly sold Negredo to Sevilla for €15million, where he has continued to impress, scoring 34 goals in 75 league games for the club.

The striker is currently contracted to Sevilla until 2013 and the Spanish side are keen to extend this deal. However, Negredo's representative Alejandro Camano has hinted that the striker could leave.

"He has a contract until 2013. Sevilla wants to renew it but that does not mean his future is indeed in Seville," declared Camano.

Chelsea Tipped To Join Chase For Bolton Defender

Bolton manager Owen Coyle believes Arsenal will face competition for the signature for defender Gary Cahill - with Chelsea being reported as potential suitors.

The Daily Mirror claim the Blues may join the race for the England international after Coyle revealed that he expected further interest when the transfer window reopens in January.

Arsenal failed with a scandalously low bid for Cahill in the summer, an offer believed to be in the region of £5m. Coyle was to say the least miffed considering the Trotters were holding out for £18m.

The affair may very well damage Arsenal's attempts to sign the centre-back and the Bolton boss indicated he expects interest from other parties.

"Whatever happens in January happens. I have no problem with that. I think there will be more than Arsenal in for him," said Coyle.

"Arsene likes him as a player, he has been up front about it, but he is one of a number of admirers. There is nothing wrong with that, Gary is a top player.

"Gary has nothing to prove to anybody," he said. He is the same lad since the deadline. Its only natural that there were distractions.

"He has just had the arrival of his new baby daughter, he is conscientious and focused. He is now representing his family too.

Liverpool Ponder Sensational £25m Move For Playmaker

Liverpool is considering a move for attacking midfielder Marek Hamsik, according to reports.

The Slovakian international has been earning rave reviews for Napoli and is currently being watched by Liverpool scouts.

Reports suggest the Reds are considering a move for Hamsik this January after watching the 24-year old help Napoli earn a draw against Manchester City last week.

The 24-year old was excellent for the Italian outfit, who earned a hard earned point in their Champions League opener.

However, Liverpool will have to fight off interest from AC Milan who is also keen to land the talented midfielder.

The former Slovan Bratislava helped Partenopei finish third last season, scoring 13 goals in the process.

Everton To Move For Fiorentina Star In January

Fiorentina are ready to let attacking midfielder Adem Ljajic leave in the January transfer window after struggling to settle in Italian football.

According to Talksport, Everton are the favourite to seal a deal for the Serbian who was close to joining Premier League champions Manchester United two years ago.

Manchester United agreed to sign Ljajic in January 2009, with the deal set to be completed the following year, however United then pulled out of the deal.

The 19-year-old was meant to be part of a double deal that saw Zoran Tosic also move to Old Tafford, but only Tosic made the move and he eventually was sold on after failing to break into the first team squad.

Ljajic joined Fiorentina instead but has struggled to make an impact in Serie A and it is now believed that the club are ready to cut their losses on the player.

Everton have been keeping tabs on the midfielder for a number of months and are considering making a move for the player when the January transfer window opens.

The club are currently in the midst of a financial crisis and were forced to sell midfielder Mikel Arteta in the summer. They believe Ljajic could be a star of the future and are keen to tie up a deal.

The 19-year-old has a four year contract but it is believed that Sinisa Mihajlovic would consider letting the youngster leave.

Arsenal To Launch January Move For Dangerous Wonderkid

Arsenal is considering a £35million January bid for German wonderkid Mario Goetze, according to reports.

Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis has reignited speculation after confirming Arsenal have “significant funds” available for the January transfer window, with some suggesting that the 19-year old is their No1 target.

Rumours this summer reported that Arsenal did lodge a bid for the German superstar but was unable to complete the deal before the end of the transfer window.

“Certainly in January and next summer there are significant funds available to bolster the team,” Gazidis revealed.

“The important thing from our perspective is – and this is something that Arsène has been extremely disciplined in over time – that we are not just going to spend money because we are under short-term pressure.

“We are going to make sure that the players we bring in are the right players.”

Gazidis’ comments will ease the fears of many Arsenal supporters with some fans questioning the ambition of the club after losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer.

The talented 19-year-old Goetze featured recently in a Champions League fixture against Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger has made no secret of his admiration for the highly sought after midfielder.

"He is a provider,” Wenger recently insisted. “He is the one who has the best assists in Germany and is the most dangerous player. He comes in from the right side and links in well with the strikers.”

Juventus Plot £10m Move For Man City Full-Back

Italian side Juventus have declared an interest in Manchester City left-back Aleksandr Kolarov according to talkSPORT.

The Serbian signed for City for £16 million in 2010, and made 24 league appearances last season, netting once.

But now the Turin club is reportedly lining up a £10 million offer for the former Lazio man, who has featured intermittently in the earlier stages of this season due to competition from former Arsenal full-back Gael Clichy.

It is thought that Man City could be persuaded to negotiate with such an offer if the Serb decides he wants first-team football.

Real Madrid Tabled An Interesting Offer For Stevan Jovetic

The agent of Fiorentina star Stevan Jovetic has revealed that Real Madrid tabled a "very interesting offer" for the forward and that every major European club wanted him.

The Montenegro international burst onto the scene in 2008, when he joined the Florence-based club from Partizan, and has established himself as a key member of the team.

Jovetic has long been considered one of the hottest prospects in Europe, and the player's agent has revealed that the player could have joined Real Madrid before he signed for Fiorentina.

"Every big club in Europe were interested in Stevan, and when I say every big club I am not overstating," Fali Ramadani told La Nazione.

"In particular, I can mention Real Madrid, who tabled a very interesting offer. I spoke with Jovetic, but he was impressed with the persistency of [Fiorentina sporting director] Pantaleo Corvivo, who called every day.

"He demonstrated a lot of interest, respect and a cheque. Stevan decided to accept it and I agreed, though there were several other options."