Match previews - Sat 22nd Nov 2008

A look ahead to Saturday's fixtures in the Barclays Premier League.


Chelsea and Liverpool will be looking to stretch their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's men can ensure top spot against the Magpies who are still precariously close to the drop zone.

Waiting to pounce on any slip up are Liverpool hosting Fulham who have never won at Anfield where the Merseysiders are unbeaten in 17 matches.
TRICKY EVENING
Chelsea and Liverpool are locked on 32 points, eight more than nearest rivals Manchester United who face a tricky evening fixture at in-form Aston Villa.

United though have won their last 12 meetings against the Midlands side and have won their last 11 matches at Villa Park.

In the meantime Arsenal can leapfrog Sir Alex Ferguson's men if they can bounce back from a home defeat by Villa to win at Manchester City.

City have only beaten the Gunners once in the Premier League and have never scored more than one goal against them.

After ending a run of three successive defeats with a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, Hull City travel to Fratton Park looking for their first win against Portsmouth for 20 years.

Fellow newly-promoted clubs Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion meet at the Britannia Stadium with Albion manager Tony Mowbray hoping for a good result on his 45th birthday.

Middlesbrough and Bolton Wanderers lock horns at the Riverside with Boro boasting the joint longest unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League.


Chelsea (1st) v Newcastle United (17th)
SQUADS
Chelsea: Cech, Cudicini, Bosingwa, Terry, Ivanovic, Bridge, Ballack, Lampard, A Cole, Alex, Belletti, Obi, Deco, Ferreira, Kalou, Malouda, Anelka, J Cole, Stoch, Mineiro.

Newcastle: Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, N'Zogbia, Bassong, Coloccini, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Guthrie, Duff, Gutierrez, Geremi, Ameobi, Owen, Martins, Carroll.

Liverpool (2nd) v Fulham (10th)
SQUADS
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Lucas, Babel, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres, Keane, Riera, Cavalieri, Hyypia, Plessis, Dossena.

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


Manchester City (12th) v Arsenal (4th)
SQUADS
Manchester City: Schmeichel, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Wright-Phillips, Kompany, Ireland, Mwaruwari, Robinho, Vassell, Fernandes, Ben-Haim, Jo, Onuoha, Ball, Hamann, Elano, Sturridge, Evans.

Arsenal: Almunia, Diaby, Sagna, Nasri, Gallas, Denilson, Silvestre, Clichy, Bendtner, Vela, Ramsey, Song, Djourou, Fabianski, Adebayor, van Persie, Wilshere, Simpson.


Aston Villa (5th) v Manchester United (3rd)
SQUADS
Aston Villa: Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Shorey, Davies, Laursen, Knight, Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, A Young, Osbourne, Salifou, Carew, Agbonlahor, Harewood, Delfouneso, Gardner.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Park, Anderson, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck.

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