The Pre-Match Preamble

Will Fabregas start? Will N’Zogbia start? Will heavy double gameweek investment pay off? Do I want one egg or two?

These are the questions rattling my brain this morning. Once again I’ve turned to the papers for some clarity and here are my findings together with a smattering of thought-provoking/panic-invoking match facts. I’m still not sure how many eggs to go for…

The Sun
Let’s start with the red-top then and our first priority is to check on their Arsenal lineup. There we find Cesc Fabregas safely in the midfield with Diaby and Song keeping him company. The Sun agree with our predicted lineup then, with Nasri and Arshavin flanking Bendtner. Carlton Cole makes the West Ham lineup with Ilan also keeping his starting role and Diamanti recalled.

The Villa lineup has Gabby Agbonlahor up front. Louis Saha is also fit and in the Everton lineup, although there’s no start for Osman. Tuncay is omitted from the Stoke lineup where there’s a recall for Shawcross in defence. Whelan is also fit enough to keep a starting role.

The Sun predict that N’Zogbia will miss out for Wigan so Victor Moses his handed a start. Gael Givet is fit enough to start for Blackburn against Chelsea so Olsson remains in a midfield role. Turnbull is in goal for the visitors once again. Hodgson will drop Davies to the bench and start with Gera, Dempsey and Duff according to the Sun. Rafael, Nani and Valencia all start for United against Liverpool, while Rafa will recall Maxi Rodriguez and bench Dirk Kuyt once again as Babel earns another start.

The Guardian
Fabregas is also in this paper’s lineup for the visit of West Ham at the Emirates although they also predict a deeper role for Nasri, with Walcott flanking Bendtner. That means no start for Diaby. Carlton Cole leads the Hammers attack.

It’s Agbonlahor and Carew up front for Villa in the early kick-off with Wolves. Louis Saha is in for Yakubu for Everton, whilst Osman also returns with Anichebe making way. The Guardian make a bold prediction with the Stoke lineup, opting for a partnership of Kitson and Tuncay up front. Whelan and Shawcross both start.

Charles N’Zogbia makes the Guardian’s Wigan lineup. Givet is fit for Blackburn against Chelsea who start with Olsson at left-back and Chimbonda at right-back for Salgado. Cech returns in the Chelsea goal. There’s no place for Dempsey in their Fulham lineup with Gera starting in support of Zamora and Davies keeping his place. It’s Gary Neville at right-back for United, with Nani and Valencia both starting against Liverpool. Rafa will keep the same lineup that beat Lille with Kuyt maintaining his starting role. Steve Bruce will gamble on the fitness of Andy Reid and start him against Birmingham according to the Guardian.

The Times
Cesc Fabregas starts again in this lineup, as does Diaby with Nasri takes up a flanking position on the right. Zola starts with Carlton Cole and also recalls Stanislas to his midfield in a 4-4-1-1 with Diamanti supporting the striker.

There’s no place for Agbonlahor in the Times’ Villa lineup at home to Wolves so Carew and Heskey start together. Saha starts for Everton with Anichebe retaining his place keeping Osman out of the side. The Times also predict a start for Dave Kitson in the Stoke attack. He is paired with Ricardo Fuller with no place for Tuncay again. Shawcross starts but Whelan isn’t risked with Lawrence taking his midfield place.

N’Zogbia will start against Burnley according to the Times. There’s no Givet in the Blackburn lineup so Chimbonda takes up a central defensive role with Olsson at left-back and Salgado keeping his right-back berth. It’s Turnbull in the Chelsea goal. Greening starts in the Fulham midfield with Etuhu missing out. There’s no place for Dempsey either as both Gera and Duff keep their starts. United start with Neville at right-back and Nani and Valencia on the flanks. Rafa opts for Maxi Rodriguez with no place for Dirk Kuyt. The Times don’t share the Guardian’s optimism on Andy Reid’s fitness – he misses out for Sunderland.

Match Facts

• Nicolas Anelka has scored more league goals (10) against Blackburn than any other side.
• Wolves have failed to score in seven of their last eleven league games and have the worst scoring record in the league with just 23 goals.
• Villa have the best defensive record in the league having conceded just 22 goals.
• West Ham have not won any of their last nine Premier League London derbies and have not won away from home since the opening day of the season.
• Bolton have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 meetings with Everton.
• Everton have won their last six home league matches. They have never won seven Goodison games in the Premier League. They have also won their last three meetings with Bolton without conceding a goal.
• Having said that, Kevin Davies has scored three goals in his last five visits to Goodison.
• Eight of Stoke’s nine defeats this season have come against clubs in the top half of the table.
• Birmingham, who go to Sunderland this weekend, have won 11 of 15 matches against sides in the bottom half of the Premier League table. Only the top three have a better record.
• Nemanja Vidic has been sent off in his last three meetings with Liverpool.
• Wayne Rooney has 12 league goals in his last seven Old Trafford matches.