The last [proper] day of the festive schedule is upon us, I hope yours has been a bit more successful than mine. While the partner packs away the christmas tree there’s plenty of time for us all to take in seven games of action before we wait a full seven days for our first double. Arsenal vs Man City looking like the big game on campus tonight.
The Dugout Discussion will of course be going full tilt as everyone joins me in crossing fingers that heavily selected (and heavily talented) players like Gareth Bale, Didier Drogba, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri, but to name a few, have a quiet day, right; no-one in their right mind wants them to do well. Just me then…
Arsenal XI: Fabianski; Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Wilshere, Fabregas; Nasri, Walcott, Van Persie.
Man City XI: Hart; Richards, Kompany, Toure, Zabaleta; De Jong, Barry, Toure Yaya; Milner, Tevez, Jo.
Starting with the [near the] top of the table clash Arsene Wenger names an unchanged side from that which pulled of the coup of winning away at Birmingham. Roberto Mancini does make changes though as Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards come in at full-back for Aleksander Kolarov and Jerome Boateng while James Milner and Jo also get starts.
Wolves XI: Hennessey; Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Jarvis, Foley, Edwards; Hunt, Fletcher, Doyle.
Chelsea XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Kalou, Drogba, Malouda.
Carlo Ancelotti takes his team to Wolves and affords himself just a couple of changes as Jose Bosingwa and Salomon Kalou come in for Paulo Ferreira and Nicolas Anelka. Mick McCarthy meanwhile recalls Kevin Doyle following injury as well as Steven Fletcher and Dave Edwards in place of Steven Ward, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake and Nenad Milijas.
Everton XI: Howard; Neville, Distin, Heitinga, Baines; Coleman, Arteta, Fellaini, Pienaar; Saha, Beckford.
Spurs XI: Gomes; Hutton, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Modric, Jenas, Bale; Van der Vaart; Crouch.
David Moyes makes a couple of enforced changes for Everton’s tie against Spurs as Johnny Heitinga returns from injury coming straight in for his injured team-mate Phil Jagielka while with Tim Cahill now on duty at the Asian Cup Jermain Beckford is afforded a start alongside Louis Saha. Harry Redknapp meanwhile sees Alan Hutton and William Gallas shake off knocks while Jermain Jenas and Peter Crouch come in for Wilson Palacios and Roman Pavluychenko.
Blackburn XI: Bunn; Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Givet; Hoilett, Dunn, Pedersen, Olsson; Mame Diouf, Mwaruwari.
Liverpool XI: Reina; Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Konchesky; Cole, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi; Torres, Ngog.
Steven Kean continues his attacking styles while also welcoming Christopher Samba back into his line-up and affording the centre-back the armband once more. Roy Hodgson meanwhile drops Dirk Kuyt to the bench for Joe Cole while Paul Konchesky comes back into the starting eleven following his rest at the weekend. Sotirios Kyrgiakos also starts in place of Daniel Agger.
Villa XI: Friedel; Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Clark; Ashley Young, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Downing; Agbonlahor, Heskey.
Sunderland XI: Gordon; Bardsley, Ferdinand, Bramble, Richardson; Elmohamady, Meyler, Henderson, Malbranque; Welbeck, Bent.
Unchanged sides for both clubs here as Gerard Houllier and Steve Bruce lock horns. One manager looking to build on the weekend’s result as the other looks for more of the same.
Newcastle XI: Harper; Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Jose Enrique; Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands, Best.
West Ham XI: Green; Ben-Haim, Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon; Parker, Kovac, Noble; Sears, Piquionne, Cole.
Leon Best makes his first start of the season (surely in the shop window?) in the only change from Newcastle while the traveling Hammers make just one as well with fit again Mark Noble coming into the fold in place of youngster Junior Stanislas.
Bolton XI: Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Knight, Cahill, Robinson; Rodrigo, Muamba, M Davies, Taylor; K Davies, Elmander
Wigan XI: Kirkland; Gohouri, Alcaraz, G Caldwell, Figueroa; Thomas, McArthur, Watson; Stam, Rodallega, Cleverley
Last but not least is Bolton who recall Paul Robinson from suspension as their only change from the late defeat at Liverpool. Only four players however make up their slim bench. Owen, why not give youth a chance? As for Wigan, recent Leicester loanee (so long!) Chris Kirkland comes in for the suspended Ali Al-Habsi as Maynor Figuoera and James McArthur also come in.
As mentioned up above, come into the Dugout Discussion while we take in what is hopefully a goalfest of action across the country. A goalfest led by Gary Cahill.
