Back to meaningful games

The Premiership is back in full swing this weekend, thankfully. Some key Saturday matches below and some previews courtesy of the Beeb.

Everton v. Liverpool – The Merseyside Derby kicks of at Goodison Park. Look for lots of bookings. No Jamie Carragher or John Arne Riise mean Fabio Aurelio and Daniel Agger should get starts. Look for Dirk Kuyt to open his Prem scoring campaign for Liverpool.
James Beattie will start in place of James McFadden, partnering with Andy Johnson for Everton. Hopefully they bear the burden of scoring so we don’t have to see Tim Cahill box with the corner flag.

Manchester United v. Tottenham Hotspur – The top team in the table haven’t lost to Spurs in ten matches. A match-up of dominant (so far) United against struggling Spurs. Dimitar Berbatov is out with a groin injury for Spurs, but they welcome back Ledley King and new-signing Pascal Chimbonda should start.
Michael Carrick meets up with his old team. Rooney and Paul Scholes serve the final match of their three-game ban, and Nemanja Vidic, Alan Smith and Gabriel Heinze are not scheduled to play.

Arsenal v. Middlesbrough – A game of debuts (as most of the matches after the transfer deadline are) with Julio Baptista and William Gallas slated to start for the Gunners. Johan Djourou is available, but Theo Walcott will be rested.
Jonathan Woodgate makes debut for his boyhood club Middlesbrough, so be sure to watch the first 15 minutes of the match; after that you may not see Woody in the red strip anytime soon due to groin, back, knee injuries. New signing Jason Euell, Julio Arca, Ugo Ehiogu, Matthew Bates and Ray Parlour stay on the sideline (oh no!!).

Bolton v. Watford [BBC Match Preview]
Chelsea v. Charlton [BBC Match Preview]
Newcastle v. Fulham [BBC Match Preview]
Portsmouth v. Wigan [BBC Match Preview]
Sheffield United v. Blackburn [BBC Match Preview]
Bolton v. Watford [BBC Match Preview]

Enjoy - bl