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Wednesday, December 24, 1997 Published at 12:36 GMT



Sport: Football

Boxing Day football feast
image: [ Plenty of top soccer action to go with the turkey sandwiches ]
Plenty of top soccer action to go with the turkey sandwiches

Boxing Day, virtually the mid-point of the football season, sees all the top Premiership clubs in action. Here is a run-down on all the games.

Arsenal v Leicester

Ian Wright plays his last game before starting a two-match ban and Emmanuel Petit is suspended. Tony Adams is sidelined by a back injury. The Leicester boss Martin O'Neill is set to name an unchanged side. Tony Cottee could be called back from his loan spell at Birmingham.

Aston Villa v Tottenham

Villa are likely to stick to the team that drew 1-1 with Southampton last Saturday, although Lee Hendrie is pushing hard for a first start after recent substitute appearances. England striker Les Ferdinand hopes to recover from a virus, which forced him to miss the second-half against Barnsley last Saturday, to lead the Spurs attack.

Jurgen Klinsmann will not receive clearance in time to make his Spurs debut second time around.

Bolton v Barnsley

Mark Fish, back from South Africa duty, and Gerry Taggart, who has recovered from a groin injury on the back of a six-game ban, are in contention. Mike Whitlow is on standby to replace Jimmy Phillips. Dean Holdsworth and Alan Thompson are serving suspensions, and keeper Keith Branagan is doubtful because of a groin injury.

Barnsley will have a fully-fit squad to choose from, with the exception of long-term casualty Steve Davis, as Yugoslav midfielder Jovo Bosancic should play after being rested.

Chelsea v Wimbledon

Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris is struggling with flu but is expected to be available for selection. Mark Hughes continues his three-match ban. Wimbledon will be without suspended duo Chris Perry and Ceri Hughes. Strikers Efan Ekoku, Jason Euell and Jon Goodman, and defender Brian McAllister are injured.

Crystal Palace v Southampton

Palace could welcome back England U21 strikers Bruce Dyer and Neil Shipperley but wing-back Jamie Smith and Italian stars Attilio Lombardo and Michele Padovano seem certain to miss out through injury. Egil Ostenstad, who has not started a game for more than two months, is on standby to return in place of Kevin Davies who is doubtful because of a thigh injury. Australian midfielder Robbie Slater is available for the first time in three weeks.

Derby v Newcastle

Derby have Jacob Laursen and Dean Sturridge under treatment. Laursen has been out for a month with a knee injury while Sturridge strained a hamstring at Newcastle last Wednesday. Defender Steve Elliott, who has a thigh strain, is another doubtful starter.

Newcastle's Belgium international defender Philippe Albert hopes to be fit despite injuring a hamstring in Sunday's match against Manchester United. Albert will have treatment over Christmas, as will club captain Rob Lee for a calf strain.

Liverpool v Leeds

Liverpool captain Paul Ince is fighting to be fit after a groin problem kept him out of the last two Premiership matches. Jamie Carragher will stand in if the England midfielder fails a fitness test.

Leeds centre back Lucas Radebe completes a two-match ban which provides another chance for Robert Molenaar. Harry Kewell will come into contention if he recovers from the knee injury.

Manchester United v Everton

United will be virtually at full strength and Alex Ferguson seems certain to stick with the squad that travelled to Newcastle on Sunday for the 1-0 win at St James's Park. David May is having treatment on a knee injury.

Danny Williamson could be back in the Everton squad after an ankle problem kept him out at Leicester last Saturday. Duncan Ferguson completes his three-match ban while Slaven Bilic still has three more games to go. Dave Watson and Gary Speed are doubtful starters.

Sheffield Wednesday v Blackburn

Wednesday have skipper Peter Atherton back from suspension but record signing Paolo Di Canio starts a two-match ban and fellow Italian, Benito Carbone, is likely to replace him.

Blackburn striker Chris Sutton is available after a one-match ban. Damien Duff is likely to keep his place in attack after filling Sutton's boots at West Ham on Saturday. That would mean winger Jason Wilcox being demoted to the substitutes' bench.

West Ham v Coventry

West Ham are hoping for last minute international clearance to enable Bernard Lama to play against the Sky Blues. Australian winger Stan Lazaridis is back in the squad after returning from international duty in the Confederations Cup.

Coventry have Gary Breen, Paul Williams and David Burrows suspended. Gary McAllister and John Salako are on the long-term injury list, and now Roland Nilsson and Marcus Hall are doubtful. Dion Dublin is likely to line up at centre back again.


 





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