Eastern Daily Press | Saturday, August 11, 2018
Team news
Aston Villa (3) v
Wigan (5)
Villa Park, today, 3pm
■■ Jack Grealish is expected to
keep his place in Villa’s team
after a move to the Premier
League failed to materialise. New
signings Orjan Nyland and John
McGinn are in the squad, as is
Axel Tuanzebe after he rejoined
on loan from Manchester United.
Keinan Davis and Scott Hogan
are struggling for fitness.
■■ Three new signings are in
contention for Wigan. Strikers
Josh Windass and Joe Garner
could make their debuts, while
midfielder Lee Evans could also
feature having moved on an
initial loan deal from Sheffield
United.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches: Aston
Villa W W D L W; Wigan W D D W W
■■ Top scorers: Ahmed Elmohamady,
Tommy Elphick & Alan Hutton (Aston
Villa) 1; Michael Jacobs (Wigan) 2
■■ Match odds: H 21-20 D 12-5 A 13-5
■■ Referee: Jeremy Simpson
(Lancashire)
Nottm Forest (10) v 
Reading (19)
City Ground, today, 3pm
■■ Michael Hefele could make his
Forest debut after joining from
Huddersfield - he will compete
for a place in the team along with
Michael Dawson, Joe Worrall,
Tobias Figueiredo and Danny
Fox. Worrall is available after
illness.
■■ Reading central defender
Liam Moore could be back in
contention for today’s match
after withdrawing his transfer
request, Tyler Blackett is
available after a ban and Sam
Baldock is pushing for a full
debut after coming on as a
substitute against Derby.
Adrian Popa is not ready to be
considered despite returning to
training.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Nottm Forest 1 Reading
1, Reading 3 Nottm Forest 1
■■ Last five league matches: Nottm
Forest W D L D D; Reading D L L D L
■■ Top scorers: Adlene Guedioura &
Daryl Murphy (Nottm Forest) 1; Jon
Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading) 1
■■ Match odds: H 13-20 D 27-10 A 9-2
■■ Referee: Stephen Martin
(Staffordshire)
Blackburn (12) v 
Millwall (14)
Ewood Park, today, 3pm
■■ Adam Armstrong will hope
to make a second debut for
Blackburn after joining on a
permanent basis following a loan
move from Newcastle. ■
Boss Tony Mowbray has no
fresh injury concerns but
Jacob Davenport (hip) and Ben
Gladwin (knee) are doubts.
■■ New Millwall duo Murray
Wallace and Jiri Skalak could
be pushing to make their first
starts for the Lions and Byron
Webster could potentially make
the squad for the first time
since September. The defender
ruptured a cruciate knee
ligament and has been working
his way back towards first-team
contention.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches: Blackburn
W W L W D; Millwall D L L W D
■■ Top scorers: Bradley Dack & Danny
Graham (Blackburn) 1; Lee Gregory &
Aidan O’Brien (Millwall) 1
■■ Match odds: H 6-4 D 2-1 A 2-1
■■ Referee: Gavin Ward
(Surrey)
QPR (20) v 
Sheff Utd (24)
Loftus Road, today, 3pm
■■ QPR boss Steve McClaren has
no fresh injury concerns - Darnell
Furlong remains unavailable
with a long-term knee injury
but fellow defender Grant Hall is
scheduled to return after a knee
issue next week.
■■ Blades boss Chris Wilder
could make changes after the
Blades conceded two goals
from corners in their 3-0 loss to
Middlesbrough, with Kean Bryan
ready to make his debut having
joined from Manchester City.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Sheff Utd 2 QPR 1, QPR
1 Sheff Utd 0
■■ Last five league matches: QPR L L
W L L; Sheff Utd L L W L L
■■ Top scorers: George Baldock (Sheff
Utd) 1
■■ Match odds: H 9-5 D 9-4 A 6-4
■■ Referee: Scott Duncan (Tyne &
Wear)
Bolton (6) v 
Bristol City (16)
University of Bolton Stadium,
today, 3pm
■■ Bolton could be without
Sammy Ameobi, forced off in
the win over West Brom with
a hip problem. Striker Clayton
Donaldson could again be
struggling because of a groin
strain but defender Marc Wilson
could make his debut after being
released by Sunderland.
■■ City left-back Jay Dasilva
should make his debut following
Joe Bryan’s departure to Fulham.
Famara Diedhiou serves the
second of a six-match ban but
Marley Watkins is back training
following a concussion while
Bailey Wright was expected to
rejoin the squad on Friday after
overcoming a thigh problem.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Bolton 1 Bristol City 0,
Bristol City 2 Bolton 0
■■ Last five league matches: Bolton D
L L W W; Bristol City L D D L D
■■ Top scorers: Josh Magennis &
Yanic Wildschut (Bolton) 1; Andreas
Weimann (Bristol City) 1
■■ Match odds: H 9-5 D 11-5 A 6-4
■■ Referee: John Brooks
(Leicestershire)
Rotherham (23) v 
Ipswich (13)
New York Stadium, today, 3pm
■■ Rotherham boss Paul Warne
has an unchanged squad after
failing to add to his squad before
Thursday’s transfer deadline.
Darren Potter is the only injury
absentee as he continues his
recovery from a second Achilles
operation but striker Jamie
Proctor is nearing a return and
could be involved on the bench.
■■ Ipswich could hand debuts
to Toto Nsiala, Jon Nolan and
Kayden Jackson. Nsiala and
Nolan joined from Shrewsbury
while Jackson, a Rotherham
target earlier in the summer,
signed from Accrington. Teddy
Bishop, Emyr Huws and Danny
Rowe have returned to training
but this game comes too soon.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches:
Rotherham W W L W L; Ipswich L L
WDD
■■ Top scorers: Will Vaulks
(Rotherham) 1; Tayo Edun & Gwion
Edwards (Ipswich) 1
■■ Match odds: H 11-8 D 12-5 A 19-10
■■ Referee: David Webb (C Durham)
 Pink Un
Derby (7) v 
Leeds (4)
Pride Park, today, 5.30pm
■■ Derby’s latest signings Duane
Holmes, Scott Malone, Martyn
Waghorn and Fikayo Tomori
could all feature but midfielder
Tom Huddlestone remains
doubtful due to a groin injury.
Chris Martin (abdominal injury),
George Thorne (back) and Nick
Blackman (calf) also remain
injury doubts.
■■ Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa
names an unchanged starting
line-up. Patrick Bamford
is hoping to make his first
appearance, while fellow
signings Jack Harrison, Lewis
Baker and Jamal Blackman are
also expected to resume on the
bench. Midfielder Stuart Dallas
(thigh) is out for two weeks.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Derby 2 Leeds 2, Leeds
1 Derby 2
■■ Last five league matches: Derby L
W D W W; Leeds L W L W W
■■ Top scorers: Tom Lawrence &
Mason Mount (Derby) 1; Liam Cooper,
Pablo Hernandez & Mateusz Klich
(Leeds) 1
■■ Match odds: H 21-20 D 23-10 A 13-5
■■ Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)
Sheff Wed (18) v 
Hull (21)
Hillsborough, today, 3pm
■■ Owls striker Atdhe Nuhiu is
suspended so Steven Fletcher
could make his first start since
December after recovering from a
knee injury, although Lucas Joao
is also in contention. Another
striker, Gary Hooper, is training
following a hip injury, but
midfielders Kieran Lee (hip) and
Almen Abdi (hamstring) are out.
■■ Hull boss Nigel Adkins has no
new injury concerns following
the loss to Aston Villa. Midfielder
Jon Toral is expected to shake
off a minor niggle in time, Daniel
Batty is hoping to resume in
midfield, but winger Kamil
Grosicki is still working on his
fitness. George Long and David
Milinkovic, are pushing for starts.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Hull 0 Sheff Wed 1,
Sheff Wed 2 Hull 2
■■ Last five league matches: Sheff Wed
W W D W L; Hull L D L D L
■■ Top scorers: Fernando Forestieri &
Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheff Wed) 1; Evandro
(Hull) 1
■■ Match odds: H 11-8 D 12-5 A 19-10
■■ Referee: Stuart Attwell
(Warwickshire)
Middlesbrough (1) v
Birmingham (11)
Riverside, today, 3pm
■■ Jordan Hugill could be handed
a debut for home-town club
Middlesbrough after joining on
loan from West Ham. Winger
Adama Traore has joined Wolves
but Boro are working on a loan
deal to bring Everton midfielder
Muhamed Besic back. Daniel
Ayala and Rudy Gestede remain
injured.
■■ Blues boss Garry Monk could
have Craig and Gary Gardner
among his ranks after midfielder
Gary completed a season-long
loan move from Aston Villa to
join up with his older brother and
help plug the gap left by David
Davis’ ankle injury. Lee Camp,
Connor Mahoney and Omar
Bogle are in the squad.
Match stats
■■ Last season: Birmingham 0
Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 2
Birmingham 0
■■ Last five league matches: ‘Boro W
W D D W; Birmingham L W L W D
■■ Top scorers: Martin Braithwaite
(Middlesbrough) 2; Jacques Maghoma
& Viv Solomon-Otabor (Birmingham) 1
■■ Match odds: H 4-6 D 13-5 A 9-2
■■ Referee: Andrew Madley
Stoke (22) v 
Brentford (2)
bet365 Stadium, today, 3pm
■■ Deadline day recruit Sam
Clucas could be handed his Stoke
debut. Another newcomer, Wales
international Ashley Williams,
was on the bench last weekend
but could now be ready to move
into the starting line-up, while
Bojan could be set for a start after
a bright cameo as a sub in the loss
at Leeds.
■■ Brentford may be unchanged
after the 5-1 defeat of Rotherham.
Ryan Woods is one player likely
to be pushing the first XI, though,
returning to the squad after
a move to Swansea failed to
materialise. There should also
be a role for Moses Odubajo, who
re-signed with the club as a free
agent this week.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches: Stoke D D
L W L; Brentford D W L D W
■■ Top scorers: Benik Afobe (Stoke) 1;
Neal Maupay (Brentford) 2
■■ Match odds: H 5-4 D12-5 A 21-10
■■ Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire)
7
Norwich (15) v 
West Brom (17)
Carrow Road, today, 3pm
■■ Norwich will check striker
Jordan Rhodes’ ankle knock.
Full-back Ivo Pinto (hamstring)
should be back in contention but
defender Jamal Lewis is ruled
out by a dead leg. Midfielder
Marco Stiepermann should be
available after a knee issue but
Carlton Morris (knee) and Matt
Jarvis (ankle) remain sidelined.
■■ Dwight Gayle could start
for West Brom and midfielder
James Morrison and defender
Tosin Adarabioyo will hope
to start again. Gareth Barry,
Rekeem Harper and Nacer
Chadli are options should boss
Darren Moore look to freshen
up his side, while defender Craig
Dawson (thigh) will be assessed.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches: Norwich
L D W L D; West Brom W W L L D
■■ Top scorers: Onel Hernandez
(Norwich) 2; Harvey Barnes & Matt
Phillips (West Brom) 1
■■ Match odds: H 13-8 D 9-4 A 17-10
■■ Referee: Lee Mason
(Lancashire)
Swansea (8) v 
Preston (9)
Liberty Stadium, today, 3pm
■■ Mike van der Hoorn is
Swansea’s only senior central
defender, meaning Joe Rodon
looks set to make his debut
unless Kyle Naughton or Martin
Olsson is switched into the
middle. ■
Declan John will hope to make
his debut after arriving from
Rangers, with Yan Dhanda likely
to be on the bench again.
■■ Preston boss Alex Neil is set
to name Manchester City loan
signings Brandon Barker and
Lukas Nmecha in his squad
and Daniel Johnson is also
available for selection after
proving his fitness. Sean Maguire
(hamstring) and Billy Bodin
(knee) remain absent.
Match stats
■■ Last season: No corresponding
fixture
■■ Last five league matches: Swansea
L L L L W; Preston W D W W W
■■ Top scorers: Yan Dhanda & Oliver
McBurnie (Swansea) 1; Alan Browne
(Preston) 1
■■ Match odds: H 5-4 D 23-10 A 11-5
■■ Referee: James Linington (Isle of
Wight)