LONDON, Jan 12 - News briefs ahead of this
weekend's Premier League fixtures:
* Chelsea welcome back Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho
from the suspensions that kept them out of the midweek League
Cup draw at fourth division Wycombe but coach Jose Mourinho
still needs to do some juggling for Saturday's home game against
Wigan Athletic, who have lost their last six matches in all
competitions.
John Terry is still out with a back problem and Ashley Cole
is suspended - opening the door for Wayne Bridge to come in at
left back after performing as a virtual left winger, and scoring
in the 1-1 draw against Wycombe.
* Emmanuel Adebayor is available for Arsenal after
recovering from a thigh injury but might struggle to find a spot
alongside Thierry Henry for Saturday's trip to Blackburn Rovers.
After Julio Baptista hit four in the midweek 6-3 League Cup
win over Liverpool and with Robin van Persie scoring five in his
last six games, manager Arsene Wenger faces a comforting
selection problem.
William Gallas will not play, however, after the centre back
suffered a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury.
* Liverpool's 6-3 defeat not only ended their League Cup
hopes but also featured injuries to Luis Garcia and Mark
Gonzalez. Garcia is out for the season with a ruptured knee
ligament while Gonzalez will miss at least three weeks with a
bruised shin.
There was some good news ahead of Saturday's lunchtime
kickoff at Watford, however, with news of the arrival of
Argentine defender Emiliano Insua on an 18-month loan deal.
* Henrik Larsson is in line to start for Manchester United
against Aston Villa at Old Trafford having made a goalscoring
debut in last week's 2-1 win over the same opposition in the FA
Cup. United have not lost to Villa for 22 league matches since
1995 -- the current longest unbeaten run between two sides in
the division.
* Charlton Athletic are without defender Osei Sankofa
against Middlesbrough after the FA doubled his suspension as
punishment for the club's "frivolous appeal" against an initial
one-game back for being sent off against Arsenal earlier this
month.
* Mali defender Djimi Traore is set for an immediate start
for Portsmouth against Sheffield United after moving from
Charlton Athletic on Thursday as Dejan Stefanovic and Noe
Pamarot are both injured.