Premier League Injury News, Fantasy Impact: Manchester Utd Wait on Van Persie

The Premier League title race enters its critical phase with a new emphasis ahead of the weekend programme.

Liverpool were beaten 2-0 at home by Chelsea last Sunday, leaving Manchester City with the championship in their own hands.

The Reds will now be relying on neighbours Everton to do them a favour when the Toffees play host to Manuel Pellegrini's side on Saturday evening.

Chelsea will also be hoping for a slip-up by either Liverpool or City, and Jose Mourinho's team will be aiming to bounce back from their midweek Champions League exit when Norwich City visit Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool will complete the weekend set of fixtures on Monday when they travel to Crystal Palace.

Elsewhere, Ryan Giggs continues as Manchester United interim manager when Sunderland make the trip to Old Trafford on Saturday.

Here is the latest team news for this weekend's fixtures.

West Ham United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Marco Borriello remains the only absentee for West Ham United.

Andros Townsend is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury and joins Kyle Walker and Erik Lamela on the sidelines. Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele face late fitness tests.

Out	Borriello		Out	Townsend
				Walker
				Lamela
			Doubt	Vertonghen
				Dembele

Aston Villa vs. Hull City

Leandro Bacuna faces a late fitness test for Aston Villa, but Christian Benteke and Libor Kozak remain sidelined.

Allan McGregor, Robbie Brady and Paul McShane are all long-term casualties for Hull.

Out	Benteke		Out	McGregor
	Kozak			Brady
				McShane
Doubt	Lacuna

Manchester United vs. Sunderland

Robin van Persie could return for Manchester United, but defender Rafael is likely to miss out—as will Wayne Rooney who left training with a stomach problem.

Carlos Cuellar could return for Sunderland, but Ki Sung-Yeung, Steven Fletcher and Kieran Westwood are still out.

Doubt	van Persie		Doubt	Cuellar
Out	Rafael		Out	Ki
	Rooney			Fletcher
				Westwood

Newcastle United vs. Cardiff City

Luuk de Jong faces a late fitness, but Papiss Cisse and Davide Santon are out for Newcastle.

Craig Noone and Mark Hudson remain sidelined for Cardiff.

Out	Cisse		Out	Noone
	Santon			Hudson
Doubt	de Jong

Stoke City vs. Fulham

Matthew Etherington and Robert Huth remain on the sidelines for Stoke.

Kostas Mitroglou could return for Fulham, but midfielder Steve Sidwell is a doubt.

Out	Etherington		Doubt	Mitroglou
	Huth			Sidwell

Swansea City vs. Southampton

Angel Rangel and Michu are both out for Swansea.

Morgan Schneiderlin could return for Southampton, but Gaston Ramirez and Jay Rodriguez are long-term casualties.

Out	Rangel		Doubt	Schneiderlin
	Michu
			Out	Ramirez
				Rodriguez

Everton vs. Manchester City

Everton manager Roberto Martinez will make a late decision on defenders Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin, but Kevin Mirallas is still out. Steven Pienaar has returned to training but will not feature on Saturday.

David Silva and Jesus Navas are expected to be out for Manchester City.

Out	Pienaar		Out	Silva
	Mirallas			Navas
Doubt	Distin
	Jagielka

Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs could return, but Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere are still out.

Gareth McAuley faces a late fitness test, but Liam Ridgewell and Steven Reid are missing for West Brom.

Doubt	Oxlade-Chamberlain		Doubt	McAuley
	Gibbs
			Out	Ridgewell
Out	Diaby			Reid
	Wilshere

Chelsea vs. Norwich City

Goalkeeper Petr Cech is likely to miss out for Chelsea with his dislocated shoulder.

Defender Joseph Yobo is expected to return for Norwich.

Out	Cech		Doubt	Yobo

Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool

Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis has a full squad to choose from on Monday night.

Jose Enrique is the only absentee for Liverpool.

			Out	Enrique