Birmingham City
Alex McLeish, the Birmingham City manager, is confident Ben Foster will be fit to face relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. The England international goalkeeper was forced off in the first half of last Saturday's 5-0 defeat at Liverpool with a stiff back and a dead leg after being injured trying to prevent the second goal. "We were worried about him after he hobbled off the bus on Saturday night but the last couple of days he's had a lot of treatment and relief, and we expect him to make it on Sunday," McLiesh said.
Newcastle United
Stephen Ireland has been ruled out of the final four games of the season with an ankle injury. The on-loan Aston Villa midfielder sustained the problem during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Blackpool. The 24-year-old has made two appearances for Newcastle since his January arrival from Villa Park, coming off the bench against both Manchester United and Blackpool.
Manchester City
Manchester City legend Colin Bell has urged the club's fans to cease their chants about the 1958 Munich air disaster. City's 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Monday was overshadowed by clearly audible taunts from City fans about the Munich air crash which hit rivals Manchester United and left 23 people dead. Bell told the Manchester Evening News that City fans needed to be made aware that enough was enough. "They are not true City supporters. Football is a sport at the end of the day and they are chanting about people's lives," Bell said. "It's gone on long enough and I appeal to them to stop. It's sad. I played for City and consider myself a supporter of the club, and these chants are degrading the club. I don't like it one little bit."
West Bromwich Albion
West Brom's revival under Roy Hodgson has persuaded Abdoulaye Meite he has a future at the club. Having been on the verge of leaving in the January transfer window, the 30-year-old defender now hopes he can earn a contract extension - there is an option for another 12 months on his current deal - come the end of the season. The Ivory Coast international has featured in a seven-match run that has seen West Brom beaten just once and has taken them to the verge of Premier League safety. "Yes, I did think I might need to leave," said Meite. "This is life. Football - you can be the hero one day and on the floor the next day. I was on the floor, but now I'm playing I am OK. I would like to stay."
Liverpool
Fabio Aurelio, the Liverpool defender, remains hopeful of making his comeback from injury before the end of the season. The Brazilian sustained a second hamstring problem in the space of six weeks when he was injured in the draw at Arsenal 10 days ago. Because of other injuries to Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger, Jack Robinson, the 17-year-old reserve team full-back, has had to fill in. "I'm optimistic I will be able to play again before the end of the season," said Aurelio, 31. "It's the same hamstring injury I had against Manchester United in March but in a slightly different place."
West Ham United
Mark Noble looks certain to miss bottom-placed West Ham's game at Manchester City on Sunday, although the full extent of his stomach injury is still being assessed. Tests on Tuesday confirmed the midfielder did have a problem, which was feared could be a hernia. Should further assessment back that up, the 23-year-old would probably require surgery that would end his season.
