Arsenal
Arsenal Robin van Persie has raised hopes of a shock early comeback from injury by making an unexpected return to training. Pictures released on the club's official website show Van Persie apparently participating in full training on Monday morning, less than a week after Arsene Wenger ruled him out for a month with knee ligament damage. Talksport report Van Persie was 'running and turning freely in a Monday morning session with an Arsenal fitness coach raising speculation of a return to action sooner than expected'.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Gerard Houllier believes Aston Villa need a minimum of 10 more points to guarantee Barclays Premier League survival. Villa are three points above the relegation zone after again failing to hold onto a lead in the 3-2 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. Houllier knows that inability to close out games has been the difference between challenging for a European spot and their current predicament. He said: "All games are important, we've only got 33 points and we've lost too many points on the way. We've lost something like 18 points when in front. Had we lost just half of those, we would be in a European spot at the moment. We are not safe. I keep my feet on the ground and we need 10 points minimum to be safe, I think." It is going to be tight right to the end of the season. Every team from 35 points down to the bottom has got to work hard for the future. Every game is important. What is important is to play in the Premier League first and, in the future, the Champions League. That is the aim. That is the priority."
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Manager Alex McLeish will let key midfielder Barry Ferguson decide whether to undergo an injection which could allow him to return to action quicker after suffering a broken rib. Ferguson picked up the injury in a challenge with Arsenal's Samir Nasri during the Carling Cup final. His influence was sorely missed during Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion which pushed City back into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League. But McLeish will put no pressure on Ferguson and allow him to make his mind up on whether to go under the needle and he said: "We all have key players. But I'm not going to force the player into doing it. His welfare comes first and it must come from him if he makes the decision to have the jab. Barry has had this before when I was at Rangers in a Scottish Cup final. Perhaps it was easier then, but there can be things done to alleviate it, in terms of an injection. Barry, the doctor and I were discussing it on Saturday because he hates missing matches. Of course, he is a key component in our games just like Cesc Fabregas is a talisman to Arsenal and Wayne Rooney for Manchester United."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Steve Kean is staying calm over Blackburn Rovers' future amid rumours he is already heading for the exit door at Ewood Park. Rovers are currently just two points clear of the Barclays Premier League drop zone having suffered five defeats in their last six matches. Speculation has surfaced the club's owners Venky's could axe manager Kean less than two months after he was appointed on a two-year contract in place of the sacked Sam Allardyce. But despite Rovers' perilous position, Kean remains bullish over their chances of top-flight survival this term following Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Fulham. He said: "All we have to do is make sure we perform like this for the next nine games and we won't have a problem at all. It's the tightest relegation battle for a very long time and the bottom three will continue to change right to the end of the season."
Blackpool
Blackpool FC Blackpool, promoted from the Championship via the play-offs last summer, have fared better in the top flight this term than many expected and with nine matches to go, remain very much in contention to beat the drop. The Tangerines have been through plenty of highs and lows in their maiden Barclays Premier League campaign and manager Ian Holloway has described the experience as a "scary" rollercoaster ride - although he insists it is one he is still enjoying as much as ever. "We've had almost a full season in the Premier League," Holloway said. "I look haggard and jaded but I'm loving every minute of it. It has been absolutely fantastic and I'm proud of how we've tried to acquit ourselves. Some days it has gone horribly wrong, but I've kept my dignity, kept smiling. We are nowhere near as low as we should be - we should be off the chart, halfway up in the Championship. That's the truth, but we are riding this bubble of enthusiasm."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Defender Gary Cahill has set his sights on Wembley. After scoring twice in the 3-2 win against his old club Aston Villa to consolidate seventh place in the Barclays Premier League, the centre-back is relishing Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Birmingham City. He said: "We've got a great tie to look forward to in the FA Cup at Birmingham. If we beat them, we go to Wembley for the semi-final and we'll go there full of confidence on the back of this. But we're going well in the league as well."
Chelsea
Chelsea Daniel Sturridge has no doubt fellow Chelsea youngster Josh McEachran will be an England star of the future - if he is allowed to develop at his own pace. The 18-year-old made his first-team debut in the Champions League win over Zilina in September - becoming the first player younger than the competition itself to make an appearance - and has not looked back since. McEachran has played six times in the Barclays Premier League and earned rave reviews from England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce after making his full debut against Italy last month. Sturridge, who will mentor a young player as part of Disney XD's Aim High initiative, has seen McEachran's talents at close quarters on many occasions, and he is certain the teenager has what it takes. The 21-year-old said: "He's a great friend of mine and I can't talk highly enough of him in every aspect. But I don't want everyone to put too much pressure on him. He's only 18 and he needs to be given time to grow up and to gain experience. He's a fantastic player with unbelievable talent and he's going to be a hugely important player for Chelsea and England in the future."
Everton
Everton Midfielder Leon Osman believes the character displayed by the players in their 2-1 victory at Newcastle United must be replicated for the rest of the season. Having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Reading the Toffees bounced back with a come-from-behind win at St James' Park to move into the top half of the Barclays Premier League. "It was important that we put it right," said Osman. "It was good to go up to Newcastle and do it and now it would be nice to do it in front of the home fans as well. It showed a lot of character. Moving up the table is what we're aiming for, we haven't had the greatest season but we are trying to put that right but if we take our eye off the ball for one second we will be punished."
Fulham
Fulham Bobby Zamora is delighted to be back among the goals following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The Fulham striker suffered a broken ankle against Wolverhampton Wanderers in September, the day after penning a new long-term contract at Craven Cottage. It has been a long road back for the England international, with a large part of the season having passed him by. He has, however, returned to action over recent weeks and found the target for the first time since earning a first-team recall in Fulham's 3-2 victory over Blackburn on Saturday. He kept his cool to slot home a last-minute penalty, helping him to banish his injury demons and the Cottagers to another welcome three points. On his late spot-kick, Zamora said: "I don't normally take penalties but there were a few nervous people out there and Danny Murphy had been substituted. Clint [Dempsey, who missed a late penalty against Chelsea recently] picked the ball up and passed it straight to me, so he obviously didn't want it and I was happy to take it and get my name back on the scoresheet. It's always tough when you're out injured for so long and the hardest part was being stuck in the gym while all the lads were training."
Liverpool
Liverpool Liverpool's record signing Andy Carroll is eager to quickly build on his short debut appearance in Sunday's 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Anfield. The 22-year-old, who became the most expensive British player when he moved from Newcastle on January transfer deadline day, ended a spell of more than two months on the sidelines with a thigh injury with a 16-minute cameo. Manager Kenny Dalglish has tried to temper expectations, insisting Carroll still has a way to go to reach full match fitness, but the striker is keen to get his Reds career up and running. "It was great to get out there and the result made it even better," said the England international. "I was on the bench and itching to get on right from the kick-off really but I've started now and can't wait for the next game. When I was running back (after being called for a substitution by Dalglish) all the fans were shouting and screaming and so I got a little bit excited. I was over the moon to get on there and get back playing. The support was unbelievable for me. The fans have been great since I signed and even when I was warming up, they were fantastic. It was an incredible atmosphere, definitely one of the best I've ever experienced."
Manchester City
Manchester City Roberto Mancini will give his City squad two days off ahead of Thursday's trip to Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League due to a hectic schedule. "We have five days before Kiev," he said after Saturday's win over Wigan Athletic. "And after that game we must travel through the night and then come back and play Reading on Sunday. Hopefully I will be able to change some players but it is very hard. Now it is important to have two days off so the players can recover physically and mentally."
Manchester United
Manchester United Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is keen to land Manchester United youngster Danny Welbeck on loan for another season. The 20-year-old forward, an England Under-21 international, has impressed for the Black Cats after arriving on loan for the season last August. And while Bruce does not expect United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to let the talented youngster leave Old Trafford permanently, he is hopeful of negotiating a new deal which secures his services for a further 12 months. "I will keep at Sir Alex and maybe try to get him drunk on a bottle of wine," said Bruce. "But if we could get him back here for another year, that may be a compromise."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United FC Teenage full-back Shane Ferguson is learning all he can from Jose Enrique as he attempts to make his way in the game at Newcastle. The 19-year-old Northern Irishman made his second Barclays Premier League appearance for the club as a substitute in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Everton and impressed manager Alan Pardew with his performance. Ferguson, who has been put on a steak and milk diet to help build him up physically, has been working closely on the training ground with Enrique and Argentinian winger Jonas Gutierrez, and is reaping the rewards. He said: "Jose has been outstanding this season, he has been unbelievable, and Jonas as well. In training, he has been giving me pointers and he has helped me. It's great to learn from such great players. I will just keep watching him and keep learning from there."
Stoke City
Stoke City Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic admitted his mistake began Stoke City's miserable 3-0 defeat at Upton Park but believes the Potters will avoid falling into the relegation zone. The 23-year-old failed to connect with the ball when he slid out to intercept Mark Noble's pass, allowing Demba Ba to run on to score the Hammers' 21st-minute opener. However, Begovic made two superb saves in the second half to deny Carlton Cole before Thomas Hitzlsperger struck in the 83rd minute to complete Stoke's heaviest league defeat of the season. "It was unfortunate," he said. "I remember the ball being played through and I came sliding in, but the ball bounced a bit weirdly and went over my foot. It looked a bit silly, and obviously it is my fault for making a challenge and not making it well. I will take that on the chin and move on I guess, and hopefully rectify it in the next games."
Sunderland
Sunderland Sunderland defender Titus Bramble admits Andrey Arshavin's honesty let him off the hook on Saturday. Bramble formed part of a Black Cats defence over the weekend that held Arsenal to a goalless draw at Emirates Stadium. It was a backs to the wall effort from the visitors for the most part, with the Gunners dominating possession for long periods. Arsenal could have had a penalty had Arshavin taken a tumble after being clipped by Bramble inside the box. Instead the Russian stayed on his feet and shot wide, leaving the Sunderland centre-half a relieved a man. Bramble said afterwards: "Maybe he was a little bit too honest. But I would say it was good defending. I did enough to put him off. We could have won it and had some chances, but so did Arsenal. We were a bit lucky. I am not going to lie to you, we did a lot of work defensively because last week [against Everton] we were all over the place. We have had a bad run of late so it was good to get a point. We have done really well and we have to continue that."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Millwall have signed Tottenham winger Andros Townsend on loan until the end of the season. The pacy 19-year-old, who has represented England at under-19 level, has made one first-team appearance for Spurs in the FA Cup win over Charlton in January, when he got on the scoresheet. Townsend recently returned to White Hart Lane following a month on loan at Watford, where he was restricted to only three appearances. The teenager was supposed to spend the season on loan at Ipswich after joining them in August but the deal was cut short when he fell out of favour at Portman Road. The Londoner has spent the majority of the last three seasons out on loan, having spent time at MK Dons, Leyton Orient and Yeovil.
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion FC Midfielder Paul Scharner believes his outspoken comments about his team-mates two months ago have been justified with their revival in fortunes. The Austrian publicly claimed the squad - including himself - had allowed their standards to drop during a dismal run of results which saw the Baggies slide towards the relegation zone. It did not make the former Wigan man popular with some of his fellow players, but Scharner insists his outburst was justified and needed to spark a reaction. Albion's upturn under new manager Roy Hodgson continued with Saturday's 3-1 at Birmingham, which followed on from a 1-1 draw at Stoke, and Scharner said: "I'm one of the oldest players and one of the most experienced. A few weeks ago I said those things to wake the players up, to show responsibility and to be professional. It was my responsibility as well you know. The most important thing is self-criticism and responsibility. You can find excuses from anywhere. We knew we had to look at ourselves and try to stop it. We were fighting relegation and I thought that's why I had to do something. Those comments were necessary. It's in the past and we're now back on the focus street and trying to get the points we need to stay up. You can see that the players have responded - at Stoke last week and against Birmingham on Saturday."
West Ham United
West Ham United Manager Avram Grant has praised the fighting spirit shown by his players which has seen the Hammers record back-to-back wins and move out of the bottom three. An impressive display against Stoke on Saturday followed a 3-1 win over Liverpool the previous weekend, and West Ham now appear to be building momentum ahead of the run-in. Speaking to the club's official website, Grant said he believes the players were strengthened while going through a barren run of form which included one win in six Premier League matches. "When we were bottom of the league, we were fighting and fighting. We always wanted to find a solution and the spirit was very good," Grant said. "Of course no one was happy when we lost. But from every bad situation we became stronger and stronger. That is the reason why we now have good momentum. You cannot push a button and be good. You need to do the right things even when things are going wrong."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Roberto Martinez is confident his Wigan side will get the slice of luck required to propel them towards Barclays Premier League safety. For the second weekend running, the Latics were left cursing after failing to gain any reward for their efforts. This time they fell victim to Manchester City, or rather Ali Al Habsi's first-half error, which condemned them to another week at the foot of the table. With only nine matches remaining, time is starting to run out for Martinez's men. But the Wigan manager says his side's performances are such they only need one thing to go their way and safety will be secured. "Sometimes you need a bit of luck in one game and that triggers a successful run," he said. "The Premier League is an unforgiving place and football sometimes doesn't give you what you deserve. But at the end of the season I believe it will."
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Kevin Doyle is confident Wolves will stay up if they replicate their performance in the 3-3 draw against Tottenham at the weekend. He said: "We've said it a few times this season that we shouldn't go down playing like that and, if we play like that, we should stay up. We've got to keep it going over the next nine games. We've had some tremendous performances and results over the last six weeks but we're still in the bottom three. We've never become detached, but everyone around us is getting the same sort of results. I feel we played well enough to win. We showed great courage again to come back twice against a side who will probably go through to the last eight in the Champions League on Wednesday night."
