• Manchester United without Rooney due to calf injury
• Gerrard and Torres miss Liverpool’s trip to Sunderland

Arsenal v Birmingham City, Tomorrow, 3pm

Arsenal will be without Gaël Clichy (ankle) and Nicklas Bendtner (groin) but the goalkeeper Manuel Almunia should return from a virus. The midfielder Abou Diaby (ankle) also picked up a problem while away with France, but he is expected to be available along with the captain, Cesc Fábregas, who missed Spain’s midweek game for personal reasons. The Mexico striker Carlos Vela is on his way back from Central America and will not be included. The reserve keeper Lukasz Fabianski is close to a return following knee surgery, but winger Samir Nasri (broken leg), Croatia striker Eduardo da Silva (thigh) and Denilson (back) are still out.

Team (from): Almunia, Gibbs, Gallas, Vermaelen, Sagna, Rosicky, Fábregas, Song, Arshavin, Walcott, Van Persie, Mannone, Eboué, Diaby, Wilshere, Ramsey, Senderos, Silvestre.

The Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome is available after a two-month absence. The England Under-21 international has been out since suffering an ankle injury against Portsmouth at St Andrew’s in the second match of the season. His fellow forward Christian Benítez should also be available after missing the 2-1 defeat at Burnley, when he was allowed to return to Ecuador as his father had been involved in a car accident. Alex McLeish has a series of fitness doubts including Grégory Vignal, Franck Queudrue, Martin Taylor, David Murphy, Teemu Tainio, Giovanny Espinoza, Stuart Parnaby and Keith Fahey.

Team (from): Hart, Maik Taylor, Carr, R