Things were looking a little shaky this week, with the news that Lehmann, Cole, and Campbell were all injured. But today the news is that while Sol's injury will see him miss the CHamps League tie against Pahanthinaikos on Tuesday, Lehmann and Cole are both fit. No disrespect to Sol, whose match on Sunday was 100% solid apart from one foot stuck out a little too far, enabling Rooney to dive over it for the penalty, but we'd have missed the other 2 more. In goal, Almunia is as yet unproven, and while his shot-stopping looked good on Wednesday, there were clear communication problems with his defenders which could not have been a good thing in ther first team especially if 2 first-choice defenders had been injured. At left-back, Clichy is a very able deputy for Cole, but is out injured. But in central defence we have Cygan, who had an excellent game as captain on Wendesday) and Senderos, who also looked solid in his debut.

I'm not aware of any other new injuries since the Old Trafford game.

Southampton may use youngster Dexter Blackstock who scrambled home a hattrick in midweek and Southampton beat Colchester United. Options are limited up front, with Beattie (broken toe) on the injury list along with Peter Crouch and Kevin Phillips. Blackstock could partner Brett Ormerod.

The experience of Jason Dodd and Graeme Le Saux will also be missing, and other injuries include Marian Pahars, Michael Svensson, Yoann Folly and Matthew Oakley. Rory Delap may be able to return to the side after missing the League Cup tie and Fernandes is hoping to overcome a hamstering niggle.