Today in the Premier League

Arsenal

Mathieu Flamini said he expects to recover from a thigh injury before the visit of Blackburn on Monday. "It is just a tight spot behind the right thigh," the Frenchman said after sustaining the injury playing for France A this week. "It is nothing serious, I hope I will be ready for Blackburn."

Aston Villa

Martin O'Neill said he intends to make additions to the squad over the summer after the club failed to bring in anyone in the January transfer window. "Yes, we'll be enhancing the squad," the manager said. "We've put in a bedrock but now this club should be looking upwards."

Birmingham City

The assistant manager Roy Aitken believes the club remain in control of their Premier League destiny. "It's the same for all the clubs in the section," he said. "We need a few wins but its no worse for us than anyone else. We know exactly what we need to do. I'm not concerned yet."

Blackburn Rovers

Mark Hughes has defended the club's plans to enter next season's Intertoto Cup. Rovers qualified for the Uefa Cup through the competition last year. "It benefited us," he said. "Ideally we would like to get a Uefa place from the league. If we can't, the Intertoto is a great route in."

Bolton Wanderers

Joey O'Brien (hamstring) could miss the visit of Portsmouth tomorrow but manager Gary Megson is hopeful he will not be out for long. "It's not too serious," Megson said. "But it is really disappointing for him and us. He was our best player against Fulham [last week]. There's much to come from him if we can keep him injury free."

Chelsea

The England international Joe Cole said he hopes to continue his good form ahead of the visit of Liverpool on Sunday. "I am happy with the way I'm playing at the moment," the midfielder said following an impressive display against Switzerland this week. "I have just got to keep my form going. I'm always looking to improve."

Derby County

The defender Claude Davis could be out for the rest of the season as he undergoes an operation on his knee today. "He's having surgery but that's his season over really," the manager Paul Jewell said. "He's been playing through the pain barrier for months now and he deserves credit for that."

Everton

The on-loan defender Anthony Gardner said he is looking forward to making his debut for the Merseyside club. "Everton are in a strong position and I'm looking forward to working with the boys and showing what I can do," the Tottenham centre-back said. "I really want to contribute."

Fulham

Jimmy Bullard has put his international aspirations on hold as he recovers from a 16-month injury absence. "I have just come back," he said. "My main concentration is Fulham. I would love to play international football, my Nan is German. I could play for Germany. I don't know where that stands."

Liverpool

Rafael Benitez believes the striker Dirk Kuyt will provide adequate cover for Fernando Torres against Chelsea on Sunday. "He's a fantastic professional," the Reds manager said. "He's a worker and he can score goals. He does an important job and I am very confident in him."

Manchester City

Sven Goran Eriksson has urged supporters to respect the minute's silence during Sunday's derby with Manchester United. "Rivalry in football is one thing," he said. "But when you talk about an accident 50 years ago, that's different. We must behave and show common sense."

Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson believes his squad is well equipped to finish the season strongly. "These players have a great spirit," the manager said. "They're hungry players, they never give in, as they demonstrated at Spurs. These are fantastic qualities to take into the second half of the season."

Middlesbrough

The club have confirmed the signing of the 18-year-old Bradford City goalkeeper Sam Filler. "Middlesbrough came back in for him and doubled their original offer," the Bantams joint-chairman Julian Rhodes said. "This is another feather in the cap for our youth department."

Newcastle United

Obafemi Martins said he is looking forward to meeting new manager Kevin Keegan after returning from African Nations Cup duty with Nigeria. "Everything will have changed," he said. " It's good news. He will make changes, but all the players want to play for him and do him proud."

Portsmouth

Linvoy Primus fears his Pompey career may be over after the defender was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury with his contract almost expired. "There has not been much said to me on the contract front," the defender said. "I might not be able to play for Pompey again."

Reading

The chairman John Madejski believes the Royals are well equipped to avoid relegation. "I am confident we will not be relegated," he said. "We have seen time and time again that the players are fighters who respond to adversity in the best possible way – with hard work."

Sunderland

Midfielder Liam Miller could be out for a month after damaging a calf muscle on international duty with the Republic of Ireland this week. The 26-year-old, who has started the last four games for the Black Cats, was substituted at half-time in the defeat to Brazil at Croke Park on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur

Jermaine Jenas has credited manager Juande Ramos with his recent resurgence in form. "I owe a lot to Ramos," he said. "He has come in and changed the way Tottenham play, which has helped my game develop." The 24-year-old scored his first England goal against Switzerland this week.

West Ham United

Lucas Neill said he intends to continue playing in Australia's World Cup qualifiers despite pressure from manager Alan Curbishley, who wants him to remain at Upton Park. "If it was [Curbishley] going to represent England, he wouldn't have an argument," Neill said after helping Australia defeat Qatar 3-0 this week.

Wigan Athletic

Defender Erik Hagen could make his Latics debut at Sunderland tomorrow. The 32-year-old Norwegian is on loan from the Russian club Zenit St Petersburg until the end of the season and hopes to win a permenanant deal. "Erik is a typical centre-half," manager Steve Bruce said. "A brute of a man and a typical no-nonsense defender."