England roundup: Arsenal face Birmingham without Toure

* Leaders Arsenal will be without defender Kolo Toure for their trip to Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Ivory Coast international injured his calf during Arsenal's 0-0 draw with AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday and is expected to be out for two weeks. Fellow Ivorian Emmanuel Eboue is suspended after being sent of at Manchester United last week. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expects Aleksandr Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor to be fit while Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is back in the squad.

* Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva says the club must quickly forget about the 2-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League and concentrate on getting the club into the top four of the Premier League. Liverpool, who host Middlesbrough on Saturday, are three points behind fourth-placed Everton having won just one in seven league games and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship (second division) Barnsley at home last weekend.

"We know we need to be in the top four because we need to be in the Champions League next season, and we are three points behind Everton. We have to close that gap but we have the confidence that we can, especially after beating Inter Milan," the midfielder told the club's Web site (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

* Newcastle United, just six points above the relegation zone, could have goalkeeper Shay Given back for the home game against champions Manchester United. Manager Kevin Keegan said the return of four players -- Obafemi Martins, Habib Beye, Abdoulaye Faye, and Geremi -- from African Nations Cup duty would be a boost:

"If you get four international players coming back into the squad, it is bound to make a difference," he said, although Martins looks doubtful with an ankle injury. * Manchester United have a clean bill of health with Ryan Giggs recovering from a minor knee injury sustained in their mid-week Champions League draw in Lyon. * Portsmouth striker Jermain Defoe, unavailable for the FA Cup match against Preston North End last weekend, is set to return against Sunderland at Fratton Park. Sunderland will be without midfielder Kieran Richardson, who scored both goals against Portsmouth at the Stadium of Light six weeks ago because of a hamstring problem.

* Wigan Athletic expect Emile Heskey to be back in the attacking line-up at home to Derby County after recovering from back trouble. However, midfielder Ryan Taylor is ruled out with a rib injury.

* Aston Villa hope to welcome back forward Gabriel Agbonlahor, who had to pull out of the England squad for the recent friendly with Switzerland due to a hamstring injury, for what could be a difficult trip to Reading on Sunday.

* Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson is sure to ring the changes for Sunday's match at Blackburn Rovers after beating Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Cup on Thursday. "I don't think we've picked the same team twice in Europe, usually because of the demands of the Premier League," he told the club's Web site (www.bwfc.premiumtv.co.uk). "I'm sure there will be a lot of changes for our game on Sunday."