Ozil on the bench for Gunners; Torres starts for Blues in London derby

Arsenal have Kieran Gibbs back in their first XI and record signing Mesut Ozil on the bench for the Barclays Premier League clash with Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Fit-again Gibbs replacing the injured Nacho Monreal in defence is the only change to the starting line-up from last Saturday’s 4-1 win against Sunderland, while playmaker Ozil is returning to the matchday squad after missing that game due to injury.

Thomas Vermaelen, back involved after an extended spell on the sidelines, is also among the substitutes.

There is only one adjustment to the Potters team as well a week on from the 1-0 loss at Manchester City, with the injured Peter Odemwingie dropping out and Steven Nzonzi coming in.

Stoke: Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters, Nzonzi, Whelan, Walters, Adam, Arnautovic, Crouch.

Subs: Muniesa, Palacios, Guidetti, Etherington, Wilkinson, Sorensen, Ireland.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Wilshere, Arteta, Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud.

Subs: Vermaelen, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Flamini, Fabianski, Sanogo, Gnabry.

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)

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Fulham v Chelsea

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has kept faith with Fernando Torres in attack for today’s west London derby at Fulham.

Samuel Eto’o is rested completely, while David Luiz is on the bench along with Frank Lampard, so Oscar and the cup-tied Nemanja Matic come in as Mourinho freshens up the side following the gruelling midweek Champions League trip to Istanbul.

Fulham boss Felix Magath makes three changes for his first match at Craven Cottage as Darren Bent, Pajtim Kasami and Clint Dempsey all started for the top-flight’s bottom club.

Fulham: Stekelenburg, Riether, Hangeland, Heitinga, Richardson, Sidwell, Parker, Dejagah, Dempsey, Kasami, Bent.

Subs: Riise, Kvist Jorgensen, Holtby, Stockdale, Karagounis, Rodallega, Burn.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Torres.

Subs: Cole, Luiz, Lampard, Mikel, Ba, Willian, Schwarzer.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

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Everton v West Ham

Everton’s on-loan Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu is named in the starting line-up at home to West Ham for the first time since a hamstring injury he picked up in mid-December.

The youngster replaces Kevin Mirallas from the defeat at Chelsea, John Stones deputises for injured captain Phil Jagielka in central defence with fit-again striker Romelu Lukaku on the bench.

West Ham, unbeaten in five matches with four successive victories, name the same side which beat Southampton last weekend.

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Deulofeu, Osman, Pienaar, Naismith.

Subs: Robles, Hibbert, McGeady, Mirallas, Lukaku, Barkley, Browning.

West Ham: Adrian, Demel, Collins, Tomkins, McCartney, Downing, Noble, Taylor, Jarvis, Nolan, Carlton Cole.

Subs: Reid, Armero, Carroll, Diame, Jaaskelainen, Joe Cole, Nocerino.

Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)

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Hull v Newcastle

Hull manager Steve Bruce has handed recalls to in-form strike duo Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic for the Barclays Premier League meeting with Newcastle at the KC Stadium.

The January signings were cup-tied for the Tigers’ FA Cup win over Brighton on Monday, but are free to return for a Hull team seeking to complete a league double over the Magpies. Tom Huddlestone, Alex Bruce and Liam Rosenior also feature as Bruce reverts to the starting line-up from last weekend’s 4-0 win at Cardiff.

Newcastle show two changes from the team that started last week’s last-gasp 1-0 win over Aston Villa, with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa coming in to the heart of defence for Fabricio Coloccini, who is granted compassionate leave following a family bereavement, and Luuk de Jong replacing Papiss Cisse up front.

Hull: McGregor, Elmohamady, Bruce, Davies, Figueroa, Rosenior, Livermore, Huddlestone, Meyler, Jelavic, Long.

Subs: Chester, Koren, Boyd, Sagbo, Harper, Aluko, Quinn.

Newcastle: Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita, Tiote, Gouffran, De Jong, Remy.

Subs: Cisse, Gosling, Haidara, Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Alnwick.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)