Arsenal trio face late tests

LONDON (Reuters) - Brief news ahead of this weekend's Premier League matches (times GMT).

* Arsenal will give late fitness tests to forwards Theo Walcott and Gervinho and defender Laurent Koscielny ahead of Sunday's North London derby at Tottenham Hotspur (1500 GMT).

All three missed Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League victory over Olympiakos Piraeus through injury.

"Walcott, Gervinho and Koscielny will all be late tests and very late decisions -- Saturday or even Sunday morning," manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website (www.arsenal.com) on Friday.

"Walcott looks the most likely to have a chance. Koscielny maybe less. He is recovering well but the game may come too soon."

* Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez are fit to return for Saturday's home game with Norwich City (1400).

Rooney, who has been in superb form this season and scored nine goals in his opening five league games, has not featured since United's 3-1 victory over Chelsea on Sept. 18.

Hernandez was forced off with a dead leg in last Saturday's draw against Stoke City.

"Wayne and Hernandez are fit for tomorrow," manager Alex Ferguson told reporters on Friday.

Ferguson said there was further good news on the injury front with centre back Jonny Evans ready to return and defenders Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling and midfielder Tom Cleverley close to full fitness.

* Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said striker Daniel Sturridge was ready to return from injury at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday (1230).

Sturridge, who had a spell on loan at Bolton last season, missed the midweek Champions League game in Valencia.

* Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has joined second-tier side Blackpool on loan until January, the Premier League club said on Friday.

Shelvey, 19, has made 22 first-team appearances for Liverpool since joining from Charlton Athletic in May 2010.

Liverpool visit local rivals Everton on Saturday (1145).

* Norwich City striker James Vaughan is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury against Sunderland on Monday.

Vaughan, 23, joined promoted Norwich from Everton in the close-season.

"I will be out for a few months," he said on his Twitter site on Friday. "I'm absolutely gutted but I will work hard and make sure I come back stronger."

Norwich visit champions Manchester United on Saturday.

(Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Tony Jimenez)