Saturday, January 11th
Bolton (17) v Fulham (16)
Former France forward Youri Djorkaeff is set to return to the Bolton starting line-up after recovering from a rib injury. Manager Sam Allardyce looks certain to make wholesale changes to the side which drew with Sunderland in the FA Cup.
Fulham striker Steve Marlet is again missing with a hamstring injury but Luis Boa Morte is back after a three-week lay-off with a thigh problem. Rufus Brevett returns from suspension and is expected to start at left-back as Pierre Wome and Jon Harley are banned. Lee Clark (calf) should be fit inside 10 days and fellow midfielder Junichi Inamoto (ankle) and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar (foot) are due back in training in a fortnight.
Last season: Fulham 3 Bolton 0, Bolton 0 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Bolton L D W D L, Fulham W L L D L
Top Scorers: Michael Ricketts (Bolton) 7; Steve Marlet (Fulham) 7.
Match Odds: H 13-10 A 7-4 D 21-10
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Chelsea (3) v Charlton (13)
Chelsea are without Mario Melchiot and Mario Stanic. Melchiot has a thigh problem and Stanic, who suffered a knee tendon injury in the 1-0 FA Cup victory over Middlesbrough last Saturday, will be back in training in a week and then start his return to fitness.
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley is expected to recall defenders Mark Fish and Chris Powell, who were rested for last week's 3-1 FA Cup victory over Exeter. Jonatan Johansson staked his claim for a place by scoring two spectacular goals against Exeter on his return to the starting line-up but to accommodate him, Curbishley would have to break up the front pair of Kevin Lisbie and Shaun Bartlett, who have figured in Charlton's eight-match unbeaten league run.
Last season: Charlton 2 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 0 Charlton 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W D L L, Charlton W D D D W
Top Scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea) 9; Jason Euell (Charlton) 8.
Match odds: H 8-15 A 9-2 D 12-5
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Liverpool (7) v Aston Villa (14)
Michael Owen is set to start for Liverpool having made his comeback from a hamstring injury as a substitute in the midweek Worthington Cup defeat at Sheffield United. Owen should replace youngster Neil Mellor. Emile Heskey is expected to recover from an ankle injury and goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has shown no ill effects from the late challenge on him by Michael Brown, but Dietmar Hamann is still sidelined by a shin injury.
Villa will again be without central defenders Ronny Johnsen (ankle) and Steve Staunton (hernia), but manager Graham Taylor is set to recall midfielder Ian Taylor after a seven-match absence with a thigh strain. Striker Darius Vassell is also pushing for a recall at the expense of Juan Pablo Angel, while fellow forwards Peter Crouch and Stefan Moore return to the squad.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 2, Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 3
Last five league matches: Liverpool L D D D L, Aston Villa W L L W W
Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 14; Dion Dublin (Aston Villa) 9.
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
Man City (10) v Leeds (11)
New signing Djamel Belmadi is likely to be named in Manchester City's squad after a goalscoring reserve-team outing in midweek, although the loan signing from Marseille will probably be on the bench. Central defensive duo Steve Howey (Achilles) and Richard Dunne (virus) are set to return after missing the FA Cup defeat against Liverpool, but Danny Tiatto (groin) is still a week away from full fitness.
Leeds manager Terry Venables has no fresh injury worries to disrupt his plans. The only long-term casualties are Nick Barmby and Michael Bridges, although Venables is now short of midfield cover following the departures of Olivier Dacourt and Lee Bowyer this week to Roma and West Ham respectively.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man City D L W W D, Leeds W D W W W
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 10; Harry Kewell (Leeds) 9.
Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Middlesbrough (12) v Southampton (6)
Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng and central defender Ugo Ehiogu are ruled out by injury. Midfielder Mark Wilson is suspended after being sent off against Aston Villa, while manager Steve McClaren is undecided over his strike force.
Saints could give a debut to Federico Arias, a #500,000 signing from Argentinian club Velez Sarsfield. Chris Marsden is expected to overcome a hamstring problem that has troubled him for the last two games. Agustin Delgado is also available after missing the last month with a back injury but Jason Dodd is still out with a calf strain, while Latvian striker Marian Pahars will be missing until March with a long-term ankle problem.
Last season: Southampton 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 1 Southampton 3
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough D L W L L, Southampton D D D W W
Top scorers: Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 5; James Beattie (Southampton) 14.
Match odds: H Evs A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: D Elleray (Middlesex).
Sunderland (18) v Blackburn (8)
Sunderland manager Howard Wilkinson's injury problems have eased only marginally. Midfielder Gavin McCann returned to training on Wednesday after a virus and striker Kevin Phillips has recovered from a dead leg, while Paul Thirlwell's hernia problem is not yet serious enough to sideline him. But Michael Gray (hamstring) and Kevin Kilbane (calf) remain major doubts and Stephen Wright (hamstring), Claudio Reyna (knee), Matt Piper (hernia), Thomas Butler (hamstring), David Bellion (heel), Jason McAteer (hernia), Thomas Myhre (thigh), Mark Rossiter (knee) and Mart Poom (back) are all out.
Damien Duff returns to the Blackburn squad after missing two games with back and hamstring problems but David Dunn, who limped out of Tuesday's 1-1 Worthington Cup semi-final draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford with a calf injury, has had a scan and is likely to be out for a couple of weeks. The scan revealed a tear in his calf.
Last season: Blackburn 0 Sunderland 3, Sunderland 1 Blackburn 0
Last five league matches: Sunderland W D L L L, Blackburn L W D D W
Top scorers: Tore Andre Flo (Sunderland) 6; Dwight Yorke (Blackburn) 9
Match odds: H 7-4 A 13-10 D 21-10
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
West Brom (19) v Man Utd (2)
West Brom skipper Derek McInnes and midfielder Jordao are back in training after shoulder problems and have been included in the squad. Phil Gilchrist, out for six weeks with an ankle injury, is set to start in place of suspended Sean Gregan. Igor Balis is also back in contention after illness but Lee Hughes (knee) is a doubt.
Skipper Roy Keane has been named in the United squad after missing Tuesday's Worthington Cup draw with Blackburn due to a hamstring injury. Nicky Butt is set to return to full training on Monday after his recent ankle injury, while Quinton Fortune (broken leg) is the only other member of the first-team squad still on the casualty list.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom L L D L L, Man Utd W L L W W
Top scorers: Daniele Dichio (West Brom) 6; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 20.
Match odds: H 9-2 A 8-15 D 12-5
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
West Ham (20) v Newcastle (4)
Lee Bowyer goes straight into West Ham's squad after signing from Leeds this week and although it is a month since his last game, manager Glenn Roeder expects him to play some part. Defender Tomas Repka starts a four-match suspension.
Midfielder Kieron Dyer is rated 70-30 to make the game after a calf injury, although defender Andy O'Brien has only a 30-70 chance of shaking off strained back muscles in time. Shola Ameobi will replace suspended skipper Alan Shearer, while Carl Cort and Titus Bramble are included in the squad after long lay-offs. But Gary Speed (hernia), Hugo Viana (shoulder) and Jamie McClen (back) are all out.
Last season: Newcastle 3 West Ham 1, West Ham 3 Newcastle 0
Last five league matches: West Ham D L D D D, Newcastle D W L W W
Top scorers: Jermain Defoe, Paolo Di Canio (West Ham) 6; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 16.
Match odds: H 7-4 A 5-4 D 11-5
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).
Sunday, January 12th
Birmingham (15) v Arsenal (1)
Birmingham's new signings Christophe Dugarry, Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence could all make their debuts. Ferdinand Coly will make his first home appearance and Steve Vickers and Michael Johnson are expected to be fit. But Aliou Cisse, Clinton Morrison and Geoff Horsfield are suspended.
Arsenal are without Patrick Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg. Vieira is still troubled by a groin problem, while Ljungberg has recovered from a virus but is now suffering from an Achilles tendon injury. Ray Parlour has recovered from a calf problem but is still short of match fitness, while Pascal Cygan has only just returned from injury this week in the reserves.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Birmingham W D D L L, Arsenal D W W D W
Top scorers: Stern John (Birmingham) 7; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 18
Match odds: H 4-1 A 4-7 D 5-2
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Tottenham (9) v Everton (5)
Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle will give late fitness checks to skipper Teddy Sheringham and defender Dean Richards, who both have knee injuries. Simon Davies has recovered from an ankle injury but Les Ferdinand completes a three-match suspension.
New signing Brian McBride could solve Everton's striking problems. The American is standing by if Kevin Campbell fails to recover from a leg injury. Fellow new recruit Ibrahim Said joins him in the squad. David Moyes' options are limited by the suspensions of Wayne Rooney, Thomas Gravesen and David Weir, while Tobias Linderoth is also struggling with a knee problem. Joseph Yobo, Alessandro Pistone and Steve Watson trained this week and are expected to be fit.
Last season: Tottenham 1 Everton 1, Everton 1 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham D W D L L, Everton W D D D D
Top scorers: Robbie Keane, Teddy Sheringham (Tottenham) 6; Kevin Campbell (Everton) 9.
Match odds: H Evs A 23-10 D 21-10
Referee: S Dunn (Avon).