Saturday, September 27
Birmingham (7) v Portsmouth (8)
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce is set to restore the strike force of Christophe Dugarry and Mikael Forssell after Clinton Morrison and Stern John failed to find the target in the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Blackpool.
The rested Robbie Savage will also return - and take over as penalty-taker - but winger Stan Lazaridis is battling to overcome a shoulder injury sustained at Bloomfield Road.
Pompey are set to delay the loan-move of young midfielder Gary O'Neil to Stoke so he can travel as cover.
Patrik Berger is still out with a groin injury and manager Harry Redknapp is likely to give Matthew Taylor his first Premiership start after six months out following a heel operation, but Steve Stone (calf), Vincent Pericard (thigh) and Hayden Foxe (ankle) are slight fitness doubts. Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Birmingham W D W D W; Portsmouth D W D D L
Top scorers:Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 3; Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 5
Match odds:H Evs A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: S Bennett (Kent)
Bolton (12) v Wolves (20)
Although Sam Allardyce rested seven players - Jussi Jaaskelainen, Emerson Thome, Ivan Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Youri Djorkaeff, Kevin Davies and Ricardo Gardner - for Bolton's midweek Carling Cup victory over Walsall, they are are all due to return to the starting line-up. It means Mario Jardel, who scored twice against the Saddlers, is likely to be on the bench, but Ibrahim Ba is out with a calf strain.
Kenny Miller is set to figure for Wolves after shrugging off a hernia problem. Miller has been included in the squad for the first time this season after resuming training last week and he may get his chance up front with Nathan Blake (virus) and Henri Camara (toe) both struggling for fitness. Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Bolton D L D W D; Wolverhampton L L D L L
Top scorers:Kevin Davies & Mario Jardel (Bolton) 2; Johannes Gudjonsson, Steffen Iversen & Alex Rae 1 (Wolves)
Match odds:H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Chelsea (2) v Aston Villa (11)
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has a full squad to select from for the first time since Roman Abramovich's #111million summer spending spree. He has striker Adrian Mutu, midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron and defender back Marcel Desailly back from ankle niggles.
Villa manager David O'Leary is sweating on the fitness of three central defenders - Olof Mellberg (groin), Ronny Johnsen (hamstring) and Alpay (flu) all missed the midweek Carling Cup demolition of Wycombe. Veteran striker Dion Dublin filled in but would find it tougher against Chelsea.
Last season: Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 2 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W D W W; Aston Villa D L W L W
Top scorers:Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 5; Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 6
Match odds: H 3-10 A 15-2 D 16-5
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).
Leicester (13) v Man Utd (3)
Leicester manager Micky Adams hopes Paul Dickov recovers from flu in time. Alan Rogers returns from suspension but Brian Deane, Craig Hignett and Keith Gillespie are sidelined by injuries.
Paul Scholes returns for United after a hernia problem but Kleberson (dislocated shoulder) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (knee) are again absent. Sir Alex Ferguson's resources are stretched - but the United boss does have the option of drafting in Nicky Butt or Diego Forlan and shuffling Quinton Fortune into the left-back slot in favour of John O'Shea.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Leicester L D L W L; Man Utd W W L W D
Top Scorers:Paul Dickov (Leicester) 4; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 4
Match odds:H 6-1 A 4-9 D 5-2
Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).
Southampton (4) v Middlesbrough (17)
Southampton midfielder Anders Svensson is set to make his first Premiership start since the opening day of the season - he competes with Paul Telfer and the fit-again Rory Delap for a place in the starting line-up. Defender Fitz Hall is also back in contention after a toe injury but centre-back Michael Svensson will undergo a late fitness test on a back problem.
Middlesbrough skipper Gareth Southgate (groin) and Spanish international Gaizka Mendieta (calf) are both out, while Brad Jones has been recalled from his loan spell at Rotherham to cover for Mark Schwarzer after Carlo Nash damaged a hip in training. Ugo Ehiogu (knee) and Massimo Maccarone (ankle) remain on the long-term casualty list.
Last season:Middlesbrough 2 Southampton 2, Southampton 0 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Southampton D D W W W; Middlesbrough L D L L W
Top scorers: James Beattie (Southampton) 6; Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 2
Match odds:H 4-6 A 10-3 D 12-5
Referee: B Knight (Kent).
Sunday, September 28
Blackburn (9) v Fulham (10)
Midfield pair Barry Ferguson and Garry Flitcroft return to the Rovers squad. Ferguson missed the UEFA Cup defeat by Genclerbirligi in midweek as he was ineligible while Flitcroft has been suffering from a back problem. Lucas Neill and Steven Reid are ruled out through suspension.
Fulham are without Sylvain Legwinski (suspended), Barry Hayles (ankle) and Sean Davis (knee). Summer signing Mark Pembridge, who played the full 90 minutes of Tuesday's 1-0 Carling Cup defeat at Wigan, is in contention for a starting role.
Last season:Fulham 0 Blackburn 4, Blackburn 2 Fulham 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn D L D L W; Fulham W L W D D
Top scorers:Andy Cole (Blackburn) 5; Barry Hayles & Louis Saha (Fulham) 3
Match odds:H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire).
Charlton (14) v Liverpool (6)
Centre-back Chris Perry is likely to be in Charlton's starting line-up after a clause in his loan deal from Tottenham ruled him out of the Carling Cup victory over Luton.
Richard Rufus may not be fit enough to start and fellow defenders Hermann Hreidarsson and Gary Rowett are definitely out with knee injuries, while up front Jason Euell is suspended and Carlton Cole awaits a verdict on his hip complaint.
Liverpool's Danny Murphy is struggling to recover from a leg muscle injury. Steven Gerrard is expected to return after a knee injury saw him dropped to the bench in midweek while El-Hadji Diouf returns after suspension.
Stephane Henchoz is also pushing for a return after his calf problems, but Igor Biscan could keep his place.
Last season:Liverpool 2 Charlton 1, Charlton 2 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches:Charlton W D D L L; Liverpool D D W W W
Top scorers:Jason Euell (Charlton) 3; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 7
Match odds:H 16-5 A 8-11 D 9-4
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Everton (15) v Leeds (16)
Everton's Francis Jeffers is struggling with a back problem while goalkeepers Richard Wright (knee) and Steve Simonsen (thigh) are still out, as is Scot Gemmill (thigh).
Boss David Moyes has Duncan Ferguson, after three goals in two games, and James McFadden pushing for places up front - but both have to get past Wayne Rooney and Tomasz Radzinski.
Leeds skipper Dominic Matteo should return after missing the last three matches with an ankle injury. Gary Kelly, who has served as acting captain in Matteo's absence, should also be available despite sustaining a gash over his right eye in the Carling Cup victory over Swindon.
Mark Viduka, Lamine Sakho and Jermaine Pennant are likely to return to the starting line-up.
Last season:Everton 2 Leeds 0, Leeds 0 Everton 1
Last five league matches:Everton W D L D L; Leeds L D W L L
Top scorers:Duncan Ferguson (Everton) 3; Alan Smith & Mark Viduka (Leeds) 2
Match odds:H 4-5 A 11-4 D 23-10
Referee:P Durkin (Dorset).
Man City (5) v Tottenham (18)
City's Shaun Wright-Phillips looks set for a recall - the England Under-21 star could replace Claudio Reyna, although Kevin Keegan could move the American into the right-back slot in preference to Sun Jihai. Michael Tarnat has recovered from a thigh injury but Danny Tiatto is ruled out with a dead leg.
Last season:Tottenham 0 Man City 2, Man City 2 Tottenham 3
Last five league matches:Man City D W L W D; Tottenham W D L L L
Top scorers:Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 8; Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 5
Match odds:H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee:N Barry (N Lincolnshire).