Saturday, October 4th
Fulham (7) v Leicester (16)
Jamaican striker Barry Hayles is available after recovering from the ankle injury he sustained on international duty against Australia early last month, although it is unlikely he will replace in-form French marksman Louis Saha. Despite resuming light work on the practice field, midfielder Sean Davis is still unavailable after recovering from his knee problem, although he is due to join first team training next week.
Leicester defenders John Curtis (calf) and Ben Thatcher (flu) are doubtful but goalkeeper Ian Walker has shaken off a back injury and leading scorer Paul Dickov has recovered from a cold. Striker Les Ferdinand is available after a cartilage operation but the best he is likely to hope for is a spot on the bench.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Fulham L W D D W; Leicester D L W L L
Top scorers: Louis Saha (Fulham) 4; Paul Dickov (Leicester) 4
Match odds: H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside)
Leeds (18) v Blackburn (11)
Roque Junior is suspended, Ian Harte starts a three-match ban and Didier Domi is an injury doubt, so either Lucas Radebe or Michael Duberry - out since pre-season with a fractured cheekbone - will partner Zoumana Camara at the centre of the Leeds defence, with Dominic Matteo switching to left-back. Leeds manager Peter Reid has vowed to make other changes and there could be starts for Michael Bridges, Aaron Lennon and James Milner.
Lorenzo Amoruso shrugged off a training ground knee problem to be fit for Blackburn but fellow defender Markus Babbel is ruled out for up to six weeks after tearing a calf muscle in the loss to Fulham last week, Lucas Neill is still suspended and Craig Short and James McEveley are still out. However, Souness' midfield options have been bolstered by the return from suspension of Steven Reid.
Last season: Leeds 2 Blackburn 3, Blackburn 1 Leeds 0
Last five league matches: Leeds D W L L L; Blackburn L D L W L
Top scorers: Alan Smith & Mark Viduka (Leeds); Andy Cole (Blackburn) 5
Match odds: H 8-5 A 5-4 D 12-5
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire)
Liverpool (8) v Arsenal (1)
Danny Murphy is the latest senior star to join Liverpool's lengthening injury list after injuring an ankle in a midweek reserve match - he is expected to be out for a month. Chris Kirkland, Dietmar Hamann, Jamie Carragher, Milan Baros and Bruno Cheyrou are still sidelined but Swiss defender Stephane Henchoz is pushing for a recall at the expense of Igor Biscan after an ankle problem.
Arsene Wenger believes Sol Campbell is "mentally ready" to return after missing three matches on compassionate leave following the death of his father - Martin Keown is likely to be rested. Arsenal are still without the injured Patrick Vieira (thigh), Fredrik Ljungberg (knee) and Dennis Bergkamp (calf).
Last season: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool D W W W L; Arsenal W W D D W
Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 8; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 7
Match odds: H 8-5 A 7-5 D 21-10
Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire)
Man Utd (3) v Birmingham (4)
Rio Ferdinand is doubtful with a foot injury sustained in United's defeat in Stuttgart in midweek and will have a fitness test before Sir Alex Ferguson makes a decision. Wes Brown (knee), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (knee) and Kleberson (shoulder) continue to be missing from the squad.
Robbie Savage is Birmingham's major injury worry. He has been unable to train all week because of an Achilles injury and if he is ruled out then Aliou Cisse is a strong contender to replace him. Long-term casualties Nico Vaesen and Martin Grainger are back in training although still not ready to be considered for selection.
Last season: Birmingham 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Birmingham 0
Last five league matches: Man Utd W L W D W; Birmingham D W D W W
Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 8; Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 3
Match odds: H 2-7 A 7-1 D 7-2
Referee: M Dean (Wirral)
Newcastle (19) v Southampton (6)
Newcastle will be without winger Laurent Robert through suspension. Defender Jonathan Woodgate is out for between six and eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a hernia, but Steve Harper (hamstring) and Nolberto Solano (groin) return to the fold and manager Sir Bobby Robson seems likely to keep faith with Titus Bramble and Jermaine Jenas, whose errors at Arsenal last Friday cost their side a point.
Southampton defender Graeme Le Saux has been ruled out by a hamstring strain while Matthew Oakley is expected to be sidelined for the next six weeks with knee ligament damage. Danny Higginbotham will make his first start of the season at left-back in place of Le Saux while Rory Delap or Anders Svensson are in contention to replace Oakley.
Last season: Southampton 1 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 2 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle L L D D L; Southampton D W W W L
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 6; James Beattie (Southampton) 6
Match odds: H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire)
Portsmouth (9) v Charlton (12)
Patrick Berger returns to Portsmouth's midfield after three games out with a groin injury but Nigel Quashie (knee) and Linvoy Primus (calf) miss out. Manager Harry Redknapp also has slight fitness doubts about strikers Jason Roberts (calf) and Vincent Pericard (thigh), so Teddy Sheringham and Yakubu Ayegbini look set to continue their partnership up front.
Jason Euell is available again for Charlton after suspension - but the south London club are short of defensive cover with Richard Rufus, Gary Rowett and Hermann Hreidarsson all sidelined with knee injuries. Loan striker Carlton Cole has been back at Chelsea this week for another scan on his hip problem.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W D D L L; Charlton D D L L W
Top scorers: Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 5; Kevin Lisbie (Charlton) 5
Match odds: H Evs A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire)
Tottenham (17) v Everton (10)
Spurs caretaker manager David Pleat is again without Wales international midfielder Simon Davies after a hip problem. Steve Carr will retain the captaincy while Jamie Redknapp is ruled out by a knee injury.
Everton boss David Moyes is likely to keep an unchanged side, although Scottish international Gary Naysmith returns to Everton's squad and Kevin Campbell, while Francis Jeffers and Li Tie are also fit again. Italian full-back Alessandro Pistone is out with what could be a recurrence of the hernia problem which troubled him last season and needed an operation.
Last season: Tottenham 4 Everton 3, Everton 2 Tottenham 2
Last five league matches: Tottenham D L L L D; Everton D L D L W
Top scorers: Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 5; Steve Watson (Everton) 5
Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)
Wolves (20) v Man City (5)
Following Kenny Miller's return to action for Wolves last week, Dean Sturridge, Nathan Blake and Henri Camara are all now in the frame, but Steffen Iversen (calf) is out. Winger Mark Kennedy is a major doubt after being sent for a scan on a hamstring injury.
Steve McManaman's hamstring injury rules him out of the City reckoning, along with Danny Tiatto, Jon Macken and Richard Dunne.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wolves L D L L D; Man City W L W D D
Top scorers: Alex Rae (Wolves) 2; Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 7
Match odds: H 13-5 A 5-6 D 23-10
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland)
Aston Villa (13) v Bolton (15)
Villa defenders Olof Mellberg and Ronny Johnsen are pushing for recalls after injury. Manager David O'Leary has to decide whether to persevere with Dion Dublin and Alpay, who performed creditably at Stamford Bridge, or instantly recall what had previously been his first-choice pairing. Darius Vassell could be recalled up front alongside Juan Pablo Angel although another option would be to slot him in on the left-flank if O'Leary feels it is time to rest youngster Peter Whittingham.
Bolton's Youri Djorkaeff is expected to shake off a thigh strain, while Mario Jardel is set to start on the bench again despite hitting six goals in the last seven days. Greek international Stelios Giannakopoulos is expected to figure after his wife gave birth to their baby son this week while Florent Laville and Ibrahim Ba remain on the long-term injury list.
Last season: Aston Villa 2 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa L W L W L; Bolton L D W D D
Top scorers: Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 6; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 3
Match odds: H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire)
Middlesbrough (14) v Chelsea (2)
Gareth Southgate is doubtful as he struggles to recover from a groin injury while Bolo Zenden cannot play because of a clause in the agreement which covers his loan move from Stamford Bridge. Gaizka Mendieta (calf) is fit but Joseph Desire Job is out for four months with knee ligament damage and the game comes too early for striker Massimo Maccarone, who returned from an ankle injury for the reserves in midweek.
William Gallas is waiting to discover the extent of the ankle injury he suffered in the Champions League defeat against Besiktas. Gallas was forced to play on as boss Claudio Ranieri had used all three substitutes and is almost certainly out of Sunday's game. Celestine Babayaro and Emmanuel Petit are also being assessed as they are suffering from groin and knee injuries respectively.
Last season: Middlesbrough 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 1 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough D L L W W; Chelsea W D W W W
Top scorers: Malcolm Christie & Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 2; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 6
Match odds: H 7-2 A 4-6 D 23-10
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)