Today (League positions in brackets)

Blackburn (18) v West Ham (4)

Kevin Gallacher and Martin Dahlin have been passed fit to ease Blackburn's striker crisis but Chris Sutton and Kevin Davies remain on the sidelines. French midfielder Sebastien Perez is out - he will undergo a knee operation next week - and teenager Damian Johnson may replace him.

West Ham will be without winger Stan Lazaridis with a groin problem, while skipper Steve Lomas is still out with a damaged ankle. John Moncur, Neil Ruddock and Rio Ferdinand are all in the squad despite injury fears. Young striker Lee Hodges travels in place of Manny Omoyimni, who is ill.

Last season: Blackburn 3 West Ham 0, West Ham 2 Blackburn 1.

Last 5 League matches: Blackburn W L L L D, West Ham D L W D W.

Top scorers: Kevin Gallacher, Chris Sutton, Sebastien Perez (Blackburn) 2; Ian Wright (West Ham) 4.

Match odds: H 5/4 A 7/4 D 9/4.

Referee: K Burge (Tonypandy).

Coventry (19) v Aston Villa (1)

Steve Froggatt is poised to make his debut for Coventry against a former club in place of Sam Shilton, while Marc Edworthy is expected to replace the injured David Burrows.

Paul Merson returns after being ineligible for the midweek UEFA Cup win over Stromsgodset when Stan Collymore scored a hat-trick, leaving manager John Gregory with the problem of whether to retain Collymore in attack alongside Merson and Julian Joachim. Lee Hendrie will be hoping to win a recall after being rested, while central defender Gareth Barry and right-back Gary Charles should be fit.

Last season: Coventry 1 Aston Villa 2, Aston Villa 3 Coventry 0.

Last 5 League matches: Coventry D L L L D, Aston Villa W W W D W.

Top scorers: Noel Whelan (Coventry) 3; Stan Collymore (Aston Villa) 3.

Match odds: H 15/8 A 6/5 D 9/4.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).

Derby (2) v Tottenham (13)

Derby's record signing Horacio Carbonari makes his home bow after recovering from damaged knee ligaments. German wing-back Stefan Schnoor is back from a badly bruised foot but skipper Igor Stimac is still missing with a hamstring injury. Francesco Baiano could be recalled to the starting line-up.

Goalkeeper Hans Segers looks set to miss out for Tottenham as new manager George Graham leaves team selection to director of football David Pleat. Ian Walker and Espen Baardsen are both in the squad, leaving Segers fighting for his place.

Last season: Derby 2 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 1 Derby 0.

Last 5 League matches: Derby D W W W L, Tottenham W W L D D.

Top scorers: Paulo Wanchope (Derby) 4; Ruel Fox, Les Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, Allan Nielsen, Ramon Vega (Tottenham) 2.

Match Odds: H 10/11 A 5/2 D 9/4.

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury, Oxon).

Leeds (7) v Leicester (17)

Leeds caretaker-boss David O'Leary is without four key players, with Bruno Ribeiro (thigh), David Hopkin (ankle) and Gunnar Halle (ankle) all injured and influential skipper Lucas Radebe on duty with South Africa in an African Nations' Cup tie.

Leicester have defensive problems, with summer signing Frank Sinclair sitting out a one-game suspension and captain Steve Walsh doubtful with a rib injury. Swede Pontus Kaamark will replace Sinclair if he passes a late fitness test on an Achilles problem and Graham Fenton is drafted into the squad.

Last season: Leeds 0 Leicester 1, Leicester 1 Leeds 0. Last 5 League matches: Leeds D W D D D, Leicester L L D L D. Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Leeds) 3; Emile Heskey (Leicester) 5.

Match odds: H 4/7 A 9/2 D 12/5.

Referee: G Barber (Pyrford, Surrey).

Middlesbrough (12) v Sheff Wed (11)

Central defender Gary Pallister has recovered from an ankle injury to ensure that Middlesbrough will be unchanged despite a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last week.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Wilson faces a striker crisis, with Paolo Di Canio indefinitely suspended for pushing referee Paul Alcock last week. Andy Booth and Benito Carbone are both doubtful with ankle problems, while Guy Whittingham is struggling due to a knee injury, which means Ritchie Humphreys is certain to start his first game for 14 months.

Last season: No corresponding fixtures. Last 5 League matches: Middlesbrough D W W D L, Sheff Wed L L W L W.

Top scorers: Hamilton Ricard (Middlesbrough) 7; Paolo Di Canio (Sheff Wed) 3. Match odds: H 4/5 A 3/1 d 9/4.

Referee: R Harris (Oxford).

Nottm Forest (16) v Charlton (14)

Striker Neil Shipperley is set to make his home debut in an unchanged Nottingham Forest side. Young defender Craig Armstrong was a doubt earlier in the week after picking up a leg injury but he has been passed fit to play. Scot Gemmill, Des Lyttle, Thierry Bonalair, Ian Woan and long-term casualty Geoff Thomas are all ruled out.

Carl Tiler, a £700,000 buy from Everton, is to make his Charlton debut against a former club. John Robinson (thigh) is facing a battle to be fit while Paul Mortimer has recovered from a slight knock received against Coventry and is expected to replace Shaun Newton, who will be out for a month with a knee injury.

Last season: Nottm Forest 5 Charlton 2, Charlton 4 Nottm Forest 2.

Last 5 League matches: Nottm Forest W L L D L, Charlton D L L D D.

Top scorers: Steve Stone (Nottm Forest) 3; Clive Men donca (Charlton) 5.

Match odds: H 11/10 A 2/1 D 9/4.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).

Southampton (20) v Man Utd (6)

Striker Mark Hughes serves a one-match ban after being booked in five of his first six matches for the Saints. David Howells is likely to replace him, while England under-21 international Matthew Oakley could return from a back injury, and captain Jason Dodd is hoping to recover from an ankle injury. Stuart Ripley is out with a knee problem.

Manchester United are without Peter Schmeichel and Ryan Giggs against their bogey club - Southampton have won their past three meetings. Schmeichel suffered a stomach strain in midweek and Dutchman Raimond van der Gouw gets his first chance of a senior game this season. Giggs has an ankle injury and Ronny Johnsen is also out, while Paul Scholes is doubtful with a foot injury.

Last season: Southampton 1 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 0 Southampton 0. Last 5 League matches: Southampton L L L D L, Man Utd D W W L W.

Top scorers: Matt Le Tissier (Southampton) 2; Dwight Yorke (Man Utd) 4.

Match odds: H 10/3 A 4/5 D 2/1.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).

Wimbledon (3) v Everton (15)

Wimbledon's joint top-scorer Efan Ekoku is still unlikely to overcome his hamstring injury, so Carl Leaburn looks set to step into the Nigerian international's boots. He is back from a one-match suspension, but England under-21 defender Dean Blackwell is still out of contention through injury.

Olivier Dacourt will return for Everton after a onematch suspension. Thomas Myhre keeps his place in goal, and teenager Danny Cadamarteri will play up front alongside Duncan Ferguson.

Last season: Wimbledon 0 Everton 0, Everton 0 Wimbledon 0.

Last 5 League matches: Wimbledon D W L W D, Everton L W D D D.

Top scorers: Efan Ekoku (Wimbledon) 6; Duncan Ferguson (Everton) 2.

Match odds: H 10/11 A 5/2 D 9/4.

Referee: P Alcock (Halstead, Kent).

Tomorrow

Arsenal (10) v Newcastle (5)

Ray Parlour is expected to have recovered from an ankle injury to boost Arsenal's line-up. Lee Dixon returns from suspension and Argentinian international Nelson Vivas is expected to step down.

Steve Watson failed a test on his damaged knee before last night's UEFA Cup defeat to Partizan Belgrade but would return in place of young defender Andrew Griffin if fit. Rob Lee, who has a thigh strain, also missed the match in Yugoslavia but David Batty should make his first Premiership start of the season.

Last season: Arsenal 3 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 0 Ars enal 1.

Last 5 League matches: Arsenal D D D W L, Newcastle L L W W W.

Top scorers: Tony Adams, Stephen Hughes, Marc Over mars, Nicolas Anelka, Emmanuel Petit, Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal) 1; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 7. Match odds: H 8/11 A 10/3 D 9/4.

Referee: M Reed (Birmingham).

Liverpool (8) v Chelsea (9)

Karlheinz Riedle is available for Liverpool after a bout of 'flu, but four-goal Robbie Fowler is likely to partner Michael Owen. Steve McManaman is struggling with an Achilles problem, while full-backs Vegard Heggem and Steve Staunton are clamouring for a return.

Captain Dennis Wise is nearing full fitness and could be in contention after missing Chelsea's last two games against Middlesbrough and Helsingborg due to a knee injury.

Last season: Liverpool 4 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 4 Liverpool 1.

Last 5 League matches: Liverpool W W L D L, Chelsea D D W W W.

Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 5; Gianfranco Zola, Gustavo Poyet (Chelsea) 3.

Match odds: H Evenss A 9/4 D 9/4.

Referee: G Poll (Tring, Hertfordshire).