Villa are without Lee Hendrie, who faces three weeks on the sidelines after pulling a calf muscle last week against Birmingham.
Saturday
Aston Villa (14) v Everton (13)
Peter Whittingham is poised to return to the starting line-up. Darius Vassell is likely to be pushed up front alongside Juan Pablo Angel after Villa adopted a 4-5-1 formation at St Andrews.
Wayne Rooney returns to Everton's squad after suspension. Defender Alan Stubbs is expected to be fit again after a groin injury, while Tomasz Radzinski and Duncan Ferguson could also return following calf and groin problems respectively. Goalkeeper Richard Wright may be back, but James McFadden is doubtful with a foot injury and Lee Carsley is out for three weeks with a knee problem.
Last season: Everton 2 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 3 Everton 2. Last five league matches: Aston Villa L W L D D; Everton D L W L D. Top scorers: Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 7, Steve Watson (Everton) 5. Match odds: H 10-11; A 13-5; D 21-10. Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).
Bolton Wanderers (16) v Birmingham City (4)
(live on Sky Sports 2, 12.30)
Two-time Golden Boot winner Mario Jardel could make his first start in the Premiership after scoring goals in the reserves and improving his fitness. Midfielder Per Frandsen (stomach) and forward Youri Djorkaeff (calf) are doubtful starters.
Birmingham are boosted by the return of goalkeeper Maik Taylor, who served a one-match ban after being sent off against Manchester United. Midfielder Robbie Savage's Achilles problem has flared up again, while full back Damien Johnson is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury, with Aliou Cisse and Olivier Tebily likely to fill in respectively.
Last season: Bolton 4 Birmingham 2, Birmingham 3 Bolton 1. Last five league matches: Bolton W D D D L; Birmingham W W L D D. Top scorers: Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 3, Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 3. Match odds: H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10 Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Chelsea (3) v Manchester City (5)
Marcel Desailly and Emmanuel Petit are back in training but unlikely to be risked by Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, who looks set to give Juan Sebastian Veron another start. Geremi may also start in place of Damien Duff, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink stands by to take over from Eidur Gudjohnsen up front.
Paulo Wanchope is pushing for a place in the City starting line-up. Kevin Keegan must decide whether to replace his misfiring striker Robbie Fowler but has few other concerns. Eyal Berkovic has been left out with an ankle injury while Nicky Weaver (knee) is still unavailable.
Last season: Chelsea 5 Man City 0, Man City 0 Chelsea 3. Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W D L; Man City W D D L W. Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 6, Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 10. Match odds: H 1-2 A 9-2 D 13-5 Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Liverpool (11) v Leeds Utd (17)
French teenager Florent Sinama-Pongolle is standing by for his full Liverpool debut if Michael Owen does not recover from his shin injury. Danny Murphy and Bruno Cheyrou are in contention again after ankle and back injuries.
Leeds manager Peter Reid is likely to name an unchanged starting line-up. Ian Harte completes a three-match suspension, while Reid's only doubts surround Lucas Radebe (Achilles), Jason Wilcox (ankle) and Nick Barmby (groin).
Last season: Liverpool 3 Leeds 1, Leeds 0 Liverpool 1. Last five league matches: Liverpool W W L L L; Leeds L L L W L. Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 8, Seth Johnson, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka (Leeds) 2. Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5. Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).
Manchester Utd (2) v Fulham (6)
Alex Ferguson may opt for a more attacking midfield than the one he fielded against Rangers. Cristiano Ronaldo or Darren Fletcher could return to the flanks after being on the bench with Phil Neville stepping down.
Fulham boss Chris Coleman has joint top scorer Luis Boa Morte back from a hamstring injury, while midfielder Sean Davis is fit and available after his knee injury. But striker Facundo Sava's shoulder problem could take up to a month to rectify.
Last season: Man Utd 3 Fulham 0, Fulham 1 Man Utd 1. Last five league matches: Man Utd W D W W W; Fulham D W W D L. Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 9, Luis Boa Morte and Louis Saha (Fulham) 5. Match odds: H 1-6 A 11-1 D 9-2. Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
Newcastle Utd (10) v Portsmouth (9)
Magpies midfielder Kieron Dyer is out with a torn hamstring. Nolberto Solano has been left out after reacting angrily to not being selected for the 1-0 win at Middlesbrough last Saturday, but will be available again from Monday. Craig Bellamy (knee) and Jonathan Woodgate (hernia) remain on the sidelines.
Portsmouth look set to be unchanged, with centre-back Dejan Stefanovic back in training after an ankle injury. Steve Stone is having treatment for a back problem but is expected to start, while goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who plays despite a groin strain, faces his old club.
Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Newcastle D L W W W; Portsmouth D L L L W.
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 9, Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 6. Match odds: H 4-7 A 4-1 D 5-2.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
Southampton (8) v Blackburn Rovers (15)
Graeme Le Saux and Chris Marsden are back in contention for the Saints. Le Saux has missed the last four games with a hamstring strain, while Marsden has overcome the hip injury that has sidelined him for the last two matches. Striker Brett Ormerod continues alongside James Beattie in attack with Kevin Phillips still banned, while Scottish international Neil McCann is doubtful with a twisted ankle.
Lucas Neill, who has been sidelined by suspension and a bout of pneumonia, is pushing for a starting place for Rovers. Dwight Yorke is also back after being dropped for Monday night's Ewood Park reverse to Charlton. Lorenzo Amoruso is expected to be sidelined until after Christmas following an exploratory knee operation this week.
Last season: Blackburn 1 Southampton 0, Southampton 1 Blackburn 1. Last five league matches: Southampton W W L L D; Blackburn L W L L L . Top scorers: James Beattie (Southampton) 6, Andy Cole (Blackburn) 5. Match odds: H 1-1 A 11-5 D 11-5. Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Wolverhampton (19) v Leicester (20)
Wolves skipper Paul Ince looks likely to miss out after succumbing to a chest infection. Dean Sturridge and George Ndah are still out from respective groin and knee problems, but fellow frontman Steffen Iversen should return after recovering from a calf strain. Mark Kennedy is battling a calf niggle.
Leicester skipper Matt Elliott is pushing hard for a recall after completing another 90 minutes in midweek for the reserves after nearly two months out of action with a broken bone in his foot. But defender Ben Thatcher is not fully recovered from a bout of pneumonia, although he was able to complete 75 minutes for the reserves in his comeback match.
Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Wolverhampton L L D W D; Leicester W L L L L.
Top scorers: Alex Rae (Wolverhampton) 2, Paul Dickov (Leicester) 5. Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
Sunday
Charlton (7) v Arsenal (1)
(live on Premiership Plus, 2.0)
Charlton are reeling from an injury list featuring half-a-dozen key players. Full back Luke Young is the latest victim, having sustained an ankle injury in Monday's 1-0 victory at Blackburn. Also needing treatment are defenders Gary Rowett and Richard Rufus and striker Kevin Lisbie (all knee). Strikers Shaun Bartlett (ankle) and Carlton Cole (hip) are also sidelined.
Patrick Vieira is ruled out with a thigh injury that looks set to keep him out of action for at least a fortnight. Fredrik Ljungberg is in contention for a starting role after being a substitute in the midweek defeat in Kiev. Defender Martin Keown is still ruled out for at least a further week with a calf injury.
Last season: Arsenal 2 Charlton 0, Charlton 0 Arsenal 3. Last five league matches: Charlton L L W W W; Arsenal D D W W W. Top scorers: Kevin Lisbie (Charlton) 5, Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 9. Match odds: H 9-2 A 8-15 D 12-5.
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
Tottenham (12) v Middlesbrough (18)
(live on Sky Sports 1, 4.05)
Anthony Gardner is set to return to the Tottenham defence after serving a one-match suspension and record his 50th appearance for the club in the process. Christian Ziege is in the squad for the first time this season following a long-term thigh injury, but caretaker manager David Pleat is without leading scorer Frederic Kanoute, after the French striker was ruled out for two months with an ankle injury.
Middlesbrough's record-signing Massimo Maccarone could make his first start of the season after returning from a long lay-off with an ankle injury as a substitute in the 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle last weekend. Long-term absentees Ugo Ehiogu, Stuart Parnaby and Joseph-Desire Job (all knee) and David Murphy and Allan Johnston (both foot) remain on the casualty list.
Last season: Middlesbrough 5 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 0 Middlesbrough 3. Last five league matches: Tottenham L L D W W; Middlesbrough L W W L L. Top scorers: Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 7, Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 3. Match odds: H 4-5 A 11-4 D 23-10. Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
