Saturday

Charlton (11) v Blackburn (15)

Charlton have Welsh midfielder John Robinson (groin) available again. Kevin Lisbie and Jonatan Johansson compete for a starting place.

Stig Inge Bjornebye has recovered from his calf injury, which caused him to miss the last five matches. Matt Jansen's ankle injury keeps him out but he should recover for the St Stephen's Day game against Sunderland.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Charlton L D W W D, Blackburn D D L L L

Top scorers: Jason Euell (Charlton) 5, Matt Jansen (Blackburn) 7

Match odds: H 10/11, A 12/5, D 9/4

Referee: A Wiley

Derby (19) v Aston Villa (8)

Striker Fabrizio Ravanelli is expected to return to the side after recovering from the ankle injury that kept him out of the defeat by Everton. Keeper Mart Poom, who has been hampered by a damaged finger, could replace Andy Oakes between the posts.

Villa midfielder Hassan Kachloul is set to be ruled out after just returning to training after three weeks on the sidelines with a head injury. Villa are also without the injured Alpay, Ian Taylor and Mustapha Hadji.

Last season: Derby 1 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 4 Derby 1

Last five league matches: Derby L L W L L, Aston Villa D L D L W

Top scorers: Fabrizio Ravanelli (Derby) 8, Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 10

Match odds: H 13/8, A 11/8, D 21/10

Referee: D Elleray .

Leeds (3) v Newcastle (1)

Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate are both in the squad. With Alan Smith returning from a three-match ban, it means manager David O'Leary has four strikers.

O'Leary is still without Olivier Dacourt, Stephen McPhail, Lucas Radebe, Michael Bridges and Jacob Burns through injury.

Midfielder Rob Lee could return from injury after recovering from the groin strain which kept him out of Tuesday night's 3-1 win at Arsenal. He will face a fight against fit-again Kieron Dyer to regain his place.

Last season: Leeds 1 Newcastle 3, Newcastle 2 Leeds 1

Last five league matches: Leeds D D W D W, Newcastle W D W W W

Top scorers: Harry Kewell (Leeds) 10, Craig Bellamy (Newcastle) 10

Match odds: H 4/5, A 3/1, D 21/10

Referee: J Winter

Leicester (18) v West Ham (14)

Leicester boss Dave Bassett brings captain Dennis Wise back into his team after he missed the 2-2 draw at Leeds through suspension. Callum Davidson faces a fitness test on his injured hamstring but Alan Rogers and Jordan Stewart should both have recovered from similar niggles in time to play.

West Ham will make a late decision on French striker Frederic Kanoute who was withdrawn from last week's 1-1 draw with Arsenal at half-time with a thigh strain. Teenager Jermain Defoe is standing by for another chance in the starting line-up.

Last season: Leicester 2 West Ham 1, West Ham 0 Leicester 1

Last five league matches: Leicester L D W L D, West Ham L L D W D

Top scorers: Ade Akinbiyi (Leicester) 3, Frederic Kanoute (West Ham) 6

Match odds: H 11/8, A 13/8, D 21/10

Referee: E Wolstenholme

Manchester Utd (6) v Southampton (17)

David Beckham is set to return after being rested and Ryan Giggs, a substitute in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, is also in line for a start for the first time in five weeks. Fabien Barthez (back) should replace Roy Carroll. John O'Shea (groin) is out, with Gary Neville expected to partner Laurent Blanc in the centre of defence.

Leading Southampton scorer Marian Pahars (neck) is facing a race to be fit. Midfielder Matthew Oakley (ankle) and captain Jason Dodd (flu) are both doubtful.

Ecuadorian striker Agustin Delgado and midfielder Mark Draper are both out after knee operations.

Last season: Southampton 2 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 5 Southampton 0

Last five league matches: Man Utd L L L W W, Southampton L W L W W

Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 14, Marian Pahars (Southampton) 9

Match odds: H 2/7, A 7/1, D 7/2

Referee: S Dunn

Middlesbrough (16) v Fulham (10)

Argentinian midfielder Carlos Marinelli will undergo a late fitness test on his injured ankle but he is the only doubt. Keeper Mark Schwarzer, who has undergone surgery on a hernia, and midfielder Mark Wilson, out with a thigh injury are missing but striker Andy Campbell returns for the first time this season after an operation to rectify an ankle problem.

Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte is available after his three-match ban for being sent off in the 2-0 victory against Everton a fortnight ago was overturned by the Football Association.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Middlesbrough D D W L L, Fulham D D W D L

Top scorers: Alen Boksic (Middlesbrough) 6 Barry Hayles (Fulham) 8

Match odds: H 13/10, A 9/5, D 2/1

Referee: G Barber

Sunderland (13) v Everton (9)

Niall Quinn is expected to return after coming on as a substitute in last week's defeat at Southampton. Emerson Thome is back in training after recovering from a knee injury but may not be risked ahead of the hectic festive programme.

Alessandro Pistone (knee), Mark Pembridge (calf), and Alan Stubbs (thigh) are all ruled out in addition to long-term absentees Duncan Ferguson and Kevin Campbell. David Weir is suspended but Thomas Gravesen is expected to play after having 15 stitches inserted in a head wound.

Last season: Everton 2 Sunderland 2, Sunderland 2 Everton 0

Last five league matches: Sunderland W L W D L, Everton D W L W L

Top scorers: Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 8 Kevin Campbell (Everton) 4

Match odds: H 4/5, A 3/1, D 21/10

Referee: B Knight .

Tottenham (7) v Ipswich (20)

Christian Ziege has served his one-match ban but will still be missing as he is troubled by a foot injury while 10-goal striker Les Ferdinand is rated only 50-50 after having fluid surgically drained from his damaged ankle. Centre-back Goran Bunjevcevic is still nursing a thigh injury.

Ipswich recall Marcus Bent but strike partner Alun Armstrong faces a late fitness test on a back injury. Martijn Reuser returns to the squad.

Last season: Ipswich 3 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 3 Ipswich 1

Last five league matches: Tottenham D W W L W, Ipswich L D L L L

Top scorers: Les Ferdinand (Tottenham) 10, Marcus Stewart (Ipswich) 8

Match odds: H 2/5, A 13/2, D 13/5

Referee: M Riley

Sunday

Chelsea (5) v Bolton (12)

Emmanuel Petit (ankle) and Marcel Desailly (Achilles) return to the squad following injuries but are not expected to feature after only just returning to full training this week. Flu victim Gianfranco Zola should get a place on the bench.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce may be forced to reshuffle his side as Gudni Bergsson (hamstring), Henrik Pedersen (neck) and Rod Wallace (leg) are all rated doubtful.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Chelsea D W L D W, Bolton W D L L D

Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 13, Michael Ricketts (Bolton) 12

Match odds: H 4/9, A 11/2, D 13/5

Referee: U Rennie

Liverpool (2) v Arsenal (4)

European Footballer of the Year Michael Owen has recovered from his hamstring scare and will start. Patrik Berger also returns after the Czech midfielder shook off a calf problem.

Patrick Vieira is suspended but fellow midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and goalkeeper Richard Wright return to the squad, although the latter can only expect to be on the bench.

Last season: Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 2 Liverpool 0

Last five league matches: Liverpool W W W D L, Arsenal W W W D L

Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 16, Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 21

Match odds: H 6/5, A 2/1, D 2/1

Referee; P Durkin