A look ahead to all this weekend's action:

Saturday

Aston Villa (6) v Newcastle Utd (12)

Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury and Villa will also check on midfielder Stiliyan Petrov, who has a bruised toe. Winger Ashley Young is available after suspension and defender Curtis Davies is expected to have recovered from a knee injury.

Jose Enrique (calf) will return for Newcastle with Charles N'Zogbia suspended. Mark Viduka could start after returning from a calf injury as a substitute last weekend, while Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye are back from the African Cup of Nations.

Last season: Newcastle 3 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0. Last five league matches: Aston Villa W W D D L; Newcastle L L D L D. Top scorers: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 7; Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 7. Match odds: H 8-11; D 11-5; A 10-3. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Bolton Wanderers (14) v Portsmouth (9)

Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf could return to the starting line-up. Abdoulaye Meite is on international duty with the Ivory Coast and Joey O'Brien is doubtful with a hamstring strain.

Portsmouth have Papa Bouba Diop, Kanu and John Utaka back from the African Nations Cup but centre-back Sylvain Distin again looks set to miss out with a hamstring injury. Midfielder Sulley Muntari is still in Ghana, who are taking part in the third-place play-off.

Last season: Bolton 3 Portsmouth 2, Portsmouth 0 Bolton 1. Last five league matches: Bolton W L D D W; Portsmouth W L W L D. Top scorers: Grzegorz Rasiak (Bolton) 8; Jermain Defoe, Sulley Muntari & John Utaka (Portsmouth) 4. Match odds: H 6-4; A 6-4; D 21-10. Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Derby County (20) v Tottenham (11)

Derby boss Paul Jewell faces mounting defensive problems. Claude Davis is set to have knee surgery, while Darren Moore and Andy Todd have hamstring problems. Tyrone Mears (shin), Jay McEveley (knee) and Danny Mills (knee) are also out. New signing Mile Sterjovski could be involved after being granted a work permit but on-loan Spurs midfielder Hossam Ghaly is ineligible.

Jonathan Woodgate is suspended but Darren Bent could be available. Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) remain out. Didier Zokora is on international duty.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Derby L L L D D; Tottenham L L W D D. Top scorers: Kenny Miller (Derby) 8; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 18. Match odds: H 5-1; A 1-2; D 12-5. Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Everton (4) v Reading (17)

Ayegbeni Yakubu has been left out after returning late from the African Nations Cup. Joseph Yobo is back in contention having returned on Wednesday. South African midfielder Steven Pienaar is also back from Ghana but has an ankle injury. Victor Anichebe and on-loan defender Anthony Gardner are out.

Reading are still set to be without Andre Bikey despite his bizarre sending-off for Cameroon. However, he is expected to remain with the squad who play in Sunday's final, while Ivory Coast's Emerse Fae will remain in Ghana as his team play in the third-place play-off. Ivar Ingimarsson is suspended.

Last season: Everton 1 Reading 1, Reading 0 Everton 2. Last five league matches: Everton W W W D D; Reading L L L L L. Top scorers: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 12; Simon Cox (Reading) 9. Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5 Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Middlesbrough (13) v Fulham (19)

Record signing Afonso Alves is likely to be included as a substitute. Fellow striker Mido (groin) could return but Lee Cattermole is set to be out for three weeks and Tuncay Sanli (hamstring) remains out.

Striker Brian McBride could start for Fulham after a knee injury while Jari Litmanen could figure after playing for Finland.

Last season: Middlesbrough 3 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Middlesbrough 1. Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L D D W D; Fulham L L L D W. Top scorers: Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 11; Erik Nevland (Fulham) 7. Match odds: H 8-11; A 10-3; D 11-5. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Sunderland (16) v Wigan Athletic (15)

Liam Miller damaged a calf muscle on international duty with the Republic of Ireland in midweek and could be out of action until the end of the month, and with Kieran Richardson (hamstring), Dwight Yorke (calf) and Grant Leadbitter (broken toe) all out and new signing Andy Reid searching for match fitness, Roy Keane's resources will be severely stretched.

Wigan could be without Mario Melchiot (thigh), Marlon King and Emile Heskey.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Sunderland L W L W L; Wigan D W L L W. Top scorers: Rade Prica (Sunderland) 13; Marlon King (Wigan) 11. Match odds: H 11-10; A 21-10; D 21-10. Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

West Ham Utd (10) v Birmingham City (18)

Captain Lucas Neill will have to overcome a 24,000-mile round trip if he is to feature after playing for Australia in their World Cup qualifier in Melbourne. Mark Noble may be rested but Julien Faubert and Nolberto Solano are fit again. Craig Bellamy, who has had an abdominal injury, reported being "sore" three days after the reserve-team game.

Blues midfielder Olivier Kapo is banned, midfielder Mehdi Nafti and defender Radhi Jaidi are back after African Nations Cup duty - but full-back Franck Queudrue is still out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: West Ham L W D W L; Birmingham L D L L D. Top scorers: Dean Ashton (West Ham) 6; Cameron Jerome, Olivier Kapo & James McFadden (Birmingham) 5. Match odds: H 8-11; A 10-3; D 11-5. Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Sunday

Chelsea (3) v Liverpool (5)

Avram Grant welcomes back England midfielder Frank Lampard from a thigh injury and will be boosted by Mikel John Obi's return from the African Cup of Nations. Defender Ricardo Carvalho is back after suspension.

Fernando Torres is out with a hamstring injury and Liverpool are also without Xabi Alonso (suspended), Andriy Voronin, Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa and Daniel Agger. Ryan Babel picked up an ankle injury playing for Holland on Wednesday.

Last season: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 1 Liverpool 0. Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W W D; Liverpool D D D L W. Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 13; Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 18. Match odds: H 5-6; A 3-1; D 2-1. Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

Manchester Utd (2) v Manchester City (7)

United's Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra are suspended. With Louis Saha still injured Alex Ferguson may look to 17-year-old Danny Welbeck.

Striker Benjani Mwaruwari could make his City debut after his complicated transfer from Portsmouth. City will be without suspended pair Elano and Vedran Corluka.

Last season: Man City 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 3 Man City 1. Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W D; Man City W L D D L. Top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 27; Elano, Felipe Caicedo (Man City) 7. Match odds: H 2-7; A 8-1; D 16-5. Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

On TV

Saturday

Aston Villa v Newcastle Utd (Sky Sports 1, kick-off 12.45)

Sunderland v Wigan Ath (Setanta Sports, kick-off 3.0)

Sunday

Man Utd v Man City (Sky Sports 1, kick-off 1.30)

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sky Sports 1, kick-off 4.0)