Manchester United remain in pole position despite last weekend’s defeat by Liverpool and will look to bounce back at Fulham. Second-placed Chelsea meet London rivals Spurs while Rafa Benitez and Martin O’Neill lock horns at Anfield.

Saturday, March 21st

Blackburn (15) v West Ham (7)

Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen (thigh) and fellow defender Gael Givet (knee) will undergo fitness tests but striker Roque Santa Cruz will miss a third successive match with a knee tendon issue and midfielder Vince Grella remains out with a groin injury. Stephen Warnock has been cleared to play after a toe injury.

West Ham will make a late check on Matthew Upson's calf injury, while midfielder Savio Nsereko has a knock and also requires assessment. Kieron Dyer and Diego Tristan are fit and in contention for a place, while Jack Collison (knee) and Carlton Cole (suspended) are still out.
Last season: West Ham 2 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 0 West Ham 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn L W D W L; West Ham L L W W D
Top scorers: Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 10; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 11
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 23-10
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Fulham (9) v Man Utd (1)

American winger Clint Dempsey has had a bout of food poisoning but will be given until the last minute to declare his availability. Other than that Fulham are relatively untroubled by injury, with only centre-half Aaron Hughes ruled out with a rib problem.

Veteran defender Gary Neville is back in the United squad after recovering from a groin strain. Darren Fletcher, who missed the defeat to Liverpool due to a virus, is also in the squad. Jonny Evans is likely to replace the suspended Nemanja Vidic alongside Rio Ferdinand in central defence.
Last season: Fulham 0 Man Utd 3, Man Utd 2 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Fulham W D L L W; Man Utd W W W W L
Top scorers: Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 10; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 18
Match odds: H 7-1 A 4-9 D 3-1
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Newcastle (16) v Arsenal (4)

Newcastle have Kevin Nolan back from suspension and full-back Habib Beye is also available for the first time since damaging ankle ligaments on St Stephen’s Day, although midfielder Danny Guthrie (hamstring) is not yet ready to return. Joey Barton (fractured metatarsal) is targeting the end of next month for a comeback, but Mark Viduka and Ignacio Gonzalez (both Achilles) and Xisco (fractured toe) remain sidelined.

Arsenal are without winger Theo Walcott, who injured a knee in training. Striker Eduardo (groin) and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (ankle) are fit and defender Mikael Silvestre could figure after a calf injury. Captain Cesc Fabregas (knee) is back in training, but not expected to feature. Emmanuel Adebayor (hamstring) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring tendon) continue their rehabilitation.
Last season: Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 1 Arsenal 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle W D L L D; Arsenal D D D W W
Top scorers: Michael Owen (Newcastle) 10; Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) 16
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Portsmouth (17) v Everton (6)

Pompey must do without in-form winger Jermaine Pennant, who has torn a calf muscle. Nadir Belhadj and John Utaka are most likely to step into the breach. Paul Hart is unlikely to make many other changes, although Theofanis Gekas can expect to miss out again after criticising the caretaker boss this week.

Everton are without defender Joseph Yobo, who has injured a hamstring in training. Tim Cahill should return, having been substituted at half-time last weekend in the victory over Stoke with a calf injury.
Last season: Everton 3 Portsmouth 1, Portsmouth 0 Everton 0
Last five league matches: Portsmouth L W D L D; Everton W D W D W
Top scorers: Peter Crouch (Portsmouth) 14; Tim Cahill (Everton) 8
Match odds: H 13-8 A 13-8 D 23-10
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Stoke (18) v Middlesbrough (19)

Stoke expect winger Matthew Etherington to have recovered from an ankle injury. There are concerns over striker Ricardo Fuller, who is still troubled by a shoulder injury, but he will also be in the squad.

Boro will be without suspended midfielder Matthew Bates. Skipper Emanuel Pogatetz will undergo a late fitness test on a knee injury while Jeremie Aliadiere is also a doubt with an unspecified knock. Didier Digard (knee and thigh) and Chris Riggott (knee) remain on the sidelines.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Stoke L D D W L; Middlesbrough L D W L D
Top scorers: James Beattie (Stoke) 17; Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 7
Match odds: H 13-10 A 21-10 D 23-10
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Tottenham (11) v Chelsea (2)

Spurs striker Jermain Defoe and full-back Alan Hutton are still recovering from foot injuries. Ledley King’s knee should have recovered, while Giovani dos Santos and Adel Taarabt have been loaned out.

Chelsea are without midfielder Deco, who has a hamstring injury but should be fit before the end of the season. Midfielder Joe Cole and defender Paulo Ferreira remain sidelined with knee ligament damage but strikers Nicolas Anelka (toe) and Didier Drogba (knee) are both fit.
Last season: Tottenham 4 Chelsea 4, Chelsea 2 Tottenham 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham D W W D W; Chelsea D W W W W
Top scorers: Darren Bent & Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham) 15; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 21
Match odds: H 7-2 A 5-6 D 12-5
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

West Brom (20) v Bolton (12)

West Brom’s former Bolton defender Abdoulaye Meite has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Fellow centre-back Leon Barnett is facing several weeks on the sidelines with a knee problem, and Baggies boss Tony Mowbray is set to persevere with the new defensive pairing of Jonas Olsson and Shelton Martis.

Mark Davies will be out of action with a knee injury for between five and six weeks. Bolton's only other injury problem is defender Joey O'Brien, who continues to struggle with his own long-term knee complaint.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom L L L L D; Bolton L W W L L
Top scorers: Roman Bednar (West Brom) 6; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 11
Match odds: H 13-10 A 21-10 D 23-10
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Sunday, March 22nd

Liverpool (3) v Aston Villa (5)

Reds boss Rafael Benitez could have all three of his main injury worries available. Full back Alvaro Arbeloa is back in training after hamstring trouble and is set to return to the side. Xabi Alonso (ankle) and Yossi Benayoun (hamstring) are back in light training and have a good chance of being involved.

Striker John Carew is pushing hard for a return to Villa's starting line-up following a back problem. Left-back Wilfred Bouma could play a part after eight months out with a dislocated ankle. Midfielder Steve Sidwell could also figure having recovered from a recent ankle setback.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 2, Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 2
Last five league matches: Liverpool W D L W W; Aston Villa W L D L L
Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 18; Gabriel Agbonlahor & John Carew (Aston Villa) 11
Match odds: H 4-9 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Man City (10) v Sunderland (14)

Stephen Ireland (ankle) and Wayne Bridge (hamstring) both suffered injuries during City’s Uefa Cup win over Aalborg and could be doubtful. Vincent Kompany (toe) will also be assessed but striker Craig Bellamy could be in contention.

Sunderland could have Anton Ferdinand and Nyron Nosworthy back after hamstring injuries — both are back in full training. Fellow defender Tal Ben Haim is unavailable under the terms of his loan agreement with City. Midfielder Teemu Tainio (knee) is to see a specialist again, while Kieran Richardson is suspended.
Last season: Sunderland 1 Man City 2, Man City 1 Sunderland 0
Last five league matches: Man City L D L W L; Sunderland W D L D L
Top scorers: Robinho (Man City) 12; Djibril Cisse (Sunderland) 10
Match odds: H 8-13 A 5-1 D 13-5
Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Wigan (8) v Hull (13)

Latics winger Antonio Valencia has been struggling with a hamstring problem over the last couple of months and is a slight doubt, while midfielder Lee Cattermole serves the second game of a four-match ban.

Hull captain Ian Ashbee misses out with a hamstring injury but the versatile Kevin Kilbane returns and Dean Marney is suspension-free. Centre-backs Michael Turner and Anthony Gardner sat out training today and are rated 50/50, while midfielders Jimmy Bullard and George Boateng (both knee) are long-term absentees.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wigan D D L L W; Hull D L L W D
Top scorers: Amr Zaki (Wigan) 11; Geovanni (Hull) 7
Match odds: H 8-11 A 4-1 D 5-2
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).