Blackburn (10) v Newcastle (8)
Matt Jansen is back in the Blackburn squad for the first time following his scooter accident in the summer. Andy Cole and Damien Duff are ruled out by hamstring injuries and manager Graeme Souness has called Jansen into the squad after he scored for the reserves in midweek. Centre-back Craig Short is also back from a calf strain. Newcastle are without Kieron Dyer, who has failed a fitness test on the back injury that ruled him out of England's Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia. But central defender Andy O'Brien has passed a fitness test on his hamstring injury and is expected to play.
Last season: Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2, Newcastle 2 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn L D W W L, Newcastle L L W W W
Top scorers: Blackburn - David Thompson 3; Newcastle - Alan Shearer 6
Match odds: H 13-10 A 7-4 D 21-10
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Everton (12) v Arsenal (1)
Everton captain David Weir has been cleared to play. Under new FIFA regulations, he should have been suspended after his dismissal against Manchester United a week last Monday but the FA are retaining their own disciplinary system, which gives two weeks' grace before the ban kicks in. Defenders Tony Hibbert (hamstring) and Gary Naysmith (knee) are doubtful starters. Dennis Bergkamp has not recovered from an Achilles injury and misses out for the Gunners who are also without Ray Parlour (knee and hamstring) and Martin Keown (hamstring). Arsene Wenger will keep faith with David Seaman but will not risk Robert Pires, who made his comeback after seven months out with a cruciate knee ligament injury in a specially-arranged friendly against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
Last season: Arsenal 4 Everton 3, Everton 0 Arsenal 1
Last five league matches: Everton L W L W L, Arsenal W W W W W
Top scorers: Everton - Kevin Campbell 6; Arsenal - Thierry Henry 8
Match odds: H 9-2 A 4-7 D 23-10
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
Fulham (6) v Man Utd (4)
Steve Finnan and Alain Goma are expected to return from knee and hamstring injuries respectively to shore up Fulham's defence but Louis Saha has suffered a complication to his hamstring injury and is set to be sidelined for another three to four weeks. Junichi Inamoto and Barry Hayles have reported back fit from international duty with Japan and Jamaica. Centre-back Martin Djetou, who signed on a year-long loan from Parma in July but immediately needed a knee cartilage operation, made his debut for the reserves in midweek and is a fortnight away from his first-team bow. United are without Ruud van Nistelrooy who has suffered a recurrence of his hamstring problem and Nicky Butt (ankle) is a doubt after picking up an injury on England duty. But stand-in skipper David Beckham, who suffered a similar problem, has been able to train and is in the squad. John O'Shea is set to continue in central defence in the absence of Rio Ferdinand. Roy Keane (hip) and Wes Brown (ankle) are both still absent.
Last season: Fulham 2 Man Utd 3, Man Utd 3 Fulham 2
Last five league matches: Fulham W W D L W, Man Utd L L W W W
Top scorers: Fulham - Junichi Inamoto 6 Man Utd - Ruud van Nistelrooy 9
Match Odds: H 14-5 A 4-5 D 9-4
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Leeds (9) v Liverpool (2)
Leeds' skipper Dominic Matteo and fellow centre-back Lucas Radebe both look certain absentees. Matteo underwent keyhole surgery 11 days ago on a knee injury which has plagued him all season, while Radebe continues to struggle with his own knee problems. Boss Terry Venables has the option of playing Teddy Lucic and Michael Duberry, with the former yet to make a senior appearance following his move from AIK Solna on a season-long loan six weeks ago. Liverpool will be without England midfielder Steven Gerrard, who suffered a hip injury during the 2-2 draw with Macedonia in midweek. Emile Heskey is also doubtful after withdrawing from the England squad with a groin strain.
Last season: Leeds 0 Liverpool 4, Liverpool 1 Leeds 1
Last five league matches: Leeds W W L L D, Liverpool D W W W W
Top scorers: Leeds - Harry Kewell 3, Mark Viduka 3; Liverpool - Michael Owen 5
Match odds: H 15-8 A 6-5 D 21-10
Referee: S Dunn (Avon).
Man City (16) v Chelsea (7)
Richard Dunne returns to the Manchester City squad for the first time since falling foul of manager Kevin Keegan's disciplinary code. Cameroon duo Marc-Vivien Foe and Lucien Mettomo were due back to training today after a quick trip home and both are likely to be involved. Danny Tiatto sits out the final game of a three-match ban, while back-up goalkeeper Carlo Nash is also suspended. Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri looks set to be without Dutch midfielder Boudewijn Zenden (ankle) after he was injured during his country's 3-0 midweek victory in Austria. Last season: No Corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man City L D D L L, Chelsea W W D L L
Top scorers: Man City - Nicolas Anelka 4; Chelsea - Gianfranco Zola 6
Match odds: H 13-8 A 11-8 D 21-10
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
Sunderland (17) v West Ham (20)
Howard Wilkinson goes into his first game in charge of Sunderland boosted by the return of striker Kevin Phillips following his hernia operation. Goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, though, is doubtful after sustaining a slight tear in his thigh muscle while on duty for Norway so Jurgen Macho could deputise. Emerson Thome and Joachim Bjorklund are added to the squad following their return from injury as are Stefan Schwarz and Stanislav Varga. Trevor Sinclair has recovered from a bruised toe and will play for West Ham but manager Glenn Roeder will make a late decision on strikers Frederic Kanoute and Jermain Defoe after groin injuries.
Last season: West Ham 3 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 1 West Ham 0
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L L W L, West Ham L L D W L
Top scorers: Sunderland - Tore Andre Flo 3; West Ham - Joe Cole 2, Jermain Defoe 2, Paolo di Canio 2, Frederic Kanoute 2
Match odds: H 6-5 A 15-8 D 21-10
Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire)
West Brom (15) v Birmingham (11)
West Brom boss Gary Megson has been boosted by the return to full training of Jason Koumas (thigh) and Scott Dobie (groin). Russell Hoult will take over again in goal after missing Albion's last league outing because of a one-match suspension. Birmingham are without central defender Darren Purse and midfielder Aliou Cisse, with the duo are serving one-match suspensions after collecting five bookings.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom W W L L L, Birmingham D W L L W
Top scorers: West Brom - Jason Roberts 2; Birmingham - Stern John 6
Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Charlton (19) v Middlesbrough (3)
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has a near full strength squad to choose from. Scott Parker and Gary Rowett are added to the squad after coming through a midweek reserves games. The only long-term absentees are Graham Stuart (knee) and Martin Pringle (broken leg). Boro boss Steve McClaren has to decide whether to keep faith with Alen Boksic or recall Szilard Nemeth after his goal against England last week. Colin Cooper could make his 300th League appearance.
Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Charlton 0, Charlton 0 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Charlton L L D L L, Middlesbrough W L W W W
Top scorers: Charlton - Claus Jensen 2; Middlesbrough - Massimo Maccarone 4
Match odds: H 7-4 A 5-4 D 11-5
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
Tottenham (5) v Bolton (18)
Stephen Carr (knee and hamstring) and Gus Poyet (knee) have given Spurs a boost by returning to the squad. Mauricio Taricco (groin) and Ben Thatcher (back) face fitness tests, while Les Ferdinand is ruled out with a back injury. Darren Anderton, Ledley King, Anthony Gardner and Stephen Clemence are all back in training, which leaves only Neil Sullivan and Christian Ziege on the injured list. Bolton are missing Bruno N'Gotty (calf) and Stig Tofting, sentenced to four months in prison and deciding whether or not to appeal, but Paul Warhurst and Ricardo Gardner have taken advantage of the two-week international break to shrug off groin and knee injury problems respectively.
Last season: Bolton 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 3 Bolton 2
Last five league matches: Tottenham L W L L W, Bolton W L L D L
Top scorers: Tottenham - Teddy Sheringham 4; Bolton - Youri Djorkaeff 2, Michael Ricketts 2
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).