Sunday, December 26th:
Arsenal (2) v Fulham (15):Ashley Cole is suspended after accumulating his fifth booking of the season at Portsmouth. Gael Clichy comes in and Freddie Ljungberg is set to return after recovering from two acute migraines. Jermaine Pennant is also back in contention.
Fulham goalkeeper Mark Crossley hopes to regain his first-team shirt from Edwin Van der Sar after showing progress in his recovery from a groin problem. Midfielder Claus Jensen (back) and forward Luis Boa Morte (hamstring) are at least one week away from completing their rehabilitation programmes, while Moritz Volz is aiming to regain his right-back spot from Liam Rosenior.
Last season: Fulham 0 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 0 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Arsenal D L W D W; Fulham L L W D L
Top scorers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 19; Andy Cole (Fulham) 7
Match odds: H 2-9 A 17-2 D 4-1
Referee: B Knight (Kent).
Birmingham (14) v Middlesbrough (5)
Blues manager Steve Bruce is set to keep faith with the players who achieved back-to-back derby wins over Aston Villa and West Brom, with defender Mario Melchiot still battling to overcome the thigh problem which ruled him out of those two matches. Midfielder Muzzy Izzet will miss the festive programme after having an operation to clean out his troublesome knee.
Boro midfielder George Boateng is out for six to eight weeks after breaking a big toe, with Doriva set to win a midfield
role. Striker Mark Viduka is struggling with a back injury and is unlikely to play but left-back Franck Queudrue is available again after serving a three-match suspension.
Last season:Middlesbrough 5 Birmingham 3, Birmingham 3 Middlesbrough 1
Last five league matches: Birmingham D D L W W; Middlesbrough W L W D W
Top scorers: Robbie Savage & Clinton Morrison (Birmingham) 4; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Middlesbrough) 9
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 A 21-10
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Blackburn (16) v Newcastle (13)
Rovers midfielder David Thompson is available after suspension but defender Craig Short is out with a hamstring injury, Nils-Eric Johansson stands by. Lorenzo Amoruso may be on the bench after resuming training and Andy Todd should be fit despite missing training today with a cold, but Matt Jansen, Tugay and Vratislav Gresko are still sidelined by knee injuries.
Magpies captain Alan Shearer could be missing for four more weeks with a thigh injury. Stephen Carr (knee) could return early in the New Year but Nicky Butt (also knee) may be out for a month and Ronny Johnsen (hamstring) is three weeks away from a return. Lee Bowyer is suspended but Craig Bellamy (back), Kieron Dyer (calf) and Patrick Kluivert (hamstring) are all fit.
Last season: Blackburn 1 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 0 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn D W L D D; Newcastle W D L D L
Top scorers:Paul Dickov (Blackburn) 5; Craig Bellamy & Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 10
Match odds:H 13-8 A 11-8 D 21-10
Referee: M Messias (S Yorkshire).
Chelsea (1) v Aston Villa (9)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is down to his last 16 players. Injuries to centre-half Ricardo Carvalho (broken toe) and midfielder Scott Parker (broken foot) have added to an injury list which also contains Robert Huth (ankle) and Celestine Babayaro (leg). Carvalho is rated as a `possible' for Sunday's clash but the other sidelined players are definitely out.
Villa are without the injured Jlloyd Samuel (groin) and Gavin McCann (knee) and striker Carlton Cole is unable to play as part of the loan agreement with Chelsea so David O'Leary has only 16 players at his disposal. Lee Hendrie returns after serving a three match suspension for his sending-off for violent conduct against Manchester City.
Last season: Aston Villa 3 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W W D W; Aston Villa W L D L L
Top scorers:Eidur Gudjohnsen (Chelsea) 9; Juan Pablo Angel & Nolberto Solano (Aston Villa) 5
Match odds: H 2-7 A 15-2 D 10-3
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
Crystal Palace (18) v Portsmouth (12)
Palace have Mikele Leigertwood and Dougie Freedman available after injury and Ivan Kaviedes (knee) and Shaun Derry (dead leg) are also fit. Darren Powell is back from his loan spell at West Ham, but Tommy Black (broken fibula) and Nicola Ventola (ankle) both face eight weeks out.
Pompey midfielder Gary O'Neil is Portsmouth's latest injury with a back problem. Dejan Stefanovic, David Unsworth (both thigh) and Lomana LuaLua (ear infection) are out and striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu, who made his comeback from a knee injury against Arsenal last week, also faces a test.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace L D L D L; Portsmouth W W D D L
Top scorers:Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace) 9; Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Portsmouth) 8
Match odds: H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
Everton (3) v Man City (10)
Everton hope midfielder Leon Osman will be fit for the festive programme. The club sent Osman for a scan on his knee injury because he suffered cruciate knee ligament damage a couple of years ago which ruled him out for a full season - but this week's specialist check revealed no serious damage.
City boss Kevin Keegan is set to stick by disgraced midfielder Joey Barton as he names an unchanged team. Ben Thatcher could return for the FA Cup trip to Oldham on January 8 but misses the Everton trip alongside Steve McManaman (Achilles), Claudio Reyna (groin), Trevor Sinclair and Sun Jihai (both knee).
Last season:Man City 5 Everton 1, Everton 0 Man City 0
Last five league matches: Everton W D W W D; Man City W W L L W
Top scorers: Thomas Gravesen & Marcus Bent (Everton) 5; Shaun Wright-Phillips & Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 6
Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5
Referee:P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Man Utd (4) v Bolton (11)
Gabriel Heinze and Cristiano Ronaldo both return to United's squad after being rested against Crystal Palace last week. Heinze is virtually certain to replace hamstring injury victim Quinton Fortune. Ruud van Nistelrooy (Achilles) is definitely out, along with Kleberson (ankle) and Louis Saha (knee).
Striker El-Hadji Diouf is available again for Bolton after completing a three-match suspension for spitting at Portsmouth's Arjan De Zeeuw. Defender Nicky Hunt also returns to the squad after a ban but Radhi Jaidi (hamstring) remains doubtful.
Last season:Bolton 1 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 4 Bolton 0
Last five league matches:Man Utd W W W D W; Bolton D L L L L
Top scorers:Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 12; Henrik Pedersen (Bolton) 7
Match odds:H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
Norwich (17) v Tottenham (8)
Norwich bring in Leon McKenzie for injured striker Mathias Svensson (knee) but midfielders Gary Holt (lung infection), Damien Francis (fractured cheekbone) and Ian Henderson (heel) remain unavailable. Phil Mulryne (groin) may return to the bench and young forward Danny Crow is included in the squad as cover.
Spurs centre-back Nourredine Naybet is back after a groin injury, and full-back Erik Edman is available again after Achilles trouble. Midfield pair Simon Davies (virus) and Sean Davis (knee) are around a fortnight away from first-team returns.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Norwich W D L W L; Tottenham L W W W W
Top scorers:Darren Huckerby (Norwich) 6; Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 14
Match odds: H 7-4 A 5-4 D 11-5
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
Southampton (19) v Charlton (7)
Saints defenders Graeme Le Saux (calf) and Jason Dodd (ankle) both face fitness tests. Striker James Beattie is hoping for recall to the starting line-up after making a full recovery from a calf problem while midfielder Rory Delap returns after a one-match ban.
Charlton have been hit by a flu bug but are expecting a clean bill of health. Defender Mark Fish is unlikely to feature, though, after suffering a slight back strain. Chris Perry (groin), Jonatan Johansson and Kevin Lisbie (both hamstring) all remain sidelined.
Last season:Charlton 2 Southampton 1, Southampton 3 Charlton 2
Last five league matches: Southampton L D L D L; Charlton L L W W W
Top scorers:Dexter Blackstock & Kevin Phillips (Southampton) 5; Jonatan Johansson & Francis Jeffers (Charlton) 3
Match odds:H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
West Brom (20) v Liverpool (6)
Albion are without central defender Darren Moore, who is continuing to struggle with the knee injury that has forced him to miss the last two games. Albion also have to check on the fitness of Cosmin Contra, who is troubled by the groin strain which forced him to miss last weekend's 4-0 defeat at Birmingham.
Josemi is free from suspension but a knee injury means Steve Finnan will continue at right-back for Liverpool. Igor Biscan is fit again after damaging his cheekbone but goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is a week away from a return to the squad following a back injury, so youngster Paul Harrison will be on the bench
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Brom D L L L L; Liverpool W D L D W
Top scorers: Robert Earnshaw (West Brom) 7; Milan Baros (Liverpool) 11
Match odds:H 7-2 A 4-6 D 23-10
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).