Saturday, September 20
Aston Villa (16) v Charlton (12)
Villa central defensive duo Olof Mellberg (groin) and Ronny Johnsen (hamstring) will face late fitness tests but striker Darius Vassell is expected to feature after keyhole surgery on a groin problem and midfielder Gareth Barry returns from a two-game suspension.
South African defender Mark Fish returns from suspension. Charlton alsowelcome back Luke Young, who missed the defeat to Manchester United with astomach bug, but fellow defenders Richard Rufus and Hermann Hreidarsson (bothknee) will be sidelined for at least another week.
Last season:Charlton 3 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 2 Charlton 0
Last five league matches:Aston Villa L D L W L; Charlton L W D D L
Top scorers:Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 3; Jason Euell (Charlton) 3
Match odds:H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside)
Fulham (9) v Man City (3)
Fulham centre-backs Andy Melville (foot) and Martin Djetou (hamstring) areboth back from injury but striker Barry Hayles is out for another week with histroublesome ankle while midfielder Sean Davis faces another three weeks on thesidelines with his knee injury.
Kevin Keegan must decide whether to change a winning team as he looks for thetwo-goal win over Fulham which will take City back to the Premiership summit.
Dutch midfielder Paul Bosvelt is available again and he could replace eitherJoey Barton or Shaun Wright-Phillips, a move which would see Steve McManamanswitched to a wider role after a successful return to English football incentral midfield. Jon Macken (foot) is definitely out as is Gerard Wiekens(back).
Last season: Man City 4 Fulham 1, Fulham 0 Man City 1
Last five league matches:Fulham W W L W D; Man City W D W L W
Top scorers: Barry Hayles (Fulham) 3; Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 6
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire)
Leeds (14) v Birmingham (8)
Seth Johnson has been ruled out of Leeds' squad with tonsilitis, meaningSalomon Olembe is likely to take his place in the line-up for his first startfor the club. Captain Dominic Matteo will miss a second successive match with anankle injury sustained in training a week ago. Gary Kelly will again skipper aside which is likely to remain unchanged in defence as Lucas Radebe is alsoruled out with a recurrence of his knee injury.
Striker Christophe Dugarry and central defender Kenny Cunningham are back.French World Cup winner Dugarry has missed Birmingham's last three gamesfollowing knee surgery and Cunningham was sidelined for last weekend's 2-2 drawagainst Fulham by a groin problem.
Last season:Leeds 2 Birmingham 0, Birmingham 2 Leeds 1
Last five league matches:Leeds D L D W L; Birmingham D W D W D
Top scorers:Alan Smith, Mark Viduka (Leeds) 2; David Dunn, Mikael Forssell(Birmingham) 2
Match odds:H 6-5 A 7-4 D 9-4
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)
Liverpool (7) v Leicester (11)
Liverpool's growing injury list almost certainly means John Arne Riise andEmile Heskey will return to the starting line-up. Jamie Carragher (broken leg)and Milan Baros (broken ankle) will not play again until the new year, joiningDietmar Hamann and Chris Kirkland on the injury list. Stephane Henchoz is stillsuffering from a calf problem which means Igor Biscan will continue to deputisein defence.
Leicester defender Riccardo Scimeca is added to manager Micky Adams' squad.Adams, though, is again without the banned Alan Rogers, as well as Matt Elliott,Les Ferdinand and Callum Davidson through injury. Northern Ireland winger KeithGillespie remains doubtful with an ankle problem sustained on international dutyrecently.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Liverpool L D D W W; Leicester D L D L W
Top scorers:Michael Owen (Liverpool) 5; Paul Dickov (Leicester) 3
Match odds:H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)
Newcastle (18) v Bolton (15)
Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson is sweating on the fitness of England defenderJonathan Woodgate, who has not played since the 1-0 Champions League qualifierdefeat by Partizan Belgrade last month because of a torn stomach muscle, buttrained this week. Goalkeeper Shay Given, whose deputy Steve Harper is out witha torn hamstring, is winning his battle against a knee injury, while NolbertoSolano could get the nod ahead of Lee Bowyer on the right hand side ofmidfield.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is facing a defensive crisis as Florent Lavilleis out for six months as he needs surgery on his left knee while Nicky Hunt hasa hamstring problem. However, French forward Youri Djorkaeff has shrugged off acalf problem.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Bolton 0, Bolton 4 Newcastle 3
Last five league matches: Newcastle D D L L D; Bolton L D L D W
Top scorers:Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 5; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 2
Match odds:H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5
Referee: Graham Barber (Hertfordshire)
Portsmouth (5) v Blackburn (10)
Portsmouth's Nigel Quashie looks set to continue in an unfamiliar left-sidedmidfield role as cover for injured Patrick Berger. Russian star Alexei Smertin,on loan from Chelsea, could have his first start in central midfield but TimSherwood is also in contention. New signing Jason Roberts is challenging for aplace in attack.
Steven Reid and Craig Short are Blackburn's only two absentees. Reid issuspended while Short is recovering from a knee operation which will keep himout until the end of October. Manager Graeme Souness will have to decide whichof his central midfield trio of Tugay, Garry Flitcroft and Barry Ferguson hewill leave on the bench.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W D W D D; Blackburn W D L D L
Top scorers:Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 5; Andy Cole (Blackburn) 4
Match odds:H 13-10 A 13-8 D 11-5
Referee:P Durkin (Dorset)
Tottenham (17) v Southampton (6)
Wales international midfielder Simon Davies could return for Spurs after aslight thigh strain. Gus Poyet (wrist) is also likely to be back in the squadbut Robbie Keane (ankle), Christian Ziege (thigh) and Ledley King (hamstring)are all still on the treatment table.
Saints midfielder Rory Delap is not expected to make his comeback from anankle injury despite playing for the reserves in midweek. Striker Marian Pahars(groin) is still out, while Agustin Delgado (back) faces around another fiveweeks on the sidelines. Fitz Hall (broken toe) is still not match fit, nor isdefender Darren Kenton after a thigh injury.
Last season: Southampton 1 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 2 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham L W D L L; Southampton D D D W W
Top scorers:Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 3; James Beattie (Southampton) 4
Match odds:H Evs A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee:A D'Urso (Essex)
Wolverhampton (20) v Chelsea (4)
Henri Camara is back to boost Wolves following a toe infection and is expectedto regain his place in the starting line-up. Hassan Kachloul's recovery from agroin strain ought to ensure his Wolves debut but Nathan Blake (hamstring) is adoubt while goalkeeper Matt Murray suffered a setback in midweek and has stillnot recovered sufficiently from his back strain.
Marcel Desailly and Adrian Mutu are Chelsea's main doubts after sufferingankle injuries in the midweek Champions League victory away to Sparta Prague.
John Terry is in line to replace Desailly in defence, while Jimmy FloydHasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen are looking for recalls up front and a handfulof changes are also expected in midfield, with Geremi suspended.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wolverhampton L L L D L; Chelsea W W W D W
Top scorers:Steffen Iversen (Wolverhampton) 1; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink,Adrian Mutu (Chelsea) 4
Match odds:H 11-2 A 4-9 D 13-5
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire)
Sunday, September 21
Man Utd (2) v Arsenal (1)
Manchester United have minor injury doubts over skipper Roy Keane, Nicky Butt,Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and John O'Shea. Cristiano Ronaldo has an outside chance ofa start.
Arsenal defender Martin Keown is on standby as Sol Campbell decides whether hefeels able to play following the death of his father. Pascal Cygan is anotheroption to partner Kolo Toure in central defence. Dennis Bergkamp could start butreserve goalkeeper Stuart Taylor has a shoulder problem.
Last season:Arsenal 2 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 2 Arsenal 0
Last five league matches:Man Utd W W W L W; Arsenal W W W W D
Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 4; Thierry Henry (Man Utd) 5
Match odds:H 6-5 A 21-10 D 15-8
Referee: S Bennett (Kent)
Middlesbrough (19) v Everton (13)
Boro defender Franck Queudrue is back after a five-game ban. Former Derby duoMalcolm Christie and Chris Riggott return after shaking off a virus and DutchmanBolo Zenden could make his home debut. Ugo Ehiogu and Stuart Parnaby (both kneeligaments), Massimo Maccarone (ankle) and David Murphy (foot) remain on thesidelines.
Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright has been told to rest for three weeks afteran exploratory operation on his knee injury failed to discover any serioustrouble - Nigel Martyn deputises. Steve Simonsen (thigh), Li Tie (foot), ScotGemmill (thigh) and Kevin Campbell (hamstring) are out but Wayne Rooney hasrecovered from an ankle injury received last weekend.
Last season:Middlesbrough 1 Everton 1, Everton 2 Middlesbrough 1
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L L D L L; Everton L W D L D
Top scorers:Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 2; Tomasz Radzinski, Steve Watson(Everton) 2
Match odds:H 13-10 A 13-8 D 11-5
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)