Saturday
(Current positions in brackets)
Arsenal (3) v Wimbledon (13)
Arsenal captain Tony Adams is out with flu so manager Arsene Wenger could field a new centre-back partnership of Gilles Grimandi and Oleg Luzhny if he decides against recalling Martin Keown a week earlier than scheduled. Egil Olsen is still struggling to find fully fit Wimbledon defenders. Hermann Hreidarsson, cup-tied in midweek, will return but Ben Thatcher and Dean Blackwell are doubtful.
Last season: Arsenal 5 Wimbledon 1, Wimbledon 1 Arsenal 0
Last five league matches: Arsenal D L W W W, Wimbledon D W L D W
Top scorers: Kanu, Marc Overmars (Arsenal) 10; Carl Cort (Wimbledon) 13
Match odds: H 1-3 A 13-2 D 10-3
Referee: G Barber (Tring, Herts)
Aston Villa (15) v Sheff Wed (20)
Wednesday have doubts over three players as they prepare for a reunion with Benito Carbone, who left the club after a dressing room bust-up. Left-back Andy Hinchcliffe (calf), winger Petter Rudi (Achilles) and midfielder Lee Briscoe (bruised leg) all face late fitness tests. Last season: Aston Villa 2 Sheff Wed 1, Sheff Wed 0 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches: Aston Villa L L L D L, Sheff Wed D L D L L
Top scorers: Dion Dublin (Aston Villa) 13; Gilles De Bilde (Sheff Wed) 6
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 12-5
Referee: S Bennett (Orpington, Kent)
Bradford (17) v Newcastle (14)
Neil Redfearn is definitely sidelined through suspension for Bradford while fellow midfielder Dean Windass is struggling with an ankle problem and is likely to undergo a late fitness test. With goalkeeper Gary Walsh still out through long-term injury, in-form Matt Clarke continues as number one.
Frenchman Laurent Charvet and Italian Alessandro Pistone are major doubts for Newcastle. Nikos Dabizas is suspended and with Steve Howey, Franck Dumas, Alain Doma and Marcelino all injured, teenage defender Gary Caldwell is called into the squad.
Last season: No corresponding fixtures
Last five league matches: Bradford L D L L D, Newcastle D D D W W
Top scorers: Lee Mills (Bradford) 5; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 18
Match odds: H 2-1 A 11-10 D 9-4
Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe)
Leicester (6) v Derby (18)
Darren Eadie, the Foxes' £3million record signing from Norwich, is expected to make his debut. Branko Strupar, Derby's new £3million striker, could have to settle for a place on the bench. Dean Sturridge and Vassilis Borbokis have been left out of Rams boss Jim Smith's large squad after failing to impress in recent weeks. Last season: Leicester 1 Derby 2, Derby 2 Leicester 0
Last five league matches: Leicester W L W W L, Derby W L L L L
Top scorers: Tony Cottee, Muzzy Izzet (Leicester) 8; Rory Delap (Derby) 6
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 12-5
Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill)
Liverpool (5) v Coventry (11)
Liverpool expect to have Czech star Patrik Berger and England Under-21 midfielder David Thompson back in their squad. Berger has missed two games with a knee problem, while Thompson should shake off a knee strain having served a one-match ban.
Coventry manager Gordon Strachan will give a late fitness test to Paul Williams. The Sky Blues are again likely to be without senior defenders Richard Shaw, Mo Konjic, Marc Edworthy, David Burrows and Marcus Hall.
Last season: Coventry 2 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 2 Coventry 0
Last five league matches: Liverpool W W W L W, Coventry W D W L D
Top scorers: Titi Camara (Liverpool) 6; Robbie Keane (Coventry) 12
Match odds: H 4-9 A 13-2 D 5-2
Referee: A D'urso (Billericay, Essex)
Middlesbrough (10) v Tottenham (7)
Middlesbrough will again be without midfielder Paul Gascoigne and defender Gary Pallister. Tim Sherwood and Mauricio Taricco return from suspension for Tottenham. Both players missed last Sunday's FA Cup third-round draw with Newcastle and are likely to go straight back into the team at the expense of Allan Neilsen and Justin Edinburgh. The main injury doubt remains Oyvind Leonhardsen, which means Ruel Fox may keep his place on the right side of midfield.
Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 0 Middlesbrough 3
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough W D L D D, Tottenham L W W L D
Top scorers: Hamilton Ricard (Middlesbrough) 8; Steffen Iversen (Tottenham) 12
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 11-5
Referee: S Dunn (Bristol)
Sunderland (4) v Southampton (16)
Niall Quinn will have a late fitness test before Sunderland manager Peter Reid names his team. A broken nose sustained in last Saturday's FA Cup win over Portsmouth will not keep the striker out of action but an ankle injury is more serious than first thought. New signing Kevin Kilbane is poised to step in with teenager Michael Reddy also on stand-by.
Southampton centre-back Claus Lundekvam will have a pain-killing injection in the hope of playing after breaking a toe in the FA Cup win over Ipswich. Hassan Kachloul is expected to return after a back injury. Last season: No corresponding fixtures
Last five league matches: Sunderland W D L W W, Southampton D W L L D
Top scorers: Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 16; Marian Pahars (Southampton) 8
Match odds: H 2-5 A 13-2 D 11-4
Referee: M Reed (Birmingham)
Watford (19) v Everton (12)
Watford will be without Nick Wright (knee injury). Peter Kennedy, Alex Bonnot, Chris Smart and Tommy Mooney are all long-term casualties, while Gifton Noel-Williams and Nordin Wooter are injured and Xavier Gravelaine is banned.
Everton's teenage striker Francis Jeffers could miss the match after being sent home from training with flu.
Last season: No corresponding fixtures
Last five league matches: Watford L D D L L, Everton L D D D L
Top scorers: Michel Ngonge (Watford) 4; Kevin Campbell (Everton) 8
Match odds: H 2-1 A 11-10 D 9-4
Referee: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street)
West Ham (8) v Manchester Utd (2)
West Ham are hoping Joe Cole will recover from a nasty ankle knock in time to make the match. Still on the injured list are defenders Igor Stimac, Ian and Stuart Pearce, Steve Potts, Shaun Byrne and Gary Charles, while midfielder John Moncur also remains out of the picture with a back problem.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in line for his third successive start as United bid to extend their unbeaten run to four games.
Last season: Man Utd 4 West Ham 1, West Ham 0 Man U 0
Last five league matches: West Ham L D W W D, Man Utd L W W W W
Top scorers: Paolo Di Canio (West Ham) 8; Andy Cole (Man Utd) 14
Match odds: H 9-4 A Evens D 9-4
Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield)
Sunday
Chelsea (9) v Leeds (1)
Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli expects to have a strong squad available, although Graeme Le Saux is still out with an ankle injury. Mario Melchiot has had a more severe setback. The Dutch defender has broken the same toe which has prevented him making an appearance since his summer move from Ajax.
Leeds will be without David Batty (calf) and Alan Smith (ankle) as injuries start to bite into David O'Leary's squad. New signing Jason Wilcox is in contention.
Last season: Chelsea 1 Leeds 0, Leeds 0 Chelsea 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea L D D W L, Leeds W L W W W
Top scorers: Gustavo Poyet (Chelsea) 9; Michael Bridges (Leeds) 12
Match odds: H Evens A 9-4 D 9-4
Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees)
Odds supplied courtesy of William Hill
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