Saturday, August 23
Bolton (20) v Blackburn (1)
Brazilian striker Mario Jardel is pushing for a place in the Bolton squad.
Jardel has put himself through a punishing training routine in a bid to get fitfor the top flight and may be rewarded with a place on the bench.
French forward Youri Djorkaeff could be recalled to the starting line-up after showing no ill-effects from a fractured cheekbone in the defeat by Manchester United.
Midfielder Steven Reid is in line to make his Rovers debut after recoveringfrom an ankle injury.
The stg£2.5million summer signing completes a virtually full squad with long-term absentee Craig Short the only player missing. Andy Cole is pushing for a starting place after scoring twice as a substitute in the 5-1 thrashing of Wolves.
Last season:Blackburn 0 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches:Bolton D D D W L; Blackburn D W D W W
Top scorers:Andy Cole (Blackburn) 2
Match odds:H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10
Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).
Chelsea (6) v Leicester (10)
Chelsea's stg£15.8million striker Adrian Mutu is in line to make his Blues debut.
The Romanian international had his international clearance finalised this weekand boss Claudio Ranieri is debating throwing him in from the start.
Leicester are without centre-back Matt Elliott (broken toe) and Les Ferdinand,who has a knee problem. Defender Frank Sinclair is also ruled out after injuringhis hip during a midweek run-out with the reserve team.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Chelsea W D L W W; Leicester W L D D D
Top scorers: Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Juan Sebastian Veron (Chelsea) 1; Paul Dickov, Les Ferdinand (Leicester) 1
Match odds: H 2-9 A 17-2 D 4-1
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Everton (15) v Fulham (4)
Thomas Gravesen has only at outside chance of playing for Everton after havinga scan on a knee injury picked up while in action with Denmark in midweek.
Lee Carsley (knee), Kevin Campbell (hamstring) and Scot Gemmill (thigh) are also out while Tony Hibbert picked up a knee problem in a midweek reserve game and isalso doubtful.
Duncan Ferguson is suspended but Wayne Rooney has a chance ofstarting the game after scoring twice for the reserves in midweek.
Sean Davis misses out for Fulham with a knee injury. The Cottagers have agreedto sell Davis to either the Toffees or Middlesbrough, but the England hopefulwill be unable to impress David Moyes at Goodison Park. Skipper Andy Melvillewill be out for another fortnight with his foot problem.
Last season: Fulham 2 Everton 0, Everton 2 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Everton L W L L L; Fulham L D W W W
Top scorers: Tomasz Radzinski (Everton) 1; Junichi Inamoto, Steve Marlet, Louis Saha (Fulham) 1
Match odds: H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
Man City (3) v Portsmouth (7)
The Blues open their new City of Manchester home to Barclaycard Premiershipopposition for the first time with Kevin Keegan likely to stick with the sidewhich impressed at Charlton last weekend.
With Paul Bosvelt serving the finalmatch of his two-game ban, Joey Barton should retain his place, leavingtransfer-listed Eyal Berkovic again on the bench.
French defender Sebastien Schemmel is in line to make his full debut forPortsmouth, with Australian centre-back Hayden Foxe struggling to recover from athigh injury he suffered while playing for his country in midweek.
MidfielderTim Sherwood is still out with an ear infection while England Under-21 starMatthew Taylor and striker Svetoslav Todorov are sidelined by long-term heel andknee injuries.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man City W L W L W; Portsmouth L W W W W
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka, Sun Jihai (Man City) 2; Patrik Berger, Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth) 1
Match odds: H 4-6 A 10-3 D 12-5
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire).
Newcastle (11) v Man Utd (2)
Newcastle will be without central defender Jonathan Woodgate and striker CraigBellamy. Woodgate has had stomach problems since Newcastle came back fromMalaysia last month while Bellamy aggravated an old knee injury in Wales'European Championship qualifier with Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade onWednesday night.
Nicky Butt (ankle) is a major doubt for the champions after limping out ofEngland's friendly win over Croatia on Wednesday.
However, Sir Alex Fergusondoes have options, especially after World Cup winner Kleberson came through areserve team appearance on the same night, although Eric Djemba-Djemba is morelikely to step in if Butt doesn't make it.
Last season:Newcastle 2 Man Utd 6, Man Utd 5 Newcastle 3
Last five league matches:Newcastle D W W D D; Man Utd W W W W W
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 2; Ryan Giggs (Man Utd) 2
Match odds: H 15-8 A 6-5 D 21-10
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
Southampton (12) v Birmingham (8)
Striker Kevin Phillips is poised to make his full debut and is likely topartner England's James Beattie in attack after scoring one goal and making theother in Saints' 2-2 draw at Leicester last weekend. French winger FabriceFernandes is also hoping to start.
Clinton Morrison has been included in Birmingham's squad. He has not playedfor the first team since dislocating his shoulder in March, but made agoalscoring appearance as a substitute for the Republic of Ireland againstAustralia in midweek. City are without Christophe Dugarry until mid-September ashe recovers from knee surgery and new signing Luciano Figueroa, who has a thighstrain.
Last season: Birmingham 3 Southampton 2, Southampton 2 Birmingham 0
Last five league matches: Southampton L D L W D; Birmingham W W L D W
Top scorers:James Beattie, Kevin Phillips (Southampton) 1; David Dunn(Birmingham) 1
Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: Graham Barber (England).
Tottenham (17) v Leeds (9)
Young midfielders Rohan Ricketts and Dean Marney retain their places in thesquad after making first team debuts last week. Chris Perry is available aftersuspension and two other centre-backs, Ledley King and Dean Richards, are alsoback in contention after injuries.
Spurs are still without Gus Poyet, DarrenAnderton, Christian Ziege, Freddie Kanoute and Robbie Keane, but Bobby Zamorais expected to be fit to partner Helder Postiga up front.
Jermaine Pennant is expected to make his Leeds debut after completing his loanmove from Arsenal. Pennant is set to replace Jason Wilcox, who played out ofposition on the right wing against Newcastle. Skipper Dominic Matteo shouldrecover from a knock.
Last season: Leeds 2 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 2 Leeds 0
Last five league matches:Tottenham W L L L L; Leeds L W L W D
Top scorers:Alan Smith, Mark Viduka (Leeds) 1
Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
Wolverhampton (19) v Charlton (18)
Wolves boss Dave Jones will make a late check on striker Nathan Blake ahead ofhis club's first top-flight home game in 19 years.
Blake has returned frommidweek international duty with Wales but Jones is confident he is fit enough tofigure tomorrow. Mark Kennedy (ankle), Joleon Lescott (knee), Kenny Miller(hernia) and George Ndah (knee) all still stuck on the long-term injury list.
Loan signing Carlton Cole is in Charlton's squad but is unlikely to start.
Paolo di Canio will also feature in the clash after impressing for the reservesearlier in the week, while keeper Dean Kiely should resume between the sticksafter serving his suspension, with Simon Royce winning a place on the bench.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wolverhampton W W D D L; Charlton L W L L L
Top scorers: Steffen Iversen (Wolverhampton) 1
Match odds: H 5-4 A 9-5 D 21-10
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Sunday, August 24
Aston Villa (14) v Liverpool (16)
Darius Vassell is set to celebrate his new three-year contract with a place onthe Villa bench after battling to recover from an ankle injury.
Swede MarcusAllback was the biggest casualty of Villa's midweek international contingent andhis pulled hamstring is likely to rule him out for at least three games, whileboss David O'Leary is likely to recall central defender Olof Mellberg in placeof Ronny Johnsen.
Liverpool's Harry Kewell has been having treatment on an Achilles problem, butis expected to be fit.
Right-back Steve Finnan could also be pushing for a placein the starting line-up, striker Emile Heskey is back in training after limpingout of England's game against Croatia, Vladimir Smicer - who missed the openinggame with a knee problem - has a chance of being involved, while Steven Gerrardreturns from suspension.
Last season:Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Aston Villa D L W L L; Liverpool W W L L L
Top scorers:Gareth Barry (Aston Villa) 1; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 1
Match odds:H 21-10 A 11-10 D 21-10
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
Middlesbrough (13) v Arsenal (5)
Spanish superstar Gaizka Mendieta goes straight into the Middlesbrough squaddespite only two days training with his new club.
Jonathan Greening (back) and Joseph Job (hamstring) have both been receiving treatment this week, whilestriker Michael Ricketts has returned for training after an Achilles problem,but Ugo Ehiogu (knee), Massimo Maccarone (ankle) and David Murphy (foot) are allout.
Sol Campbell's chances of being fit for the Gunners are 50-50 because of theshoulder injury which forced him to miss England's midweek friendly.
PascalCygan is ruled out with a hamstring injury and Francis Jeffers is suspendedfollowing his own red card in the Community Shield.
Jens Lehmann, who has aslight thigh problem, and Freddie Ljungberg, who has a minor shoulder injury,should be fit.
Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L L W L L; Arsenal W D W W W
Top scorers: Carlos Marinelli, Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 1; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 2
Match odds: H 16-5 A 8-11 D 9-4
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).