Saturday, January 10th
Arsenal (2) v Middlesbrough (12)
Kolo Toure is set to be ruled out of Arsenal's squad due to a foot injury sustained in the midweek draw at Everton. While Lauren is poised to replace Toure at right-back, Gael Clichy is on standby in case Ashley Cole fails to recover from a shoulder problem. Sylvain Wiltord and Dennis Bergkamp are still ruled out through ankle and calf injuries respectively, while Gilberto Silva will be hoping for a recall.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (back) has a 50-50 chance of returning
for the first of four games against Arsenal this month. Gaizka Mendieta (virus),
Jonathan Greening (back) and Michael Ricketts (knee) are ruled out.
Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Arsenal W D W W D; Middlesbrough D D D L W
Top scorers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 17; Juninho & Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough) 4
Match odds: H 2-9 A 9-1 D 4-1
Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).
Birmingham (10) v Southampton (8)
Birmingham will be without midfielder Robbie Savage, who serves a one-match suspension after five bookings. Aliou Cisse could replace him before heading off for African Nations Cup duty with Senegal if he can shake off a thigh strain with Bryan Hughes also in contention.
Norwegian defender Claus Lundekvam (hamstring) is facing a month on the sidelines so Danny Higginbotham or Fitz Hall will deputise for him at centre-half. Left-back Graeme Le Saux (foot) is still doubtful with a foot
problem while midfielder Matthew Oakley is out for the season after knee surgery.
Last season: Birmingham 3 Southampton 2, Southampton 2 Birmingham 0
Last five league matches: Birmingham L W W L L; Southampton W W L L D
Top scorers: Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 9; James Beattie (Southampton) 11
Match odds: H 6-5 A 2-1 D 2-1
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Blackburn (15) v Bolton (13)
Blackburn boss Graeme Souness has responded to an injury crisis by calling three reserve midfielders into his squad. Craig Short (hamstring), Andy Todd (calf) and Alan Mahon (thigh) are all out after sustaining injuries this week and Garry Flitcroft is suspended. Young midfielders Neil Danns, Jonathan Douglas and Ciaran Donnelly have been included in the 17-man squad, with Douglas the most likely of the trio to start the match.
Bolton defender Ricardo Gardner has been ruled out with a knee injury. The absence of the Jamaica international could see Simon Charlton switching to full-back and Emerson Thome returning to the starting line-up.
Last season: Blackburn 0 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn L L D W D; Bolton W D L D L
Top scorers: Andy Cole (Blackburn) 6; Kevin Davies & Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 5
Match odds: H 1-1 A 23-10 D 21-10
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
Charlton (4) v Wolves (20)
Luke Young returns to the Charlton squad after 13 games out with an ankle injury. Fellow defender Gary Rowett could return to full training next week after a knee injury, but Richard Rufus (knee) remains out indefinitely. Shaun Bartlett (ankle) started running this week but Kevin Lisbie (back) remains sidelined.
Wolves will be without defender Paul Butler, who serves a one-match ban for five bookings. He will be replaced by Mark Clyde. Captain Paul Ince remains a doubt due to a virus while striker Steffen Iversen has been ruled out by a thigh problem. New striker Vio Ganea is included and rookie goalkeeper Carl Ikeme will be on the bench following the end of Andy Marshall's loan from Ipswich.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Charlton D D W W D; Wolves L L L W D
Top scorers: Kevin Lisbie (Charlton) 5; Alex Rae (Wolves) 8
Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Fulham (7) v Everton (11)
Fulham boss Chris Coleman is ready to name unsettled striker Louis Saha. Moritz Volz is still unavailable as he tries to finalise his switch from Arsenal. Mark Pembridge (calf), Dean Leacock (knee), Elvis Hammond (knee), Jerome Bonnissel (ankle) and Alain Goma (hamstring) are all ruled out.
A groin muscle problem could restrict Everton striker Wayne Rooney's involvement, although boss David Moyes believes he will start. Everton have a string of other worries, with Kevin Kilbane (muscle injury), Thomas Gravesen (knee), Alan Stubbs (groin) and Joseph Yobo (cold) all doubts.
Last season: Fulham 2 Everton 0, Everton 2 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Fulham L L W L L; Everton W W L W D
Top scorers: Louis Saha (Fulham) 14; Duncan Ferguson (Everton) 7
Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Leeds (19) v Tottenham (16)
Leeds midfielder David Batty could be out for up to a month with ankle ligament damage. Alan Smith completes a two-match ban. Eirik Bakke should return after being rested for the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on Wednesday, while striker Michael Bridges could start if Gray opts for a 4-4-2 line-up.
Mauricio Taricco and Anthony Gardner return from suspension and a thigh strain respectively for Tottenham. Dean Richards is still out with a calf problem, while captain Jamie Redknapp and Christian Ziege (both knee) are making good progress from their injuries. New signing Michael Brown sits out his final game through suspension.
Last season: Leeds 2 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 2 Leeds 0
Last five league matches: Leeds W D D L L; Tottenham L L L L W
Top scorers: Alan Smith & Mark Viduka (Leeds) 5; Frederic Kanoute (Tottenham) 12
Match odds: H 13-8 A 13-10 D 11-5
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)
Liverpool (5) v Aston Villa (9)
On-loan goalkeeper Paul Jones goes straight into the Liverpool squad after a one-month move from Southampton to cover for injured duo Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek. Michael Owen could also make his first start since the end of
November after watching the midweek win at Chelsea from the bench.
Aston Villa may decide to freshen up the side with his small squad facing a third game in six days. Midfielder Peter Whittingham may make way for Thomas Hitzlsperger while Ronny Johnsen could replace Dion Dublin in defence. Leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel and full-back Mark Delaney are expected to again defy ankle and knee problems to play.
Last season: Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool D L W D W; Aston Villa W W D W W
Top scorers: Michael Owen (Liverpool) 9; Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 14
Match odds: H 8-13 A 4-1 D 23-10
Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire).
Portsmouth (18) v Man City (14)
Eyal Berkovic goes straight into the Portsmouth squad and will make his debut against his former club. Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is back in contention after a groin injury, full-back Sebastien Schemmel is available again after a one-match ban but midfielder Alexei Smertin faces a fitness test on a toe problem.
Steve McManaman is expected to return to the Manchester City side after a hamstring injury while Joey Barton stands by to replace Claudio Reyna (calf). Danny Tiatto could be included for the first-time this season after finally overcoming a series of niggling problems. Sun Jihai is suspended.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Portsmouth L L W L L; Man City L D L D D
Top scorers: Teddy Sheringham & Yakubu (Portsmouth) 6; Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 14
Match odds: H 6-5 A 7-4 D 9-4
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire).
Sunday, January 11th
Leicester (17) v Chelsea (3)
Leicester captain Matt Elliott returns from suspension and Frank Sinclair could also be in contention for a place in the squad after resuming training following his lengthy lay-off after an Achilles injury.
Chelsea's Hernan Crespo begins his three-week calf injury lay-off. Winger Damien Duff is back in training after his dislocated shoulder but it is likely to be another week before the Irishman makes his return. Midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Emmanuel Petit are still out with their respective back and knee injuries.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Leicester L L D D D; Chelsea L W L W L
Top scorers: Paul Dickov (Leicester) 8; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 10
Match odds: H 9-2 A 8-15 D 12-5
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
Man Utd (1) v Newcastle (6)
Darren Fletcher is suspended so Kleberson and Nicky Butt are vying for a Manchester United place. Striker Diego Forlan could also come in if manager Alex Ferguson chooses to change his formation.
ast season: Newcastle 2 Man Utd 6, Man Utd 5 Newcastle 3
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W W; Newcastle W D D L W
Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 18; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 17
Match odds: H 4-9 A 11-2 D 13-5
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson has an unchanged squad for the third game in a row. United picked up
fresh injuries from their victories over Southampton and Leeds and that means only Craig Bellamy (knee), Lee Bowyer (hip), Shola Ameobi (fractured cheekbone) and Steve Caldwell (thigh) are on the casualty list.
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