Saturday, April 10th
Birmingham (6) v Man Utd (3)
Back-up central defender Darren Purse is the only absentee after surgery to remove floating bone and fluid from his ankle. Midfielder David Dunn is back in training after a near two-month lay-off with a hamstring problem but he is unlikely to be considered until next week.
United are without Ruud van Nistelrooy and Kleberson (both knee) while Louis Saha is a doubt with a troublesome Achilles complaint. After keeping two clean sheets in his three-game run as first-choice goalkeeper, Roy Carroll is expected to keep his place at the expense of previous number one Tim Howard.
Last season: Birmingham 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Birmingham 0
Last five league matches: Birmingham W L L W D; Man Utd D D L W D
Top scorers: Mikael Forssell (Birmingham) 18; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 26
Match odds: H 10-3 D 12-5 A 4-6
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)
Blackburn (16) v Leeds (19)
Craig Short will miss Blackburn's Easter programme due to a calf injury. However, Lorenzo Amoruso has recovered from the knock that kept him out of the squad during last week's 4-0 defeat by Liverpool and could even start against Leeds tomorrow.
Leeds midfielder Eirik Bakke is again likely to be absent. It had been hoped the Norway international would return in Monday's victory over Leicester at Elland Road following a five-week absence with a torn thigh muscle injury.
Last season: Leeds 2 Blackburn 3, Blackburn 1 Leeds 0
Last five league matches: Blackburn D L W L L; Leeds D L W L W
Top scorers: Andy Cole (Blackburn) 9; Mark Viduka (Leeds) 10
Match odds: H 1-1 D 11-5 A 11-5
Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire)
Bolton (13) v Aston Villa (7)
Youri Djorkaeff returns after a four-match absence because of a hamstring injury while defender Bruno N'Gotty is also in contention after a shin injury. Simon Charlton is doubtful after suffering a recurrence of a groin problem in training.
Peter Crouch will start his first game for Aston Villa for two and a half months in as 21-goal leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel will be sidelined for three weeks with a knee problem. The Easter programme has come too soon for Mark Delaney, Marcus Allback and Nolberto Solano to return to action although they are at various stages on the comeback trail after injury.
Last season: Aston Villa 2 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Bolton L L L W L; Aston Villa L W L W D
Top scorers: Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 10; Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 21
Match odds: H 7-5 D 21-10 A 8-5
Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire)
Charlton (8) v Portsmouth (17)
Charlton's centre-back Chris Perry is battling a toe injury and doubtful while fellow defenders Mark Fish (chest), Richard Rufus and Gary Rowett (both knee) are out. Midfielder Graham Stuart (back) is also still sidelined but utility man Hermann Hreidarsson is fit after a hamstring problem.
Portsmouth are ready to recall Eyal Berkovic and Teddy Sheringham, 38, is likely to start on the substitutes bench ahead of Monday's home game with Birmingham. On-loan striker Lomana LuaLua is also staking a claim for inclusion after his impact as a sub inspired Pompey's first away win of the Premiership season at Blackburn in their last outing.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Charlton W L W L L; Portsmouth D L L W W
Top scorers: Jason Euell (Charlton) 7; Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Portsmouth) 10
Match odds: H 8-11 D 12-5 A 3-1
Referee: A D'Urso (Essex)
Chelsea (2) v Middlesbrough (11)
Juan Sebastian Veron returns after a four-month injury lay-off with a back injury. Fellow midfielder Emanuel Petit (knee) is out for the rest of the season while goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (hand) and defender Glen Johnson (ankle) are all still not fit but Claudio Ranieri he is expected to ring the changes after their famous Champions League victory over Arsenal in midweek.
Middlesbrough, already without skipper Gareth Southgate due to medial knee ligament damage, are sweating on the fitness of Chris Riggott (ankle) and Ugo Ehiogu (knee) after the pair picked up knocks in training. Both centre-backs will undergo pre-match fitness tests. Defender Danny Mills is suffering from a virus and is unlikely to recover in time play, with Stuart Parnaby set to deputise.
Last season: Middlesbrough 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 1 Middlesbrough 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W W W; Middlesbrough W L W D W
Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 17; Juninho (Middlesbrough) 8
Match odds: H 4-11 D 11-4 A 7-1
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)
Leicester (18) v Fulham (10)
Les Ferdinand's knee injury is expected to keep the Leicester striker out but Paul Dickov should be available after recovering from a similar problem. Defender Callum Davidson is sidelined by long-term groin and pelvic problems while the thigh injury afflicting Lee Morris continues to require treatment.
Skipper Lee Clark is unavailable after failing to recover from his calf injury while fellow midfielder Mark Pembridge (calf) is also out. Teenage Liberian striker Collins John has a overcome a hamstring injury and is contention.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Leicester D W D D L; Fulham D W L D D
Top scorers: Les Ferdinand (Leicester) 12; Luis Boa Morte (Fulham) 9
Match odds: H 13-10 D 21-10 A 7-4
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire)
Man City (15) v Wolverhampton (20)
Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna will have a fitness test on a groin problem. Apart from Reyna and long-term casualty Daniel van Buyten (knee), City report a clean bill of health. Record signing Nicolas Anelka and strike partner Robbie Fowler could be restored to the City line-up.
Wolves midfielder Colin Cameron could make his first start since February, replacing the suspended Alex Rae. Defender Mark Clyde (calf) is a doubt after failing to train all week but centre-half Paul Butler is fit after x-rays revealed he had not broken a thumb against Southampton last weekend. Striker Nathan Blake has been ruled out for the rest of the season after beingadvised to rest his neck problem.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man City L W L D D; Wolverhampton D L L L L
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Man City) 20; Alex Rae (Wolverhampton) 8
Match odds: H 8-13 D 23-10 A 4-1
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland)
Sunday, April 11th
Newcastle (5) v Arsenal (1)
Newcastle are waiting on news of Kieron Dyer's hamstring injury but have Lee Bowyer available. Defender Andy O'Brien returns to contention after shaking off a groin problem.
Arsene Wenger must decide whether to start Thierry Henry for the second time in three days. Dennis Bergkamp, Fredrik Ljungberg and possibly Robert Pires are set to be rested, Sylvain Wiltord could make his first start since December and Jose Reyes should also feature. Patrick Vieira sustained a knock to his knee against Liverpool but is still hoping to play.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0
Last five league matches: Newcastle D L W L W; Arsenal W W W D W
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 26; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 34
Match odds: H 21-10 A 11-10 D 21-10
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).