Saturday

Bolton (12) v Charlton (10)

Bolton striker Michael Ricketts, with 12 goals this season, is expected to return. Ricketts was one of several players rested for the Worthington Cup game against Tottenham in midweek.

Charlton strikers Jonatan Johansson and Shaun Bartlett are both pushing for recalls, as is defender Steve Brown, while loan signing Chris Bart-Williams may have to wait for his full debut.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Bolton D W D L L, Charlton D L D W W.

Top scorers: Michael Ricketts (Bolton) 12; Jason Euell (Charlton) 5.

Match odds: H 5/4; A 9/5; D 21/10.

Referee: C Foy (St Helens).

Everton (11) v Derby (18)

Everton are still without strikers Duncan Ferguson (ankle) and Kevin Campbell (back) while Portuguese defender Abel Xavier is fighting to overcome a virus.

Mart Poom could return for the Rams after a finger injury and captain Darryl Powell faces a test on his injured hamstring. Central defender Danny Higginbotham is suspended but Argentinian defender Horacio Carbonari returns after a long injury lay-off.

Last season: Derby 1 Everton 0, Everton 2 Derby 2.

Last five league matches: Everton D D D W L, Derby W L L W L.

Top scorers: Kevin Campbell (Everton) 4; Fabrizio Ravanelli (Derby) 8.

Match odds: H 8/11; A 7/2; D 21/10.

Referee: C Wilkes (Gloucester).

Middlesbrough (15) v Manchester Utd (5)

Waterford man John O'Shea looks certain to keep his place alongside Laurent Blanc, with Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre the full backs. United have a doubt about goalkeeper Fabien Barthez who slightly injured his back during the 5-0 win over Derby on Wednesday and Northern Ireland's Roy Carroll is on standby. David Beckham hasn't even made the bench.

Both Argentinian midfielder Carlos Marinelli and full-back Robbie Stockdale could return for Boro after ankle injuries. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is definitely ruled out after undergoing surgery for a hernia so Mark Crossley, who had eight stitches put in a head wound after a clash with Liverpool's Gary McAllister last Saturday, will continue between the posts.

Last season: Middlesbrough 0 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 2 Middlesbrough 1.

Last five league matches: Middlesbrough W D D W L, Man Utd W L L L W.

Top scorers: Alen Boksic (Middlesbrough) 6; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 13.

Match odds: H 12/5; A 10/11; D 9/4.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).

Newcastle (4) v Blackburn (14)

Kieron Dyer played 65 minutes for the reserves on Thursday but is unlikely to start, while Christian Bassedas is definitely out with a hamstring tear and Craig Bellamy is suspended.

Blackburn skipper Garry Flitcroft has recovered from his groin injury and so Stig Inge Bjornebye (calf) is Blackburn's only absentee.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Newcastle W L W D W, Blackburn W D D L L.

Top scorers: Craig Bellamy (Newcastle) 10; Matt Jansen (Blackburn) 7.

Match odds: H 4/7; A 4/1; D 9/4.

Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).

Southampton (17) v Sunderland (13)

Midfielder Matthew Oakley is Southampton's main worry after missing two days' training with flu. Striker Brett Ormerod will hope to make his debut after his £1.75 million sterling move from Blackpool but Jo Tessem (hamstring) and Kleber Chala (ankle) are struggling for fitness.

Emerson Thome's knee injury continues to keep him out but Jody Craddock comes into contention after recovering from a badly gashed shin. Jason McAteer has recovered from the groin strain and new signing Claudio Reyna stands by for his debut after not being risked with a niggling groin problem following his £4 million move from Rangers.

Last season: Southampton 0 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 2 Southampton 2.

Last five league matches: Southampton L L W L W, Sunderland L W L W D.

Top scorers: Marian Pahars (Southampton) 8; Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 8.

Match odds: H 5/4; A 7/4; D 11/5.

Referee: D Pugh (Bebington).

Tottenham (8) v Fulham (9)

Les Ferdinand faces a battle to be fit after aggravating an ankle injury as he grabbed a nine-minute hat-trick in Spurs' 6-0 Worthington Cup rout of Bolton.

Dean Richards returns after being cup-tied and Goran Bunjevcevic has an outside chance of recovering from a thigh injury. Christian Ziege is suspended.

Fulham's Steve Marlet has been told he faces another month on the sidelines before attempting a comeback from a compressed fracture of the knee. Luis Boa Morte is available because his three-match ban for being sent off in the 2-0 victory against Everton last Saturday does not start until next weekend.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Tottenham L D W W L, Fulham W D D W D.

Top scorers: Les Ferdinand (Tottenham) 9; Barry Hayles (Fulham) 8.

Match odds: H 5/6; A 3/1; D 2/1.

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).

West Ham (16) v Arsenal (2)

French striker Frederic Kanoute is fit again after missing four matches with a hamstring injury but manager Glenn Roeder has to decide whether to bring him back or continue with England Under-21 star Jermain Defoe, who scored in last week's 1-0 victory over champions Manchester United. Roeder also has Paolo di Canio available.

Freddie Ljungberg's back problem rules him out and fellow midfielder Ray Parlour (groin) is also doubtful. Martin Keown is set to replace Matthew Upson at centre-back, while Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Brazilian Edu could replace Ljungberg and Parlour.

Last season: Arsenal 3 West Ham 0, West Ham 1; Arsenal 2.

Last five league matches: West Ham D L L D W, Arsenal L D W W W.

Top scorers: Frederic Kanoute (West Ham) 5; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 21.

Match odds: H 11/4; A 4/5; D 23/10.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds).

Sunday

Chelsea (6) v Liverpool (1)

Chelsea are expected to name an unchanged line-up as Marcel Desailly (Achilles) and Emmanuel Petit (ankle) are both still ruled out through injury.

While Mark Bosnich, Roberto di Matteo, Jesper Gronkjaer and Jody Morris are all long-term absentees, the only other doubt is Graeme Le Saux, who came off against Newcastle in midweek after a virus.

Liverpool expect to have Vladimir Smicer back in the squad after the ankle injury which kept him out of the last two matches. Dietmar Hamann will serve the second of a three-match suspension. The Reds will be protecting a 12-match unbeaten league run and a string of five successive clean sheets for keeper Jerzy Dudek. Michael Owen will be hoping for the goal that will take him to a century for the club.

Last season: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 3 Liverpool 0.

Last five league matches: Chelsea D D W L D, Liverpool D W W W D.

Top scorers: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 12; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 16.

Match odds: H 6/4; A 6/4; D 21/10.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).

Leeds (3) v Leicester (19)

Seth Johnson is recalled to the squad after suspension as manager David O'Leary battles against a crippling injury crisis. However, Olivier Dacourt, Dominic Matteo, Eirik Bakke, Stephen McPhail, Lucas Radebe, Michael Bridges, Lee Bowyer and Jacob Burns are all out through injury, while Alan Smith serves the second game of a three-match ban.

Leicester will be boosted by the return of skipper Matt Elliott, who missed last week's home defeat by Southampton with a leg infection. Dennis Wise is suspended but Muzzy Izzett will return in his place after a neck problem. Recent signing Brian Deane could make his first start since his move from Middlesbrough.

Last season: Leeds 3 Leicester 1, Leicester 3 Leeds 1.

Last five league matches: Leeds W L D D W, Leicester W L D W L.

Top scorers: Harry Kewell (Leeds) 9; Ade Akinbiyi (Leicester) 3.

Match odds: H 3/10; A 7/1; D 10/3.

Referee: R Styles (Waterlooville).

Odds supplied courtesy of William Hill