Olof Mellberg will miss out with a hamstring problem. Aaron Hughes fills in at centre half, with Ulises de la Cruz taking over at right back. Kevin Phillips and Juan Pablo Angel return to the squad after a virus and ankle injury respectively, but Villa will be without Mark Delaney (knee), Milan Baros (ankle), Jlloyd Samuel (flu) and James Milner, who is on the way back after a virus.

Saturday

Fulham left back Wayne Bridge (hip) misses out, Papa Bouba Diop has returned to training after a swollen foot but is not fully fit, while Antti Niemi (Achilles) is still out. Claus Jensen's rehabilitation from a groin injury continues, but otherwise, boss Chris Coleman has a fully fit squad to select from.

Last season: Fulham 1 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Fulham 0 Last five league matches: Aston Villa L D W L L; Fulham L L L L W Top scorers: Milan Baros (Aston Villa) 10; Collins John (Fulham) 11 Match odds: H 10-11 A 13-5 D 21-10 Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).

Chelsea (1) v Man City (11)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has a fully-fit squad but Arjen Robben and William Gallas are both banned.

City are without Sun Jihai (ban), Andy Cole and Nedum Onuoha (both knee), Stephen Jordan, Joey Barton, Georgios Samaras and Antoine Sibierski (all ankle), Albert Riera (thigh), Trevor Sinclair (knee) and Claudio Reyna (shoulder). Matthew Mills, Ishmael Miller, Ashley Grimes and Marc Laird could get calls.

Last season: Chelsea 0 Man City 0, Man City 1 Chelsea 0 Last five league matches: Chelsea L W W W L; Man City W L W L L Top scorers: Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 18; Andy Cole & Georgios Samaras (Man City) 10 Match odds: H 1-4 A 9-1 D 7-2 Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).

Liverpool (3) v Everton (9)

Robbie Fowler returns to Liverpool's squad after being cup-tied for the midweek FA Cup quarter-final battering of Birmingham. Mohamed Sissoko and John Arne Riise returned from injury at St Andrews, but Djimi Traore is still struggling with a thigh problem.

Duncan Ferguson is available for Everton after completing a seven-match suspension, but manager David Moyes is unlikely to change his front partnership of James Beattie and James McFadden.

Last season: Liverpool 2 Everton 1, Everton 1 Liverpool 0 Last five league matches: Liverpool W D L W W; Everton W L D W W Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 19; James Beattie (Everton) 11 Match odds: H 8-15 A 5-1 D 9-4 Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Portsmouth (19) v Arsenal (5)

Defender Dejan Stefanovic is set to take his place on the Portsmouth bench just seven weeks after an ankle operation. Andy Griffin is also poised to rejoin the squad after a calf injury but manager Harry Redknapp looks set to stick to an unchanged starting line-up.

Centre-half Sol Campbell has recovered from a bruised ankle but will not figure as boss Arsene Wenger wants him to have an intensive training session prior to returning. Ashley Cole (ankle), Pascal Cygan (hamstring), Freddie Ljungberg (calf) and Lauren (knee) are still out but Jose Antonio Reyes returns to the squad after a hamstring injury.

Last season: Arsenal 3 Portsmouth 0, Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 1 Last five league matches: Portsmouth L L L W W; Arsenal L L W W W Top scorers: Matthew Taylor & Andres D'Alessandro (Portsmouth) 5; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 24 Match odds: H 7-2 A 4-6 D 23-10 Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).

Sunderland (20) v Blackburn (6)

Julio Arca (hamstring), Liam Lawrence (hip) and Stephen Elliott (hamstring) are set to return to the Sunderland squad. Jon Stead, dropped at Bolton, is added to the squad while club captain Gary Breen is again expected to be among the substitutes after losing his place through a ban.

Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage serves a one-match suspension and should be replaced by Tugay if he shows no reaction to returning to training after a four-week absence with a calf strain. Captain and centre-back Andy Todd also returns after a dead leg.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Sunderland L L L L L; Blackburn W W L W W Top scorers: Anthony Le Tallec & Dean Whitehead (Sunderland) 4; Craig Bellamy (Blackburn) 15 Match odds: H 7-2 A 7-10 D 11-5 Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Wigan (8) v West Ham (10)

Wigan manager Paul Jewell will name an unchanged line-up for the fourth successive match, with his only worry as to who will make up the bench.

Goalkeeper Mike Pollitt is available after a hamstring strain sustained in the League Cup final defeat to Manchester United, although he will be among the substitutes.

West Ham utility man Christian Dailly has a hamstring injury which will keep him out for around a month, while James Collins looks set to continue in the heart of the defence at the expense of Anton Ferdinand (thigh). Goalkeeper Roy Carroll is the only long-term casualty.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Wigan L D L W W; West Ham W W D L L Top scorers: Jason Roberts (Wigan) 13; Dean Ashton (West Ham) 16 Match odds: H 19-20 A 5-2 D 21-10 Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

Sunday

Charlton (13) v Newcastle (12)

Darren Bent, hampered by an ankle problem, is Charlton's main concern. Fellow forward Marcus Bent is back in full training after a hamstring problem, but he is unlikely to start.

Newcastle defender Robbie Elliott is suspended and Celestine Babayaro is unlikely to figure after damaging a thigh muscle in the 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Chelsea - although Jean-Alain Boumsong is available after completing a one-match ban.

Last season: Newcastle 1 Charlton 1, Charlton 1 Newcastle 1 Last five league matches: Charlton D D D W L; Newcastle D W W L L Top scorers: Darren Bent (Charlton) 19; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 10 Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10 Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Man Utd (2) v Birmingham (18)

United could field an unchanged side - Wes Brown has failed to recover from a groin injury, so Nemanja Vidic should continue to deputise in central defence. Ruud van Nistelrooy is likely to be on the bench again, with Louis Saha's double against West Brom last week likely to keep him in the team.

Birmingham strikers Emile Heskey (ankle) and Chris Sutton (groin and calf), midfielder Jamie Clapham (groin) and central defender Martin Taylor (groin) are under treatment. Midfielder Muzzy Izzet (calf) is also battling to be fit along with Jiri Jarosik (groin) and midfielder Julian Gray (knee).

Last season: Man Utd 2 Birmingham 0, Birmingham 0 Man Utd 0 Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W W; Birmingham L W L D L Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 22; Dudley Campbell (Birmingham) 12 Match odds: H 1-5 A 10-1 D 4-1 Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Middlesbrough (16) v Bolton (7)

Boro boss Steve McClaren will make late checks on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (knee), Ugo Ehiogu (head) and Chris Riggott (calf). Andy Davies - ineligible in midweek - is available, but Tony McMahon (knee) is out.

El Hadji-Diouf is set to make his long-awaited Bolton return after a hernia problem. Ivan Campo (broken foot) has been given the all clear to return to training, while Matt Jansen (knee) is now approaching full fitness again, although neither will be considered for the Riverside encounter.

Last season: Bolton 0 Middlesbrough 0, Middlesbrough 1 Bolton 1 Last five league matches: Middlesbrough W W W L L; Bolton D W L W W Top scorers: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough) 19; Stelios Giannakopoulos & Kevin Nolan (Bolton) 11 Match odds: H 6-4 A 7-5 D 9-4 Referee: H Webb.

Monday

Tottenham (4) v West Brom (17)

Tottenham's only doubt concerns centre-half Anthony Gardner, but boss Martin Jol expects him to shake off the virus in time. Winger Andy Reid (knee ligaments) and reserve striker Lee Barnard (foot) are both fit enough to be included in Jol's squad.

West Brom striker Diomansy Kamara (hamstring) is a doubt, keeper Chris Kirkland (broken finger) is out for the season, while midfielder Nigel Quashie is banned. Captain Kevin Campbell has recovered from a calf problem and is available and Zoltan Gera could figure for the first team for the first time since October after playing 90 minutes for the reserves in midweek following a pelvic problem.

Last season: Tottenham 1 West Brom 1, West Brom 1 Tottenham 1 Last five league matches: Tottenham D D W L W; West Brom L L L D L Top scorers: Mido & Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 11; Nathan Ellington (West Brom) 8 Match odds: H 2-5 A 13-2 D 13-5 Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).