A look ahead to all the weekend's action:

Saturday

Birmingham City (15) v Reading (12)

Birmingham midfielder Damien Johnson is in contention to start his first league game of the season after shaking off long-term hamstring problems and could replace Mehdi Nafti who has to serve a one-game.

City manager Alex McLeish has to decide whether to give the captain's armband to Johnson or Liam Ridgewell.

Michael Duberry (ribs) is back for Reading and fellow defenders Ibrahima Sonko (knee) and Graeme Murty (shoulder) should be fit to continue. Winger John Oster (ankle) is out following surgery.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Birmingham L L L W L; Reading L L L D W Top scorers: Cameron Jerome & Olivier Kapo (Birmingham) 5; Dave Kitson & Kevin Doyle (Reading) 5 Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5 Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Derby (20) v Middlesbrough (16)

Derby manager Paul Jewell is again without defenders Andy Todd and Marc Edworthy for his first home game in charge. Jewell has virtually a full squad to choose from, other than Todd, who has a long-standing back injury, and Edworthy, who is sidelined with a calf problem.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate will make a late decision on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer after he missed the last two games with a broken thumb. Julio Arca is pushing for a start.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Derby L L L L L; Middlesbrough D D L D W Top scorers: Kenny Miller (Derby) 5; Adam Johnson (Middlesbrough) 5 Match odds: H 8-5 A 7-5 D 21-10 Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Fulham (17) v Newcastle (11)

Midfielder Alexei Smertin (muscle problem) and full back Moritz Volz (shoulder, groin and foot problems) are back in training but will not feature for Fulham.

Winger Jimmy Bullard (knee) is not yet ready for a comeback. Phillipe Christanval (knee), Kasey Keller (bicep), Lee Cook (knee), Ian Pearce (calf) and Brian McBride (knee) remain sidelined.

Claudio Cacapa (hamstring) could return for Newcastle after coming through a friendly unscathed. Michael Owen (knee), Damien Duff (foot) and Abdoulaye Faye (calf) are progressing but this game comes too soon.

Last season: Fulham 2 Newcastle 1, Newcastle 1 Fulham 2 Last five league matches: Fulham W L D L L; Newcastle D L L D W Top scorers: David Healy & Clinton Dempsey (Fulham) 4; Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 7 Match odds: H 7-5 A 8-5 D 21-10 Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Manchester City (6) v Bolton (14)

Manchester City may be boosted by the return of midfielder Elano after a hamstring injury. Dietmar Hamann is available again after suspension, but Stephen Ireland is out after being sent off at Tottenham.

Bolton manager Gary Megson is set to field an unchanged line-up as he has no fresh injuries or suspensions to contend with. Andy O'Brien and Nicky Hunt should keep their places in defence, while Danny Guthrie and Kevin Nolan are set to remain in midfield.

Last season: Bolton 0 Man City 0, Man City 0 Bolton 2 Last five league matches: Man City W D W D L; Bolton D D W L W Top scorers: Blumer Elano (Man City) 5; Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) 9 Match odds: H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5 Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Portsmouth (5) v Tottenham (13)

Pedro Mendes may keep his place in an unchanged Portsmouth despite the return to fitness of Sean Davis following a hamstring injury. Davis also missed a day's training this week after reporting sick, as did full back Glen Johnson. Lauren is also available again after hamstring trouble while reserve goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown (ankle) should be back on the bench.

Ledley King is nearing a return to first-team action for Tottenham but is not likely to be ready for the trip to Fratton Park. Anthony Gardner (ankle), Ricardo Rocha (ankle), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Gareth Bale (foot) are all long-term injury absentees. Robbie Keane is still suspended.

Last season: Portsmouth 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 2 Portsmouth 1 Last five league matches: Portsmouth W D W D W; Tottenham D W D L W Top scorers: Benjani Mwaruwari (Portsmouth) 8; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 12 Match odds: H 21-20 A 21-10 D 11-5 Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Sunderland (18) v Aston Villa (8)

Sunderland will be without Irish midfielder Liam Miller, who begins a three-match ban. Kieran Richardson has returned to training after a back injury but is still a number of weeks away from a first-team return, as are Nyron Nosworthy (hamstring) and Carlos Edwards (broken leg).

Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov is again ruled out after failing to recover sufficiently from the hamstring injury which sidelined him for the 2-0 home reversal by Portsmouth last weekend.

Last season:No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Sunderland L D L W L; Aston Villa W W W L L Top scorers: Kenwyne Jones & Roy O'Donovan (Sunderland) 5; Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 6 Match odds: H 7-4 A 13-10 D 21-10 Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).

West Ham (10) v Everton (7)

Nolberto Solano will return to the West Ham side after being cup-tied for the League Cup quarter-final defeat to Everton. Carlton Cole is struggling with a hip problem. Luis Boa Morte (thigh), Matthew Etherington and James Collins (both groin) are doubtful but Lee Bowyer could return after undergoing a hernia operation.

Forwards James McFadden and James Vaughan, who both missed Everton's 2-1 victory in midweek through injury, are back in contention. Manager David Moyes has also restored defender Nuno Valente to his squad.

Last season: West Ham 1 Everton 0, Everton 2 West Ham 0 Last five league matches: West Ham D W D L W; Everton W D W D W Top scorers: Craig Bellamy, Carlton Cole, Lee Bowyer & Dean Ashton (West Ham) 4; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 10 Match odds: H 13-10 A 13-8 D 11-5 Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Wigan (19) v Blackburn (9)

Wigan striker Julius Aghahowa is set to return to the squad for the first time since the end of October, after recovering from an infected toe.

Antoine Sibierski is again doubtful with a thigh injury. But Emile Heskey has shaken off a minor knock and Titus Bramble has recovered from a virus to play.

Blackburn are boosted by the return of David Bentley and Ryan Nelsen as both have served their suspensions. But Dutch defender Andre Ooijer is set to miss the Christmas and new year schedule after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Last season: Wigan 0 Blackburn 3, Blackburn 2 Wigan 1 Last five league matches: Wigan L L L D L; Blackburn L D L W L Top scorers: Marcus Bent (Wigan) 4; Benedict McCarthy (Blackburn) 8 Match odds: H 9-5 A 5-4 D 21-10 Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Sunday

Arsenal (1) v Chelsea (3)

Arsenal could have midfield trio Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Mathieu Flamini (thigh) and Alexander Hleb (Achilles) available, although Theo Walcott (knee) has been ruled out. Robin van Persie could be in line to start and Abou Diaby is fit again having featured in the midweek Champions League win over Steaua Bucharest.

Ricardo Carvalho and Florent Malouda could return for Chelsea. Carvalho (back) and Malouda (knee) will be given fitness tests today. Didier Drogba underwent knee surgery last Saturday so Andriy Shevchenko will spearhead the attack.

Last season: Arsenal 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 1 Arsenal 1 Last five league matches: Arsenal W W W D L; Chelsea W D W W W Top scorers: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 11; Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 9 Match odds: H 5-4 A 15-8 D 2-1 Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Liverpool (4) v Man Utd (2)

Xabi Alonso is set to return to the Liverpool squad after a two-month absence with a metatarsal injury. Steve Finnan is doubtful because of a calf problem while Daniel Agger remains sidelined with a foot injury.

Alex Ferguson is reporting a clean bill of health as his decision to leave most of his senior stars at home this week has paid dividends with Owen Hargreaves now recovered from a calf injury. The only minor doubt from Wednesday's draw in Rome is John O'Shea but Ferguson is confident last season's Anfield match winner will recover from an abductor strain.

Last season: Liverpool 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 2 Liverpool 0 Last five league matches: Liverpool D W W W L; Man Utd D W L W W Top scorers: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 12; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 14 Match odds: H 8-5 A 8-5 D 9-5 Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).