Today
Arsenal (2) v Newcastle (17)
MIDFIELDERS Emmanuel Petit and Ray Parlour are out of Arsenal's team. Parlour pulled a hamstring in Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Fiorentina, and Petit - just two matches into his comeback after nine weeks out with a knee ligament injury - has aggravated the problem and will be out for at least two weeks. Lionel Perez has eased Newcastle's goalkeeping crisis. Shay Given is out with a wrist injury, and Steve Harper is suspended, so Dutchman John Karelse starts. Perez, on loan at Second Division Scunthorpe, will be on the bench. Warren Barton is suspended and Kieron Dyer has a long-standing calf problem.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0.
Last five league matches: Arsenal W W L W W, Newcastle W L W L W.
Top Scorers: Kanu (Arsenal) 10; Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 17.
Match Odds: H 2-5; A 11-2; D 3-1.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
Derby (19) v Chelsea (7)
Esteban Fuertes returns for Derby after serving a three-match ban and fellow Argentinian Horacio Carbonari may also figure as Jim Smith considers reverting to five at the back. Dean Sturridge and Vas Borbokis have been added to the 16 on duty for Monday's 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.
Chelsea are without the suspended Dennis Wise and Marcel Desailly. Wise starts a four-match ban after a red card at Liverpool and his fifth yellow card of the season picked up against Arsenal last week. Desailly serves his one-match ban for his dismissal for two bookings at Anfield.
Last season: Chelsea 2 Derby 1, Derby 2 Chelsea 2.
Last five league matches: Derby L L D L L, Chelsea L W W L L.
Top Scorers: Rory Delap (Derby) 3; Gustavo Poyet (Chelsea) 5.
Match Odds: H 4-1; A 8-13; D 12-5.
Referee: R Harris (Oxford).
Leeds Utd (1) v West Ham (12)
LEEDS boss David O'Leary has almost a full-strength squad to choose from. He is still without long-term injured Martin Hiden and Robert Molenaar, but Michael Duberry is poised to make his long-awaited return.
West Ham teenager Joe Cole could make way, with either John Moncur or Marc-Vivien Foe bolstering the midfield. Paolo Di Canio and Igor Stimac are unavailable, and wing-backs Gary Charles and Scott Minto are still a fortnight away from full fitness - although they are training again.
Last season: West Ham 1 Leeds 5, Leeds 4 West Ham 0
Last five league matches: Leeds W W W W D, West Ham L W L D L.
Top Scorers: Michael Bridges (Leeds) 9; Paolo Di Canio (West Ham) 6.
Match Odds: H 8-15; A 5-1; D 12-5.
Referee: G Poll (Tring, Hertfordshire).
Leicester (6) v Sheffield Wed (20)
Leicester boss Martin O'Neill is likely to be without defender Gerry Taggart. He is struggling with a knee injury picked up against Southampton and is rated doubtful. Phil Gilchrist is on standby with Steve Walsh likely to be on the bench.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Wilson could name an unchanged line-up because he has no fresh injury worries. The only question mark surrounds Andy Booth, whose proposed £2.7 million move to Leicester has hit a snag.
Last season: Leicester 0 Sheff Wed 2, Sheff Wed 0 Leicester 1.
Last five league matches: Leicester D W W W L, Sheff Wed L L W L D.
Top Scorers: Muzzy Izzet (Leicester) 8; Gilles De Bilde (Sheff Wed) 3.
Match Odds: H 8-13; A 7-2; D 13-5.
Referee: P Alcock (Halstead, Kent).
Manchester Utd (4) v Aston Villa (10)
MICKAEL SILVESTRE is set to return for United. Gary Neville and David May are in contention but are likely to start on the bench. Paul Scholes plays his final game before a hernia operation and David Beckham will make his last appearance before a two-match ban. Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs are ready to start their first home game together since August 14th.
Villa are still without Julian Joachim (ankle) and Ugo Ehiogu (calf), and in their absence John Gregory is set to name the same side that started last weekend's 1-1 draw with Wimbledon.
Last season: Man Utd 2 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 1 Man Utd 1.
Last five league matches: Man Utd D D L W L, Aston Villa W L D L D.
Top Scorers: Andy Cole (Man Utd) 10; Dion Dublin (Aston Villa) 8.
Match Odds: H 1-2; A 11-2; D 12-5.
Referee: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).
Middlesbrough (11) v Everton (8)
Middlesbrough are without Colin Cooper (suspended) and Paul Gascoigne (thigh). Bryan Robson will delay his final choice, although Phil Stamp could return as a wing-back with Curtis Fleming switching to a central defensive role.
Everton have major doubts over the fitness of midfielders Abel Xavier (foot) and Scot Gemmill (hamstring), but Richard Dunne is available after recovering from a knee injury.
Last season: Everton 5 Middlesbrough 0, Middlesbrough 2 Everton 2.
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L L L W W, Everton W W D L D.
Top Scorers: Brian Deane (Middlesbrough) 5; Kevin Campbell, Francis Jeffers (Everton) 5.
Match Odds: H evens; A 9-4; D 9-4.
Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay, Essex).
Wimbledon (15) v Southampton (14)
WIMBLEDON coach Egil Olsen hopes to have a fully-fit squad. Dean Blackwell has recovered from a dead leg and is expected to replace Alan Kimble in the starting line-up. Gareth Ainsworth is back training after a long-term stomach muscle injury, but is targeting a return to the substitutes' bench when Wimbledon visit Leeds next weekend.
Saints are without Kevin Davies, who starts a threematch ban after being sent off at Leicester two weeks ago. Hassan Kachloul and captain Jason Dodd have recovered from knee injuries. James Beattie and Patrick Colleter are both in contention for recalls, but long-term injury victims David Hirst, David Hughes, David Howells and Richard Dryden are still not fully fit.
Last season: Wimbledon 0 Southampton 2, Southampton 3 Wimbledon 1.
Last five league matches: Wimbledon D D L W D, Southampton L D D L D.
Top Scorers: Carl Cort (Wimbledon) 10; Marians Pahars (Southampton) 7.
Match Odds: H evens; A 9-4; D 9-4.
Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).
Sunday
Coventry (13) v Watford (18)
Gary Breen is on standby to return for Coventry. He has resumed full training after injuring a knee and could get his chance, with regular right-back Marc Edworthy still under treatment for knee and ankle injuries. Bosnian centre-back Mo Konjic is also fit again but is unlikely to start. David Burrows is serving a four-match ban, and Coventry are without injured strikers Noel Whelan and John Aloisi.
Watford boss Graham Taylor has to manage without defensive trio Paul Robinson, Mark Williams and Robert Page, who are suspended, and injuries have also robbed him of Allan Smart, Tommy Mooney, Nick Wright, Peter Kennedy and Alexandre Bonnot. Young centre-back Darren Ward stands by to make his Premiership debut.
Last season: No corresponding fixtures.
Last five league matches: Coventry L W D W D, Watford W L L L L.
Top Scorers: Robbie Keane (Coventry) 9 Peter Kennedy, Tommy Mooney (Watford) 2.
Match Odds: H 8-15; A 5-1; D 12-5.
Referee: P Durkin (Portland, Dorset).
Sunderland (3) v Tottenham (5)
SUNDERLAND will be unchanged for the fourth successive match as Peter Reid looks for the 100th league victory of his Sunderland managerial career and his side defend an eight-match unbeaten run in the Premiership.
Chris Armstrong is still the main injury doubt for Tottenham. Armstrong has missed the last two matches with an ankle injury, leaving Steffen Iversen as a lone front man supported by a five-man midfield.
Last season: No corresponding fixtures.
Last five league matches: Sunderland W W W W D, Tottenham W D L W W.
Top Scorers: Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 13; Steffen Iversen (Tottenham) 7.
Match Odds: H 6-5; A 15-8; D 11-5.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds).
Odds supplied courtesy of William Hill.
