Saturday, September 27

Arsenal (1) v Hull (7)

Arsenal expect full-back Gael Clichy (shin) to be fit but midfielder Samir Nasri (knee) is out. Alex Song has shaken off a hip problem and defender Mikael Silvestre is available after a muscular injury, but Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh), Amaury Bischoff (groin) and striker Eduardo (leg) are sidelined.

Hull defender Anthony Gardner has a thigh injury so Kamil Zayatte is set to retain his place alongside Michael Turner. George Boateng is likely to be restored in midfield but Stelios Giannakopoulos, who joined the club this week, lacks match fitness and will not be considered.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Arsenal W L W W W; Hull W D L W D

Top scorers: Emmanuel Adebayor & Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal) 4; Marlon King (Hull) 2

Match odds:H 1-5 A 16-1 D 19-4

Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Aston Villa (4) v Sunderland (8)

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is set to revert to his first-choice team. He has fielded the same starting 11 for all five league games so far which means Brad Friedel, Luke Young, Curtis Davies, Martin Laursen, Nigel Reo-Coker and Gabriel Agbonlahor can expect recalls after missing the Carling Cup loss to QPR.

Sunderland defender Nyron Nosworthy (hamstring) and midfielder Grant Leadbitter (broken nose) are out after sustaining injuries against Northampton. Full-back Phil Bardsley (ankle) is a doubt, but George McCartney is available after he was ineligible for the Carling Cup clash.

Last season:Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 1 Aston Villa 1

Last five league matches:Aston Villa W L D W W; Sunderland L W L D W

Top scorers:Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 5; Michael Chopra & Anthony Stokes (Sunderland) 2

Match odds:H 4-7 A 11-2 D 13-5

Referee:Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Everton (9) v Liverpool (3)

Mikel Arteta is set to return to the Everton team after missing the midweek Carling Cup loss at Blackburn due to a virus — the midfielder has trained for the last two days and should be fit. Victor Anichebe is absent with a foot injury and Steven Pienaar (ankle) and Andy van der Meyde (hamstring) also miss out.

Liverpool will be without defenders Fabio Aurelio (ankle) and Philipp Degen (ribs). Robbie Keane, Andreas Dossena and Albert Riera may all land derby debuts for the Reds, whose boss Rafael Benitez will also consider handing Daniel Agger a return after he scored in the midweek Carling Cup defeat of Crewe.

Last season:Liverpool 1 Everton 0, Everton 1 Liverpool 2

Last five league matches:Everton L W L W D; Liverpool W W D W D

Top scorers:Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 4; Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 3

Match odds:H 13-5 A 11-10 D 9-4

Referee:Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

Fulham (11) v West Ham (6)

Midfielder Dickson Etuhu has still not fully recovered from a thigh strain picked up in training. Striker Diomansy Kamara (knee) aside, Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson has no other injury concerns and reverts to his usual Premier League line-up after giving some fringe men run-outs in the Carling Cup defeat at Burnley.

Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola hopes Craig Bellamy (groin) and Carlton Cole (ankle) will be available, with fellow striker Dean Ashton out with an ankle injury which requires investigative surgery next week. Defender Calum Davenport could also return to the squad.

Last season:Fulham 0 West Ham 1, West Ham 2 Fulham 1

Last five league matches:Fulham W L W W L; West Ham W L W L W

Top scorers:Zoltan Gera (Fulham) 2; Dean Ashton, Carlton Cole & David Di Michele (West Ham) 2

Match odds:H 5-4 A 9-4 D 9-4

Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).

Man Utd (15) v Bolton (16)

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar returns for United after recovering from a blow to the knee. Rodrigo Possebon did not suffer any ligament damage in the challenge by Emanuel Pogatetz during the Carling Cup win over Middlesbrough, although the Brazilian has a nasty gash which has yet to heal.

Bolton defender Gary Cahill is set to return after a ban and striker Johan Elmander is in contention for a start after a hamstring injury. However, Matt Taylor again looks likely to miss out with a broken toe.

Last season:Man Utd 2 Bolton 0, Bolton 1 Man Utd 0

Last five league matches:Man Utd W D W L D; Bolton W L D L L

Top scorers:Darren Fletcher (Man Utd) 2; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 3

Match odds:H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

Middlesbrough (12) v West Brom (17)

Boro striker Mido returned to full training after aggravating a groin strain and is expected to line up alongside Afonso Alves. Skipper Emanuel Pogatetz begins a three-match suspension and striker Tuncay Sanli (knee) is a long-term absentee but in-form winger Adam Johnson may win a starting place and Ross Turnbull, replaced in goal by Brad Jones for the Carling Cup tie at Old Trafford, is set to regain his place.

Do-Heon Kim is a strong candidate to replace winger Chris Brunt (hamstring) for West Brom. Defender Abdoulaye Meite is out with a calf injury and late replacement Leon Barnett, given a torrid time by Aston Villa striker John Carew on Sunday, must wait to find out if he will retain his place.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Middlesbrough W L W L L; West Brom L L D W L

Top scorers:Mido (Middlesbrough) 4; Roman Bednar & James Morrison (West Brom) 2

Match odds:H 4-5 A 18-5 D 12-5

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Newcastle (19) v Blackburn (10)

Obafemi Martins could be out for six weeks with a knee injury, joining fellow strikers Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and Andy Carroll on the sidelines. Danny Guthrie and Joey Barton are suspended and Ignacio Gonzalez (Achilles), Habib Beye (Achilles), Jonas Gutierrez (shoulder) and Jose Enrique are also missing.

Jason Brown steps in for Blackburn with goalkeeper Paul Robinson out for two weeks with a calf injury. Rovers are also without Vince Grella (calf), Steven
Reid (knee) and David Dunn (Achilles), while Benni McCarthy (groin) and Aaron Mokoena (virus) are doubtful. Midfielder Keith Andrews is available again.

Last season:Newcastle 0 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 3 Newcastle 1

Last five league matches:Newcastle D W L L L; Blackburn W D L L W

Top scorers:Michael Owen (Newcastle) 4; Matt Derbyshire (Blackburn) 3

Match odds:H 6-4 A 9-5 D 23-10

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Stoke (18) v Chelsea (2)

Ricardo Fuller should shake off a knee injury and regain his place in Stoke's starting line-up at the expense of Mamady Sidibe. Manager Tony Pulis' main selection poser will be at centre-half, where fit-again Ibrahima Sonko is in competition with Leon Cort.

Joe Cole misses out with what Chelsea describe as a "minor injury" and joins Deco (thigh) and Ricardo Carvalho (knee) on the sidelines. Jose Bosingwa, Ashley Cole and John Mikel Obi may be back after they were rested from Carling Cup duty.

Last season:No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:Stoke L W L L D; Chelsea W W D W D

Top scorers:Ibrahima Sonko (Stoke) 3; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 5

Match odds:H 17-2 A 4-11 D 7-2

Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Portsmouth (13) v Tottenham (20)

Midfielder Lassana Diarra could play after discovering he has not damaged knee ligaments but Sean Davis (groin), Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring), Jerome Thomas
(back) and Niko Kranjcar (ankle) are out. Captain Sol Campbell and striker Jermain Defoe return against their former club and Armand Traore is also recalled.

Spurs will make a late decision on Gareth Bale's foot injury but midfielder Luka Modric has recovered from a knee injury and is fit to play. Michael Dawson is also back in full training after a knock but Alan Hutton (foot) is out and will have a scan next month.

Last season:Tottenham 2 Portsmouth 0, Portsmouth 0 Tottenham 1

Last five league matches:Portsmouth L L W W L; Tottenham L L D L D

Top scorers:Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth) 4; Darren Bent (Tottenham) & Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham) 3

Match odds:H 11-8 A 2-1 D 9-4

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Wigan (14) v Man City (5)

Wigan boss Steve Bruce has no new injury worries. Lee Cattermole is suspension-free, while Olivier Kapo and Paul Scharner hope to retain their places having also scored in the Carling Cup win at Ipswich. Ryan Taylor (shin) is back in contention while full-back Erik Edman nears a return after a knee injury.

Record signing Robinho looks certain to return to the Manchester City side after being rested in midweek when City tumbled out of the Carling Cup at the hands of League One Brighton. Goalkeeper Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Elano are also likely to reclaim their places in the side.

Last season:Man City 0 Wigan 0, Wigan 1 Man City 1

Last five league matches:Wigan L L W D D; Man City L W W L W

Top scorers:Amr Zaki (Wigan) 5; Elano (Man City) 3, Jo & Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City) 3

Match odds:H 21-10 A 13-10 D 23-10

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).