31/03/2006: Arsenal (6) v Aston Villa (16) Dennis Bergkamp (groin) has joined Sol Campbell and Freddie Ljungberg (calf) in the treatment room. Striker Emmanuel Adebayor is available again after being cup-tied in midweek, but Arsenal will still be without left-back Ashley Cole (ankle) and Pascal Cygan (hamstring), while Lauren is out for the season after knee surgery.
Villa skipper Olof Mellberg (hamstring and flu) and midfielder James Milner (virus) still on the sidelines while leading scorer Milan Baros is unlikely to have recovered from an ankle injury in time.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 3, Arsenal 3 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal L L W W W; Aston Villa D W L L D
Top scorers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 25; Milan Baros (Aston Villa) 10
Match odds: H 3-10 A 15-2 D 16-5
Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Birmingham (18) v Chelsea (1)
Birmingham defender Matthew Upson is sidelined with a pelvic problem while Muzzy Izzet and David Dunn are out with calf problems and fellow midfielders Jamie Clapham (groin) and Julian Gray (knee) are also out. Striker Chris Sutton (hip and groin) is also sidelined.
Chelsea winger Arjen Robben is available again after completing a four-match ban. Defender William Gallas serves the final match of his ban following his red card at Fulham while Glen Johnson remains sidelined with a hernia injury following surgery this week.
Last season: Chelsea 1 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 0 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Birmingham W L D L L; Chelsea W W W L W
Top scorers: Dudley Campbell (Birmingham) 12; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 18
Match odds: H 7-1 A 1-3 D 3-1
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
Bolton (7) v Man Utd (2)
Ivan Campo has returned to training but appears unlikely to figure for Bolton. The veteran Spaniard has made a full recovery from the broken foot which has kept him out of action since the end of January but with just a single week's training under his belt, United's visit may come just too soon.
Gary Neville faces a late fitness test after missing Wednesday's win over West Ham with a hamstring injury. If the captain is unavailable, Gerard Pique will continue in the full-back berth. Kieran Richardson (ankle) and Wes Brown (thigh) are definitely out.
Last season: Man Utd 2 Bolton 0, Bolton 2 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches: Bolton W L W W L; Man Utd W W W W W
Top scorers: Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bolton) 12; Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 23
Match odds: H 5-2 A 10-11 D 11-5
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Everton (10) v Sunderland (20)
Toffees boss David Moyes hopes playmaker Mikel Arteta will be fit after missing last weekend's Merseyside derby defeat with a jarred nerve in his back. However, Portuguese full-back Nuno Valente is likely to miss the rest of the season with a thigh injury and midfielder Andy van der Meyde is suspended.
Hamstring injuries keep out newly-appointed skipper Steve Caldwell and midfielder Julio Arca, so Gary Breen reclaims the captain's armband after losing his place through suspension. Liam Lawrence may be back but Stephen Elliott is out after having a scan to determine the extent of knee and hamstring problems.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Everton L D W W L; Sunderland L L L L L
Top scorers: James Beattie (Everton) 11; Anthony Le Tallec & Dean Whitehead
(Sunderland) 4
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
Fulham (15) v Portsmouth (19)
On-loan Chelsea man Wayne Bridge is back in Fulham's squad — timely considering Liam Rosenior is struggling with a calf injury. Midfielder Simon Elliott and striker Heidar Helguson are also back in contention for a place after injury.
Pompey defender Dejan Stefanovic (ankle) and midfielder Richard Hughes (shoulder) return to the squad, while full-back Gregory Vignal is fit after illness. Boss Harry Redknapp has to choose between Benjani Mwaruwari and Svetoslav Todorov up front, or play just one of them and field three central defenders.
Last season: Fulham 3 Portsmouth 1, Portsmouth 4 Fulham 3
Last five league matches: Fulham L L L W D; Portsmouth L L L W W
Top scorers: Collins John (Fulham) 11; Matthew Taylor & Andres D'Alessandro
(Portsmouth) 5
Match odds: H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Newcastle (13) v Tottenham (4)
Robbie Elliott is back from suspension and central defender Titus Bramble returns to the Newcastle squad after a hamstring injury — but Celestine Babayaro is still out with a thigh injury and Scott Parker has glandular fever and is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Finland midfielder Teemu Tainio is the only major doubt for Spurs because of a throat infection but boss Martin Jol is boosted by the return to the squad of winger Andy Reid after his knee ligament problems. Egyptian striker Mido is expected to return in attack at the expense of Jermain Defoe.
Last season: Tottenham 1 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 0 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle W W L L L; Tottenham D W L W W
Top scorers: Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 10; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 13
Match odds: H 7-5 A 8-5 D 21-10
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
West Brom (17) v Liverpool (3)
West Brom midfielder Diomansy Kamara is fit after missing the Tottenham game with hamstring trouble. Boss Bryan Robson has virtually a full-strength squad to pick from with only long-term absentee Thomas Gaardsoe (hernia), on-loan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland (broken finger) and the suspended Nigel Quashie not available.
Liverpool will be without captain Steven Gerrard, who serves a one-match suspension. His absence could see Luis Garcia revert to a more orthodox right midfield position with Robbie Fowler or Fernando Morientes coming in to partner Peter Crouch up front.
Last season: West Brom 0 Liverpool 5, Liverpool 3 West Brom 0
Last five league matches: West Brom L L D L L; Liverpool D L W W W
Top scorers: Nathan Ellington (West Brom) 8; Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 19
Man City (12) v Middlesbrough (14)
Striker Georgios Samaras is set for a surprise return from an ankle injury — he was expected to be out for at least another week. Trevor Sinclair and Antoine
Sibierski should be fit, but Andy Cole, Nedum Onuoha, Stephen Jordan, Joey
Barton and Claudio Reyna are injured and City captain Sylvain Distin and Sun Jihai are suspended.
Boro defender Emanuel Pogatetz is out for the season after breaking his nose and a bone in his cheek in the UEFA Cup defeat to Basle yesterday. Captain Gareth Southgate remains a doubt with back and ankle problems, but George Boateng and Lee Cattermole return to the squad after suspension.
Last season: Man City 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 3 Man City 2
Last five league matches: Man City L W L L L; Middlesbrough W W L L W
Top scorers: Andy Cole & Georgios Samaras (Man City) 10; Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough) 19
Match odds: H 10-11 A 12-5 D 9-4
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
West Ham (9) v Charlton (11)
West Ham have no fresh injury worries. Utility man Christian Dailly remains sidelined by a torn hamstring and keeper Roy Carroll is still recovering from an operation on a back problem.
Shaun Bartlett returns to the Charlton squad after sustaining a facial injury in the draw with Middlesbrough in last week's FA Cup quarter-final, meaning boss Alan Curbishley has a fully-fit squad.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Ham D L L W L; Charlton D D W L W
Top scorers: Dean Ashton (West Ham) 16; Darren Bent (Charlton) 20
Match odds: H 10-11 A 13-5 D 21-10
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Monday, April 3
Blackburn (5) v Wigan (8)
Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage is available after completing a one-match ban, while Florent Sinama Pongolle and Craig Bellamy are fit again after illness and a back injury respectively.
Wigan boss Paul Jewell has an unchanged squad, with goalkeeper John Filan available. The veteran had to go off with an eye problem against West Ham but returned to training this week and could start against his former club. Utility man Ryan Taylor (foot) returned for the reserves this week but will have more action for the second string before he is in contention.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Blackburn W L W W W; Wigan D L W W L
Top scorers: Craig Bellamy (Blackburn) 15; Jason Roberts (Wigan) 13
Match odds: H 4-5 A 3-1 D 21-10
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
