Saturday, November 29th
Aston Villa (4) v Fulham (9)
Villa defender Carlos Cuellar could be available after groin and thigh injuries. The Spanish player has returned to training but Villa boss Martin O'Neill will wait to see if there is any reaction. Striker John Carew (hip) and full-back Luke Young (thigh) are also battling to be fit. Brad Friedel will surpass David James's record of 166 consecutive Premier League appearances.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has an almost fully-fit squad at his disposal with only long-term injury victims Diomansy Kamara and Seol Ki-Hyeon out. Midfielder Leon Andreasen has recovered from a back injury picked up on international duty.
Last season: Fulham 2 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Fulham 1
Last five league matches: Aston Villa W L L W D; Fulham W L W W D
Top scorers: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 8; Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 4
Match odds: H 4-7 A 4-1 D 5-2
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Middlesbrough (10) v Newcastle (18)
Mido has recovered from a groin injury and is the only addition to the squad following last week's loss to Bolton. The striker will compete for a place with misfiring recording signing Afonso Alves. Robert Huth (ankle) is back in training but not yet match-fit and Chris Riggott (hamstring) remains on the sidelines.
Magpies duo Damien Duff (groin) and Shola Ameobi (ankle) will miss tomorrow's trip. Mark Viduka (Achilles) could figure against his former club, while defender Steven Taylor may be included. Striker Xisco (hamstring) is fit, but Alan Smith (foot) and Ignacio Gonzalez (Achilles) are still out.
Last season: Newcastle 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2
Last five leaguematches: Middlesbrough W D W D L; Newcastle W W L D D
Top scorers: Mido (Middlesbrough) 5; Michael Owen (Newcastle) 6
Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Stoke (14) v Hull (6)
Striker Ricardo Fuller returns from suspension but Andy Griffin has a damaged hand and fellow defender Ryan Shawcross and striker Dave Kitson will need fitness tests. Kitson is the most likely to miss out with a knee injury, while Shawcross is struggling with a back problem.
Defender Andy Dawson is again likely to be missing with an Achilles problem, meaning Sam Ricketts should deputise again. Striker Caleb Folan has a chance of featuring after resting a knee injury. Bernard Mendy (knee) and Anthony Gardner (thigh) are still out but Stelios Giannakopoulos is pushing for a first start.
No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Stoke W W D L W; Hull L L L D D
Top scorers: Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 5; Geovanni (Hull) 6
Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5
Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire)
Sunderland (17) v Bolton (12)
Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon misses out despite his return to training.
The £9million signing has missed the last seven games with a cracked ankle bone, and like defender George McCartney (foot), the visit of Bolton comes too soon. Pascal Chimbonda, El-Hadji Diouf and Daryl Murphy are all in contention.
Wanderers boss Gary Megson has a virtually full-strength squad available. Joey O'Brien misses out with a thigh injury but Megson has no other concerns as his side seek to build on their recent run of form.
Last season: Bolton 2 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 3 Bolton 1
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L L W L; Bolton L W W L W
Top scorers: Djibril Cisse (Sunderland) 5; Kevin Davies (Bolton) 4
Match odds: H 5-4 A 5-4 D 11-5
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Wigan (15) v West Brom (20)
Defenders Emmerson Boyce and Mario Melchiot are available after suspension and
injury respectively, giving boss Steve Bruce a selection headache after Ryan Taylor's fine performance as stand-in right-back against Everton. Striker Amr Zaki (calf) is out, so Henri Camara will be given the chance to build on his
match-winning exploits on Monday with a rare start.
West Brom midfielder James Morrison will be involved if he came through training without suffering a reaction to a knee injury. Playmaker Felipe Teixeira and central defender Jonas Olsson are also expected to be in contention after picking up minor knocks against Tony Pulis' side.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wigan L W D D W; West Brom L D L L L
Top scorers: Amr Zaki (Wigan) 9; Roman Bednar (West Brom) 4
Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Sunday, November 30th
Chelsea (1) v Arsenal (5)
Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole could miss the game with an ankle injury. Juliano Belletti (ankle), Michael Essien (knee), Ricardo Carvalho (knee) and Franco di Santo (hamstring) are injured and striker Didier Drogba is suspended but defender Alex has recovered from his groin strain and is included in the squad.
Arsenal expect to have Samir Nasri (knee), Emmanuel Adebayor and Bacary Sagna (both ankle) available but Abou Diaby (abdominal strain) misses out along with Kolo Toure (calf), Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Emmanuel Eboue (knee). Striker Eduardo (leg) and Tomas Rosicky (knee) remain sidelined.
Last season: Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W W D; Arsenal D L W L L
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 14; Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 9
Match odds: H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Man City (11) v Man Utd (3)
Robinho looks set to return after sitting out the UEFA Cup victory against
Schalke with a slight ankle problem. Pablo Zabaleta (thigh) and Gelson Fernandes (hamstring) will also come into contention after injury as will Elano after dealing with a domestic matter. Javier Garrido, however, is doubtful after picking up a knock in Germany. He was replaced in the second half by Michael Ball.
Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty but has returned to training, leaving Alex Ferguson to decide whether to put him straight back into his starting line-up. Paul Scholes (knee) is out but Gary Neville (groin) may figure.
Last season: Man Utd 1 Man City 2, Man City 1 Man Utd 0
Last five league matches: Man City L L L D W; Man Utd W W L W D
Top scorers: Robinho (Man City) 9; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 9
Match odds: H 10-3 A 8-11 D 11-5
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Portsmouth (8) v Blackburn (19)
Striker Jermain Defoe (calf) and midfielder Niko Kranjcar (ankle) have returned to full training and are in contention for places in the Pompey team - but captain Sol Campbell (toe) is likely to miss out. David Nugent is also available and may be needed as Kanu's efforts in the UEFA Cup match against AC Milan left him with a groin injury, while midfielder Lassana Diarra (ankle) and winger John Utaka (hip) are out.
Defender Martin Olsson is suspended for Blackburn but Stephen Warnock, who has played most of this season in central midfield, will slot in at left-back after
returning from a one-match ban. Vince Grella (calf) is likely to remain sidelined.
Last season: Portsmouth 0 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 0 Portsmouth 1
Last five league matches: Portsmouth L L W D D; Blackburn L D L L L
Top scorers: Peter Crouch & Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth) 7; Matt Derbyshire &
Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) 3
Match odds: H 1-1 A 11-5 D 11-5
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Tottenham (16) v Everton (7)
Spurs pair Vedran Corluka and Roman Pavlyuchenko return to the squad after
being cup-tied for midweek UEFA Cup action. Ledley King (knee) and Jermaine Jenas (toe) should also be back after being rested against NEC Nijmegen. Alan Hutton (foot), Luka Modric (groin) and Giovani dos Santos (ankle) are out.
Everton full-backs Tony Hibbert (thigh strain) and Nuno Valente (knee operation) miss out, while striker James Vaughan is set to undergo cartilage surgery and is out until next year. Victor Anichebe and fellow striker Louis Saha have hamstring problems, while Steven Pienaar (knee) has not trained for two weeks.
Last season: Everton 0 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 1 Everton 3
Last five league matches: Tottenham D W W L W; Everton W W W D L
Top scorers: Darren Bent (Tottenham) 11; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 5
Match odds: H 19-20 A 23-10 D 9-4
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)
Monday, December 1st
Liverpool (2) v West Ham (13)
Robbie Keane will get an extended chance to impress as Liverpool plan for the loss of hamstring injury victim Fernando Torres, who could be out for three
weeks. Italian full-back Andrea Dossena is likely to replace Fabio Aurelio, who is out for two weeks with a calf injury.
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has a full squad at his disposal with Scott Parker set to be fit to start at Anfield despite missing training through illness.
Last season: Liverpool 4 West Ham 0, West Ham 1 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches: Liverpool W L W W D; West Ham L D L D W
Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 8; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 4
Match odds: H 1-3 A 8-1 D 4-1
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
