SOCCER:A look ahead to all the action in the English Premier League

Manchester Utd (3) v West Brom (6)

RYAN Giggs is expected to return to Manchester United’s squad after a minor hamstring strain. Wayne Rooney is likely to be recalled, with Alex Ferguson opting not to comment directly over the striker’s claim he has not been suffering from an ankle injury, which was cited as the reason for his omission against Valencia and Sunderland.

West Brom could be without Premier League player of the month Peter Odemwingie, who is struggling to recover from a knee strain. Midfielder Jerome Thomas (calf) is also a doubt.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Man Utd WDWDD; West Brom LDWWD. Top scorers: Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 7; Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 3. Match odds: H 2-7 A 10-1 D 4-1. Referee: Marc Jones.

Aston Villa (8) v Chelsea (1)

ASTON Villa striker Emile Heskey is a doubt due to shin and calf problems. With Gabriel Agbonlahor still sidelined after undergoing groin surgery a fortnight ago John Carew is set to get the nod up front if Heskey fails a fitness test.

Chelsea will be without Didier Drogba (fever) and Frank Lampard (groin), but captain John Terry is fit after recovering from the back injury. Defender Alex (thigh) and midfielder Yossi Benayoun (Achilles) are sidelined.

Last season: Chelsea 7, Aston Villa 1; Aston Villa 2, Chelsea 1. Last five league matches: Aston Villa WLDWL; Chelsea WWWLW. Top scorers: Stewart Downing, Emile Heskey Ashley Young (Aston Villa) 3; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 7. Match odds: H 4-1 A 8-11 D 5-2. Referee: Lee Mason.

Bolton Wanderers (12) v Stoke City (7)

BOLTON manager Owen Coyle is hopeful Kevin Davies will be fit after an ankle knock. Andy O’Brien (hamstring) and Joey O’Brien (knee) are still receiving treatment, while Ricardo Gardner, Jlloyd Samuel and Sean Davis are also sidelined.

Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is doubtful after sustaining a muscle tear in the area around his hip while on Denmark duty. Defender Andy Wilkinson is available after a knee problem, but forward Mamady Sidibe is a long-term absentee.

Last season: Stoke 1, Bolton 2; Bolton 1, Stoke 1. Last five league matches: Bolton DLDDD; Stoke LWDWW. Top scorers: Johan Elmander (Bolton) 4; Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 4. Match odds: H 6-5 A 23-10 D 9-4. Referee: Peter Walton.

Newcastle Utd (15) v Wigan Athletic (14)

NEWCASTLE will be without Hatem Ben Arfa as he continues his recovery from a double leg fracture, but defender Fabricio Coloccini (groin) is fit and midfielder Danny Guthrie (knee) could return. Steven Taylor (shoulder), Leon Best (ankle), Steve Harper (shoulder) and Dan Gosling (knee) remain out.

Wigan midfielder Tom Cleverley looks set to be recalled after a knee injury. Goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi has recovered from a stomach virus but Antolin Alcaraz (ankle) is doubtful.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Newcastle DLWLL; Wigan WDLDW. Top scorers: Andrew Carroll (Newcastle) 4; Jordi Gomez (Wigan) 3. Match odds: H 5-6 A 7-2 D 12-5. Referee: Mark Halsey.

Everton (17) v Liverpool (18)

EVERTON will be without Marouane Fellaini, who has suffered a hamstring injury. Phil Jagielka (hamstring) is also unlikely to feature while Steven Pienaar (groin) is still out and Louis Saha (calf) is unlikely to return.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is fit despite sustaining an adductor injury in the 2-1 defeat to Blackpool. Paul Konchesky has recovered from a hamstring strain while fellow left-back Fabio Aurelio has overcome an Achilles problem, but Daniel Agger (back) and Dirk Kuyt (ankle) are out.

Last season: Liverpool 1, Everton 0; Everton 0, Liverpool 2. Last five league matches: Everton LDLDW; Liverpool WDLDL. Top scorers: Tim Cahill (Everton) 3; David Ngog (Liverpool) 7. Match odds: H 11-8 A 2-1 D 11-5. Referee: Howard Webb.

Arsenal (4) v Birmingham City (16)

ARSENAL welcome back Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Theo Walcott (ankle) but captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) remains sidelined. Laurent Koscielny (back) misses out, as does Bacary Sagna (thigh), but Kieran Gibbs returns from a calf injury. Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow), Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), Aaron Ramsey (leg) and Robin van Persie (ankle) are still out.

Birmingham’ former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb has recovered from an ankle knock but Craig Gardner is suspended.

Last season: Birmingham 1, Arsenal 1; Arsenal 3, Birmingham 1. Last five league matches: Arsenal WWDLL; Birmingham DDLDL. Top scorers: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal) 5; Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 4. Match odds: H 3-10 A 9-1 D 4-1. Referee: Martin Atkinson.

Blackburn Rovers (13) v Sunderland (11)

BLACKBURN midfielder David Dunn is expected to feature after recovering from a hamstring strain but Vince Grella is still missing with the same problem. Keith Andrews is also out after having an operation on a groin injury while Ryan Nelsen is a doubt with a thigh problem.

Sunderland striker Darren Bent is a major doubt with a groin strain. Kieran Richardson, Anton Ferdinand and John Mensah have all shaken off hamstring injuries and are back in contention along with Craig Gordon (broken arm).

Last season: Blackburn 2, Sunderland 2; Sunderland 2, Blackburn 1. Last five league matches: Blackburn LDDWL; Sunderland WDDDD. Top scorers: Mame Diouf (Blackburn) 4; Darren Bent (Sunderland) 7. Match odds: H 23-20 A 12-5 D 9-4. Referee: Lee Probert.

Wolverhampton (19) v West Ham Utd (20)

WOLVES will be without captain Karl Henry, who starts a three-game ban. Summer signing Stephen Hunt is in contention for a place on the bench after playing for the reserves in midweek.

West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger will be sidelined due to a thigh injury and joins Zavon Hines and Jack Collison (both knee) on the injury list. Kieron Dyer could return after a stomach bug while Valon Behrami, Herita Ilunga and Benni McCarthy are all back in contention.

Last season: West Ham 1, Wolves 3; Wolves 0, West Ham 2. Last five league matches: Wolves DLLLL; West Ham LLDWD. Top scorers: Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 3; Scott Parker Frederic Piquionne (West Ham) 3. Match odds: H 5-4 A 11-5 D 9-4. Referee: Mark Clattenburg.

Fulham (10) v Tottenham Hotspur (5)

FULHAM will be without Damien Duff (calf) and Dickson Etuhu (ankle). Mousa Dembele has recovered from his ankle injury but Andy Johnson (knee) is still one week away from returning.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will leave it late to decide whether to play central defender Ledley King. Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are back in training and David Bentley is on his way back from injury.

Last season: Tottenham 2, Fulham 0; Fulham 0, Tottenham 0. Last five league matches: Fulham DWDDD; Tottenham LDWLW. Top scorers: Moussa Dembele, Bobby Zamora Clinton Dempsey (Fulham) 3; Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham) 4. Match odds: H 15-8 A 6-4 D 11-5. Referee: Mike Dean.

Blackpool (9) v Manchester City (2)

BLACKPOOL’S Matt Gilks (leg), Neal Eardley (ankle) and Craig Cathcart (back) missed international duty but have all recovered. Keith Southern is back after a knee injury but Billy Clarke, Alex Baptiste (both knee) and Louis Almond (shoulder) remain out.

Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng is expected to feature after a virus. Micah Richards and Pablo Zabaleta have both recovered from hamstring injuries but Mario Balotelli (knee) and Aleksandar Kolarov (ankle) miss out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Blackpool DWLLW; Man City LDWWW. Top scorers: Charlie Adam (Blackpool) 3; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 5. Match odds: H 9-2 A 8-13 D 11-4. Referee: Phil Dowd.