Birmingham (9) v Burnley (19): Birmingham will be without suspended skipper Stephen Carr after he was handed a one game ban by the Football Association after admitting a charge of improperconduct relating to gestures made to Aston Villa fans after last weekend's derby.
Stuart Parnaby, who has been dogged by injury problems this season, looks set to replace the right-back. Central defender Scott Dann is sidelined with a calf strain and Liam Ridgewell will again deputise after moving from left-back for the Villa game.
Burnley midfielder Chris McCann could make a surprise return to the squad against Birmingham after a season blighted by knee injuries. It was feared McCann might miss the remainder of the campaign but he returned for a 45-minute run-out with the reserves last night.
Last season: No Corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Birmingham D D L D L; Burnley L L W L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Cameron Jerome (Birmingham) 10; Steven Fletcher (Burnley) 12
Match odds: H 1-2 A 11-2 D 31-10
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
Man City (6) v Aston Villa (5)
Roberto Mancini must decide whether to place his trust in Marton Fulop or Gunnar Nielsen to keep goal for Manchester City in their top-four duel with Aston Villa. With Shay Given out after suffering a dislocated shoulder at Arsenal last weekend, Mancini must pick between the Hungarian signed on emergency loan from Sunderland on Wednesday, or the Faroe Islands international.
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has admitted Villa have “a couple of problems” with injuries. Central defender Richard Dunne played in the derby win over Birmingham with his head bandaged after an injury suffered against Hull, and will be keen to battle on against the club he left to join Villa for £6million in the summer after nine years’ service.
Last season: Man City 2 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 4 Man City 2
Last five league matches: Man City W W W L D; Aston Villa W D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Carlos Tevez (Man City) 28; John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 16
Match odds: H 5-6 A 16-5 D 13-5
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Portsmouth (20) v Wolverhampton (15)
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant remains without Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O’Hara. Belhadj may be sidelined for the rest of the campaign with an ankle injury, while O’Hara is fighting to recover from a back problem in time for Pompey’s FA Cup Final date with Chelsea. Hassan Yebda and Papa Bouba Diop (both knee) continue to be used sparingly by Grant as he nurses his injury-hit squad through to their Wembley showpiece. Academy starlets Lenny Sowah, Joel Ward and Matt Ritchie could be involved against the Black Country outfit.
On-loan RSC Charleroi midfielder Geoffrey Mujangi Bia will start his first game of the season in place of Stephen Ward, who has undergone knee surgery, while Matt Jarvis is still sidelined with a thigh problem. Skipper Karl Henry will also be available after completing a three-game ban following his sending-off against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Last season: No Corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Portsmouth L D D L D; Wolverhampton D L D D D
Top scorers (all competitions): Frederic Piquionne (Portsmouth) 11; Kevin Doyle (Wolverhampton) 7
Match odds: H 7-5 A 23-10 D 23-10
Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire).
Stoke (13) v Everton (8)
Striker Mamady Sidibe could return from a groin injury to face Everton in Stoke’s final home match of the season. The Malian has missed the last two matches but manager Tony Pulis is hopeful he will be back to boost a forward line which has scored just once in the last three matches.
Everton midfielders Jack Rodwell and Leon Osman could be back after missing the last two games, Rodwell with a hamstring injury and Osman due to a knee problem. Manager David Moyes reports no other fresh fitness issues apart from routine training knocks, which will be assessed. John Heitinga, Marouane Fellaini and Dan Gosling are out with long-term injuries.
Last season: Everton 3 Stoke 1, Stoke 2 Everton 3
Last five league matches: Stoke W W D L L; Everton D D D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Dave Kitson and Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 8; Louis Saha (Everton) 15
Match odds: H 13-5 A 21-20 D 23-10
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Tottenham (4) v Bolton (14)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp could hand Aaron Lennon his first start of 2010 following the groin injury which has sidelined him since December. Lennon has trained all week having suffered no repercussions from his substitute appearance against Manchester United last week. Ledley King could feature in defence but Vedran Corluka (ankle), Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and Carlo Cudicini (wrist) are all out.
Stuart Holden could make his return to action for Bolton after being out for two months after fracturing his fibula while on international duty with the United States. he has targeted the trip to White Hart Lane for his comeback and having taken part in training this week will undergo a late fitness test.
Last season: Bolton 3 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 2 Bolton 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham W L W W L; Bolton L L L W D
Top scorers (all competitions): Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 24; Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 11
Match odds: H 1-4 A 11-1 D 9-2
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Sunday, May 2
Fulham (12) v West Ham (17)
Europa League finalists Fulham are unlikely to risk striker Bobby Zamora (Achilles) against his old club West Ham. American Clint Dempsey is most likely to come into the attack should Zamora — who needed a painkilling injection to play against Hamburg — be rested, while right-back Chris Baird will be available again after he was suspended for the European tie. Stefano Okaka and Nicky Shorey, both ineligible for selection against Hamburg, come back into contention.
West Ham have centre-back James Tomkins and midfielder Luis Boa Morte available to face Fulham. Brazilian striker Ilan was replaced early in the 3-2 victory over Wigan that secured West Ham’s top flight survival but he is also fit. Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola is still without Kieron Dyer (hamstring), Herita Ilunga (thigh), Zavon Hines (ankle) and Jack Collison (ankle).
Last season: West Ham 3 Fulham 1, Fulham 1 West Ham 2
Last five league matches: Fulham L W D D L; West Ham L D W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Bobby Zamora (Fulham) 19; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 9
Match odds: H 5-4 A 11-5 D 9-4
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Liverpool (7) v Chelsea (1)
Midfielder Maxi Rodriguez is likely to return to Liverpool’s starting line-up after the Argentina international was ineligible for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final exit to Atletico Madrid. Striker Dirk Kuyt recovered from a calf injury to face Atletico but his fitness and that of a number of players — including midfielder Javier Mascherano who was substituted late on against the Spaniards — will be assessed tomorrow. Forward David Ngog’s hamstring injury meant he never left the bench on Thursday and doubts remain about his fitness.
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has no fresh injury worries. Captain John Terry will return to the side after missing the 7-0 victory over Stoke through suspension. Midfielder John Obi Mikel has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to miss that game. Long-term absentees remain the same with midfielder Michael Essien (knee), right-back Jose Bosingwa (knee) and defender Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) still out.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool W D D W W; Chelsea W W W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 22; Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 32
Match odds: H 11-4 A 13-5 D 10-11
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
Sunderland (10) v Man Utd (2)
Sunderland full-back Alan Hutton will miss the clash with Manchester United through suspension. Hutton was sent off after clashing with Jozy Altidore during last weekend’s 1-0 win at Hull, but had his ban reduced from three games to one on appeal.
Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand are set to return from groin strains. Rooney sat out last weekend’s victory over Tottenham, while Ferdinand has missed two matches since he suffered his injury at Blackburn. Sir Alex Ferguson has never lost to a team managed by United old boy Steve Bruce, although Sunderland have lost just twice at home in the league this season.
Last season: Sunderland 1 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 1 Sunderland 0
Last five league matches: Sunderland L W L W W; Man Utd W L D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Darren Bent (Sunderland) 25; Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 34
Match odds: H 7-1 A 4-11 D 19-5
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).
Monday, May 3
Blackburn (11) v Arsenal (3)
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce should have four players available again to face Arsenal. Chris Samba and Brett Emerton did not travel to Scotland this week for an end-of-season break in order to receive treatment on groin and hamstring problems respectively, but both should be fit. El-Hadji Diouf and Vince Grella also come into contention after missing last weekend’s draw at Wolves with tonsilitis and a stomach bug respectively.
Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin remains a major doubt for Arsenal because of a calf problem. Midfielder Denilson (groin) has joined William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen (both calf) and Cesc Fabregas (fractured leg) on the sidelines and will not feature again this season, while goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (wrist) is still unavailable.
Last season: Arsenal 4 Blackburn 0, Blackburn 0 Arsenal 4
Last five league matches: Blackburn W D D L D; Arsenal D W L L D
Top scorers (all competitions): David Dunn (Blackburn) 9; Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 19
Match odds: H 5-2 A 21-20 D 12-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire).
Wigan (16) v Hull (18)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is likely to be without Hendry Thomas and Marcelo Moreno for the visit of Hull. Thomas has missed the last four matches with a quad injury and the midfielder is yet to resume full training. Striker Moreno came off in the first half with a calf problem against West Ham last weekend and is now nursing his hamstring.
Hull striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink could return after being knocked unconscious in the 2-0 defeat by Aston Vila and may replace Jozy Altidore, whose three-match suspension following his red card against Sunderland last weekend takes him to the end of his loan spell. Youngster Mark Cullen is also in contention and Dean Marney has recovered from illness but Kamil Zayatte, Ian Ashbee, Richard Garcia (all knee) and Stephen Hunt (foot) are all out.
Last season: Wigan 1 Hull 0, Hull 0 Wigan 5
Last five league matches: Wigan L L D W L; Hull L L D L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 10; Stephen Hunt (Hull) 6
Match odds: H 3-4 A 19-5 D 5-2
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).