Arsenal (2) v West Ham (20)Gunners left-back Kieran Gibbs has knee ligament damage and joins goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow), defender Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and midfielder Abou Diaby (ankle) on the sidelines. Jack Wilshere is banned but Aaron Ramsey and Robin van Persie are due to return to full training at the end of next week.
Hammers captain Matthew Upson looks certain to miss out with a hamstring injury - Upson has had intensive treatment this week but is unlikely to be risked. Striker Frederic Piquionne is also doubtful with a leg injury but boss Avram Grant reported no other major worries.
Last season: Arsenal 2 West Ham 0, West Ham 2 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches: Arsenal D L L W W; West Ham D W D D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Samir Nasri (Arsenal) 7; Scott Parker (West Ham) 4
Match odds: H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire).
Blackburn (17) v Chelsea (1)
Christopher Samba and Ryan Nelsen are set to return to the centre of the Blackburn defence after a ban and thigh injury respectively. Jason Roberts is also back in full training, but midfielders Steven Nzonzi and Vince Grella are out with hamstring and groin injuries respectively.
Chelsea hoped Frank Lampard would return to training this week but the midfielder will instead step up his rehabilitation from a hernia injury next week with a view to playing some part in the Liverpool match. Defender Alex will start after a thigh injury but Ramires (ankle) and Yossi Benayoun (Achilles) are out.
Last season: Blackburn 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 5 Blackburn 0
Last five league matches: Blackburn D W L D L; Chelsea W L W D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Mame Diouf (Blackburn) 4; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 8
Match odds:H 13-2 A 4-9 D 16-5
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
Everton (11) v Stoke (13)
Everton manager David Moyes will make a late decision on midfielder Mikel Arteta, who missed last week’s draw at Tottenham with a slight hamstring strain. The game comes too soon for Jack Rodwell, who is closing in on a return after two months out with an ankle injury, meaning he remains on the sidelines alongside Leon Osman (ankle), Marouane Fellaini (hamstring), Ross Barkley (broken leg) and Victor Anichebe (knee).
Stoke boss Tony Pulis hopes Kenwyne Jones and Jermaine Pennant will have recovered from a virus. Striker Mamady Sidibe is Stoke’s only long-term absentee, although Matt Etherington, Ricardo Fuller and Danny Collins missed the midweek Carling Cup tie at West Ham.
Last season: Stoke 0 Everton 0, Everton 1 Stoke 1
Last five league matches: Everton L D W W D; Stoke D W W L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Tim Cahill (Everton) 4; Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 5
Match odds:H 4-7 A 6-1 D 5-2
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Fulham (16) v Wigan (15)
Fulham hope midfielders Danny Murphy (abductor strain) and Simon Davies (ankle) will return from injury. Dickson Etuhu (ankle) and Damien Duff (calf) remain sidelined, but could return within the next two weeks.
Wigan defender Steven Gohouri could be available after three games out with a calf problem. Boss Roberto Martinez will assess Gary Caldwell (hip), Tom Cleverley comes back into the squad but Emmerson Boyce (hamstring) and James McCarthy (ankle ligament damage) remain sidelined.
Last season:Fulham 2 Wigan 1, Wigan 1 Fulham 1
Last five league matches:Fulham D D D L L; Wigan L D W D D
Top scorers (all competitions):Moussa Dembele, Clinton Dempsey, Bobby Zamora (Fulham) 3; Jordi Gomez, Charles N'Zogbia & Hugo Rodallega 3
Match odds: H 5-6 A 7-2 D 12-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Man Utd (3) v Tottenham (5)
United are again without strikers Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen. Rooney is resting an ankle problem which could keep him out for longer than the three weeks first feared while Owen suffered a hamstring injury in training this week and is expected to be out for four to five weeks. Veteran Ryan Giggs is also missing with hamstring trouble but defender Jonny Evans could figure after a hip injury.
Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone remains on the sidelines with fellow groin victims Ledley King and Vedran Corluka. Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both ligament damage), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) are long-term absentees.
Last season: Man Utd 3 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 1 Man Utd 3
Last five league matches: Man Utd W D D D W; Tottenham W L W W D
Top scorers (all competitions):Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 7; Gareth Bale (Tottenham) 6
Match odds:H 8-13 A 9-2 D 11-4
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Wolves (19) v Man City (4)
Wolves skipper Karl Henry returns from suspension and Stephen Hunt is in contention to make his first league start since his move from Hull after recovering from a foot injury, while central defender Jody Craddock is still sidelined with a thigh injury but hopes to return to action in two weeks’ time.
City captain Carlos Tevez is out with a thigh injury and has been given permission by boss Roberto Mancini to travel to Argentina to visit his family before reporting back on Monday. Dedryck Boyata is supended and Aleksandar Kolarov (ankle) and Michael Johnson (toe) are still not ready to return to first-team action — but Kolo Toure should be fit to feature having missed the last three games with a hamstring problem.
Last season: Wolves 0 Man City 3, Man City 1 Wolves 0
Last five league matches: Wolves L L L D L; Man City W W W W L
Top scorers(all competitions): Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 3; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 7
Match odds: H 4-1 A 8-11 D 5-2
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Sunday, October 31st
Aston Villa (10) v Birmingham (12)
Villa left-back Stephen Warnock returns after suspension but striker Gabriel Agbonlahor (groin), captain Stiliyan Petrov (knee) and defender Luke Young (hamstring) are injured and midfielder Marc Albrighton is banned. Boss Gerard Houllier hopes striker John Carew will have recovered from the bout of flu which ruled him out against Burnley in midweek.
Blues playmaker Alexander Hleb is fit after a knee injury and midfielder Michel has recovered from a kick on the shin suffered against Brentford in the midweek Carling Cup tie — but Cameron Jerome (ankle), Jean Beausejour (knee) and James McFadden (knee) are long-term absentees.
Last season:Aston Villa 1 Birmingham 0, Birmingham 0 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches:Aston Villa D W L D L; Birmingham L D L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Emile Heskey & Stewart Downing (Aston Villa) 4; Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 4
Match odds:H 5-6 A 10-3 D 5-2
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Bolton (8) v Liverpool (18)
Boss Owen Coyle has confirmed Ivan Klasnic is available despite currently being on bail following his arrest on suspicion of rape earlier this week. Joey O’Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Jlloyd Samuel and Sean Davis are sidelined with long-term injuries, while defender Andy O’Brien is to join Leeds on a month-long loan as he completes his return to fitness after a recent hamstring injury.
Liverpool will give full-back Glen Johnson a fitness test — the England international has missed the last three games with a thigh injury but has an outside chance of featuring. Dirk Kuyt is sidelined with a knee problem but is making good progress and could be in contention to face Chelsea next week, although Daniel Agger is still missing with the calf injury which has kept him out for the past month.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Bolton 0, Bolton 2 Liverpool 3
Last five league matches: Bolton D D D W D; Liverpool L D L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Johan Elmander (Bolton) 5; David Ngog (Liverpool) 7
Match odds: H 11-5 A 5-4 D 23-10
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Newcastle (9) v Sunderland (7)
Magpies boss Chris Hughton will welcome back his big guns after resting nine of the men who started last weekend’s 2-1 win at West Ham for the Carling Cup tie with Arsenal in midweek. Sol Campbell (thigh), Steve Harper (shoulder), Leon Best (ankle), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Dan Gosling (knee) are out and there is no squad place for local boy Steven Taylor, despite his return to full training after shoulder injury.
Sunderland left-back Kieran Richardson, who scored the winner in the reverse fixture two seasons ago, is available after a hamstring injury, while winger Ahmed Elmohamady is also fit despite suffering a foot problem in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa. Midfielder David Meyler (knee) has trained all week, but the game will come too soon for him. Fraizer Campbell (knee) remains on the sidelines.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Newcastle W L L D W; Sunderland D D D D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Andrew Carroll (Newcastle) 5; Darren Bent (Sunderland) 7
Match odds:H 23-20 A 12-5 D 23-10
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Monday, November 1st
Blackpool (14) v West Brom (6)
Blackpool captain Charlie Adam is a major doubt. The 24-year-old required stitches in his ankle after picking up an injury in a tackle with Nikola Zigic in last weekend’s defeat to Birmingham. The Scot is manager Ian Holloway’s only fresh injury worry, but Billy Clarke, Alex Baptiste and Louis Almond are all out.
Albion have a handful of key injury doubts, though striker Peter Odemwingie is making good progress in his recovery from a knee injury. Manager Roberto Di Matteo is also hopeful that defender Jonas Olsson (Achilles) and striker Marc-Antoine Fortune (ankle) will be fit but James Morrison is another doubt, having picked up a knock in training.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Blackpool L L W L L; West Brom W W D D W
Top scorers (all competitions):Charlie Adam & Marlon Harewood (Blackpool) 3; Simon Cox & Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 3
Match odds:H 7-4 A 6-4 D 23-10
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).