Richard Rufus should return to the centre of Charlton's defence. Tony Caig will be on the bench after signing on loan from Division Three side Blackpool as back-up to Dean Kiely after Sasa Ilic (ribs) was hurt in a midweek reserve game. Swede Martin Pringle returns after injury and Iranian Karim Bagheri is available.

Bradford goalkeeper Matt Clarke faces a late fitness test, but captain Stuart McCall returns. Peter Beagrie is again out with flu. Manager Chris Hutchings has to decide whether to start Benito Carbone and Stan Collymore, or Dean Saunders and Ashley Ward up front.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Charlton W D L W L, Bradford L D L L D.

Top scorers: Jonatan Johansson (Charlton) 7; Benito Carbone, Dean Windass (Bradford) 3.

Match odds: H 8-11; A 3-1; D 12-5.

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).

Coventry (16) v Man Utd (1)

Coventry have a striker crisis with Cedric Roussel, John Aloisi, Ysrael Zuniga and Craig Bellamy injured. Mustapha Hadji will link up with Jay Bothroyd or Honduran Jairo Martinez in attack.

Alex Ferguson has to decide whether to risk Roy Keane, who has missed United's last three games after picking up a hamstring injury. Also set to return is Norwegian defender Ronny Johnsen. who has recovered from an ankle injury.

Last season: Man Utd 3 Coventry 2, Coventry 1 Man Utd 2.

Last five league matches: Coventry L D W L L, Man Utd D L W W W.

Top scorers: John Aloisi (Coventry) 5; Teddy Sheringham (Man Utd) 11.

Match odds: H 9-2; A 4-7; D 9-4.

Referee: G Poll (Tring, Hertfordshire).

Leeds (10) v Liverpool (3)

Leeds boss David O'Leary is confident Lee Bowyer and Olivier Dacourt will be fit after missing the Tranmere League Cup defeat with ankle injuries. Danny Mills and Darren Huckerby have failed fitness tests on their ankle problems, while skipper Lucas Radebe has also been ruled out. Radebe, Mills and Huckerby join a lengthy injury list.

Sander Westerveld, Christian Ziege, Emile Heskey and Gary McAllister all started Liverpool's midweek League Cup win over Chelsea on the bench but can expect to be on from the start. Michael Owen is again missing.

Last season: Liverpool 3 Leeds 1, Leeds 1 Liverpool 2.

Last five league matches: Leeds D W W L D, Liverpool D L W W W.

Top scorers: Alan Smith (Leeds) 9; Michael Owen (Liverpool) 8.

Match odds: H 11-8; A 13-8; D 21-10.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).

Man City (13) v Leicester (4)

Shaun Goater is recovering quicker than expected from his groin injury and could be fit. Paulo Wanchope, who has missed City's last two games because of a thigh strain, has a better chance of returning. Defenders Laurent Charvet and Richard Dunne, who were cup-tied for the League Cup win over Aston Villa, are available.

Leicester goalkeeper Tim Flowers is expected to return after missing the Worthington Cup defeat by Crystal Palace with a hamstring strain. Central defender Gerry Taggart is fit again following an ankle injury and looks likely to replace Phil Gilchrist.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Man City D L W W L, Leicester D D L L W.

Top scorers: Paulo Wanchope (Man City) 6; Muzzy Izzet (Leicester) 3.

Match odds: 11-8; A 13-8; D 21-10;

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).

Middlesbrough (17) v Arsenal (2)

Alen Boksic has failed to shake off the knee injury that has kept him out of Middlesbrough's last three games. Captain Paul Ince is suspended and on the injury list with a knee problem along with £8 million defender Ugo Ehiogu (calf) and Keith O'Neill (hamstring).

Patrick Vieira, Lauren and Silvinho have recovered from injuries and Arsene Wenger recalls front-line stars Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Kanu. But Robert Pires (hamstring), Oleg Luzhny (knee) and England goalkeeper David Seaman (shoulder) are still out.

Last season: Middlesbrough 2 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 5 Middlesbrough 1.

Last five league matches: Middlesbrough D W L L L, Arsenal D W W W W.

Top scorers: Alen Boksic (Middlesbrough) 6; Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 8.

Match odds: H 13-5; A 5-6; D 23-10.

Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay).

Newcastle (8) v Ipswich (5)

Newcastle defender Aaron Hughes is facing a race against time to shake off a virus. Goalkeeper Shay Given is likely to return in place of Steve Harper and striker Lomana Lua Lua, who was cup-tied in mid-week, returns to the squad.

Ipswich expect to have Mark Venus back in defence after he missed the midweek League Cup victory at Arsenal with an ankle injury. James Scowcroft, who came on as substitute at Highbury to score the 89th-minute winner, took a knock on his thigh and faces a late fitness test.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Newcastle L W W L L, Ipswich D W D W W.

Top scorers: Lumana Tresor Lua-Lua, Alan Shearer (Newcastle) 5; Marcus Stewart (Ipswich) 5.

Match odds: H 4-6; A 10-3; D 12-5.

Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).

Southampton (18) v Chelsea (6)

Southampton captain Jason Dodd and midfielder Matthew Oakley are both battling to recover from calf injuries while Hassan Kachloul is struggling with a groin strain. Defender Tahar El Khalej is expected to recover from a hamstring problem, but centre back Dean Richards (Achilles) is again likely to be missing. Striker Uwe Rosler continues his recovery from a groin operation while midfielders Matthew Le Tissier and Trond Soltvedt are ruled out by knee and groin problems and goalkeeper Neil Moss has a damaged finger.

Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux serves the final game of a three-match ban and Mario Stanic and Jes Hogh are still out injured. Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri may revert largely to the side which beat Tottenham last week, with Frank Leboeuf, Albert Ferrer, Sam dalla Bona and Gus Poyet hoping for recalls.

Last season: Chelsea 1 Southampton 1, Southampton 1 Chelsea 2.

Last five league matches: Southampton W L D L L, Chelsea D W L W W.

Top scorers: Marian Pahars (Southampton) 6; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) 11.

Match odds: H 12-5; A 10-11; D 9-4.

Referee: G Barber (Tring).

Tottenham (12) v Sunderland (9)

Tottenham welcome back Sergei Rebrov from injury and, with Mauricio Taricco back in training and captain Sol Campbell due to come back from a dislocated shoulder in the next fortnight, things are looking up for George Graham's injury-ravaged squad. Chris Armstrong is also due to recover from a hamstring strain before the month is out.

Sunderland boss Peter Reid is expected to revert to his strongest available line-up after resting six players in the midweek League Cup win at Bristol Rovers. Kevin Kilbane will be completing a three-match ban.

Last season: Tottenham 3 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 2 Tottenham 1.

Last five league matches: Tottenham D L L W L, Sunderland D D W D W.

Top scorers: Sergei Rebrov (Tottenham) 5; Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 5.

Match odds: H 4-5; A 11-4; D 23-10.

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury).

Sunday

Everton (14) v Aston Villa (7)

Everton new boys Idan Tal and Gary Naysmith are expected to make their home debuts and Michael Ball is fit to continue at leftback despite a muscle injury. Kevin Campbell could be joined up front by Joe-Max Moore.

On-loan striker Gilles de Bilde returns to the Villa squad after being cup-tied for the midweek League Cup defeat against Manchester City. Striker Dion Dublin is under treatment for a back injury after he was forced off at half-time against City. David Ginola is still struggling with a thigh injury.

Last season: Everton 0 Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 3 Everton 0.

Last five league matches: Everton D L D W L, Aston Villa D W L D W.

Top scorers: Francis Jeffers (Everton) 7, Julian Joachim (Aston Villa) 3.

Match odds: H 11-8; A 13-8; D 21-10.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).

Odds supplied courtesy of William Hill