A preview of the weekend's matches

Aston Villa (13)

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Wigan (18)

VILLA striker Emile Heskey is fit to face his former club after recovering from a knee injury. Midfielder Jean Makoun’s dead leg will not be risked but central defender Richard Dunne has recovered from a similar knock.

Midfielders Charles N’Zogbia (dead leg) and Mohamed Diame are Wigan’s two injury worries but indications suggest N’Zogbia is likely to recover in time. Diame picked up a groin problem against Everton too but will be given as long as possible to prove his fitness.

Last season: Wigan 1 Aston Villa 2, Aston Villa 0 Wigan 2 Last five league matches: Aston Villa D W W D L; Wigan D L W L D Top scorers (all competitions): Darren Bent (Aston Villa) 18; Conor Sammon (Wigan) 18 Match odds: H 5-6 A 10-3 D 5-2 Referee: Mike Jones

Tottenham Hotspur (6)

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Blackpool (17)

SPURS are without Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (hamstring), while Vedran Corluka is also unlikely to play after picking up a hamstring injury against Chelsea. Jonathan Woodgate (calf), Ledley King (groin), Wilson Palacios and Alan Hutton (both knee) are all unavailable.

James Beattie has shaken off illness, so Blackpool boss Ian Holloway should have a virtually full squad to choose from. David Carney (shoulder) is the only absentee.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Tottenham D W D D L; Blackpool L L L D D Top scorers: Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham) 14; DJ Campbell (Blackpool) 12 Match odds: H 3-10 A 8-1 D 9-2 Referee: Lee Probert.

Stoke City (10)

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Arsenal (3)

ON-LOAN Stoke striker John Carew will be hoping for another run-out after recovering from a back problem. Full back Andy Wilkinson is expected to recover from a knock but Matthew Etherington, Ricardo Fuller and Danny Higginbotham are injured.

Thomas Vermaelen could return for Arsenal after nine months out with a niggling Achilles problem. Gael Clichy and Johan Djourou (ankle) face fitness tests but Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby (calf) are still out.

Last season: Stoke 1 Arsenal 3, Arsenal 2 Stoke 0 Last five league matches: Stoke D L D W D; Arsenal W D D L W Top scorers: Kenwyne Jones Jonathan Walters (Stoke) 11; Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 19 Match odds: H 4-1 A 4-6 D 11-4 Referee: Mark Halsey

Fulham (9)

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Liverpool (5)

CLINT Dempsey and Brede Hangeland are back after a hamstring injury and illness respectively for Fulham. Damien Duff (Achilles) misses the rest of the season, while Zoltan Gera and Rafik Halliche remain out.

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has recovered from a knee injury but the form of Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez means he may have to settle for a place on the bench again. Milan Jovanovic (knee) and defender Fabio Aurelio (hamstring) both have a chance of being included.

Last season: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0, Fulham 3 Liverpool 1 Last five league matches: Fulham W L D W W; Liverpool L W D W W Top scorers (all competitions): Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 13; Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) 14 Match odds: H 9-5 A 7-5 D 12-5 Referee: Lee Mason

West Ham Utd (20)

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Blackburn Rovers (16)

SCOTT Parker (Achilles) is a major doubt for West Ham, while fellow midfielders Gary O’Neil (ankle) and Mark Noble (hernia) will be absent and defender Matthew Upson is doubtful with a dead leg. Jordan Spence could feature and on-loan Wayne Bridge returns after being ineligible to face parent club Manchester City.

Blackburn will give late fitness tests to Junior Hoilett, David Dunn and Michel Salgado. However, Ryan Nelsen and Vince Grella are definitely out.

Last season: West Ham 0 Blackburn 0, Blackburn 0 West Ham 0 Last five league matches: West Ham L L L L L; Blackburn D D L L W Top scorers: Demba Ba (West Ham) 14; Mame Biram Diouf Nikola Kalinic (Blackburn) 6 Match odds: H 1-1 A 13-5 D 5-2 Referee: Peter Walton.

Manchester United (1)

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Chelsea (2)

WAYNE Rooney returns for United after recovering from a minor hamstring strain.

Central defensive duo Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are also set to be reinstated to the starting XI having been rested for Wednesday’s Champions League win over Schalke – but Darren Fletcher (virus) will not start.

Carlo Ancelotti has no major injury concerns. Yuri Zhirkov is doubtful but the Italian’s biggest decision will be whether to start both Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres again up front.

Last season: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 2, Chelsea 1 Man Utd 0 Last five league matches: Man Utd W W D W L; Chelsea W W W W W Top scorers: (all competitions): Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 22; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 16 Match odds: H 11-8 A 19-10 D 23-10 Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Newcastle Utd (12)

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Birmingham City (15)

MAGPIES defender Steven Taylor will start after Mike Williamson’s season was brought to a premature close by an arm fracture. Stephen Ireland and Leon Best (both ankle) will not be involved in the concluding games, while James Perch, Hatem Ben Arfa, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith and Dan Gosling are all injured.

Birmingham are without the banned Craig Gardner – Keith Fahey and David Bentley are in contention to replace him. Striker Nikola Zigic is still sidelined with a groin and hip problem.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Newcastle W L D D L; Birmingham D W L L D Top scorers: Kevin Nolan (Newcastle) 12; Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 9 Match odds: H 10-11 A 3-1 D 12-5 Referee: Chris Foy

Everton (7)

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Manchester City (4)

DEFENDER John Heitinga is back in contention for Everton after two games out. Midfielders Tim Cahill (foot) and Mikel Arteta (hamstring) are also closer to full match fitness after playing for an hour against Wigan last week. Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha will miss the rest of the season because of ankle injuries.

Micah Richards could return to City’s squad after six weeks out with a hamstring injury. Pablo Zabaleta and Nigel de Jong are fit but Carlos Tevez (hamstring) is unlikely to figure.

Last season: Man City 0 Everton 2, Everton 2 Man City 0 Last five league matches: Everton D W W L D; Man City L W L W W Top scorers : Louis Saha (Everton) 10; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 22 Match odds: H 9-5 A 6-4 D 11-5 Referee: Phil Dowd

Bolton Wanderers (8)

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Sunderland (14)

BOLTON boss Owen Coyle hopes Daniel Sturridge (ankle) and Gretar Steinsson (knee) are available, while Jussi Jaaskelainen returns in goal. Ricardo Gardner (hamstring) may be fit, while Marcos Alonso is unavailable after his involvement in a fatal car crash in Madrid.

Kieran Richardson, Michael Turner, and Lee Cattermole could join Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (both knee) and Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck (both hamstring) in sitting out the final three games of Sunderland’s season.

Last season: Sunderland 4 Bolton 0, Bolton 0 Sunderland 1 Last five league matches: Bolton L W W L L; Sunderland L L L W L Top scorers: Johan Elmander (Bolton) 12; Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland) 11 Match odds: H 4-5 A 16-5 D 13-5 Referee: Kevin Friend

Wolverhampton (19)

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West Brom (11)

WOLVES’ Sylvan Ebanks-Blake will have a fitness test on a hamstring problem.

Fellow forward Kevin Doyle has a slim chance of being involved after recovering from a knee ligament injury but it is more likely he will be saved for the final two games of the season. Winger Michael Kightly (groin) is a major doubt, while midfielder Dave Edwards (back) will not be risked.

West Brom will be without suspended midfielder Paul Scharner, while skipper Chris Brunt and Steven Reid face late fitness tests.

Last season: No corresponding fixture Last five league matches: Wolves L L D L D; West Brom W W L D W Top scorers: Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 9; Peter Odemwingie (WBA 14 Match odds: H 23-20 A 9-4 D 12-5 Ref: Mike Dean.