Saturday

Chelsea (6th) v Arsenal (4th) - Claudio Ranieri looks set to restore fellow-Italian Gianfranco Zola to the starting line-up. Zola was relegated to the substitutes' bench in favour of Yugoslav midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic in the 2-0 win at Southampton two weeks ago.

Patrick Vieira and Ray Parlour are out with one-match suspensions and Gilles Grimandi could come in. Ukraine defender Oleg Luzhny is injured. French striker Sylvain Wiltord faces a late check because of a stomach virus and severe jet-lag. Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto is in the squad for the first time after two goals in as many games for the reserves.

Last season: Arsenal 1 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 2 Arsenal 2

Last five league matches: Chelsea W D W D W, Arsenal D L W L W

Top scorers: Hasselbaink, Stanic and Zenden (Chelsea) all 1; Bergkamp, Henry and Wiltord (Arsenal) all 2

Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10

Referee: M Riley (Leeds)

Derby (9th) v West Ham (17th) - Finnish midfielder Simo Valakari is set to make his first senior appearance after damaging ankle ligaments in November. Horacio Carbonari plays his first match of the season but Malcolm Christie is out with a hamstring strain.

Don Hutchison begins his second spell with West Ham following his £5million signing from Sunderland and is likely to replace John Moncur in midfield.

Last season: West Ham 3 Derby 1, Derby 0 West Ham 0

Last five league matches: Derby W D W L D, West Ham L W L L D

Top scorers: Ravanelli (Derby) 2; Di Canio (West Ham) 1

Match odds: H 6-5 A 15-8 D 21-10

Referee: C Wilkes (Gloucester)

Leeds United (3rd) v Bolton (1st) - Defender Danny Mills and midfielder Lee Bowyer are suspended, striker Alan Smith continues to recover from an ankle ligament injury, while midfielder Eirik Bakke (hamstring) is also out. Nigel Martyn should have recovered from a knee injury, while Dominic Matteo should also play despite an ankle knock.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has a brace of injury worries. Djibril Diawara (twisted knee) and Nicky Southall (hamstring) both picked up injuries during training in the week and are doubtful.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Leeds L W W W D, Bolton W D W W W

Top scorers: Bowyer, Harte, Smith and Viduka (Leeds) all 1; Ricketts (Bolton) 3

Match odds: H 4-9 A 5-1 D 11-4

Referee: S Bennett (Orpington)

Leicester (20th) v Ipswich (11th) - Leicester midfielder Dennis Wise is suspended. Manager Peter Taylor will also be without defender Gary Rowett, who suffered a knee injury in the 4-0 defeat by Arsenal. Keeper Ian Walker could make his debut.

Titus Bramble should be fit after missing the England Under-21 World Cup qualifiers with Germany and Albania. The teenage centre-back has had injections to ease an ankle problem.

Last season: Ipswich 2 Leicester 0, Leicester 2 Ipswich 1

Last five league matches: Leicester L L W L L, Ipswich W D L W L

Top scorers: Leicester - no scorers; Finidi George (Ipswich) 2.

Match odds: H 9-5 A 6-5 D 11-5.

Referee: B Knight (Orpington)

Liverpool (12th) v Aston Villa (15th) - Gerard Houllier has several options to cover the loss through illness of right back Markus Babbel. He could play Stephen Wright at right back, or switch Jamie Carragher from the left flank. That would leave a spot for John Arne Riise and Gregory Vignal to contest, although Riise could play on the left side of midfield. New Polish 'keeper Jerzy Dudek has been told he is the number one, which suggests Sander Westerveld may not even get a place on the bench with the other new boy Chris Kirkland also available.

Bosko Balaban is ready to start his first game for Villa. The Croatian international is poised to take over from Juan Pablo Angel, who could be jaded after playing for Colombia against Ecuador.

Last season: Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 3, Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1

Last five league matches: Liverpool W D W W L, Aston Villa D W L D D

Top scorers: Owen (Liverpool) 7; Vassell (Aston Villa) 3

Match odds: H 8-15 A 9-2 D 12-5

Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay)

Manchester United (5th) v Everton (2nd) - Laurent Blanc (left) will make his debut with Alex Ferguson expected to rest David Beckham and Paul Scholes, while Ruud van Nistelrooy has a knee injury. Fabien Barthez (thigh) is set to return, while Denis Irwin (groin) and Nicky Butt (knee) should be available.

Everton will have Duncan Ferguson and Mark Pembridge back after calf problems. Everton can expect to be without Tomasz Radzinski, Thomas Gravesen and Gary Naysmith. Naysmith was injured in Scotland's 2-0 defeat in Belgium.

Last season: Man Utd 1 Everton 0, Everton 1 Man Utd 3

Last five league matches: Man Utd L L W D D, Everton L D W D W

Top scorers: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd) 3; Duncan Ferguson (Everton) 2

Match odds: H 3-10 A 7-1 D 10-3

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury)

Middlesbrough (19th) v Newcastle (14th) - Steve Vickers deputises for Ugo Ehiogu, who serves a one-match ban after being sent off against Arsenal on the opening day of the season. Former Rangers winger Allan Johnston will make his debut but Middlesbrough await a fitness test on striker Alen Boksic, who is struggling with a calf injury.

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer could be handed his first start in more than six months after knee surgery, but midfielder Gary Speed is out with a torn hamstring. Steve Caldwell is standing by as cover for Republic of Ireland international Andy O'Brien, who is a doubt with a slight ankle problem. Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano and Chilean Clarence Acuna may be rested following international duty.

Last season: Newcastle 1 Middlesbrough 2, Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle 3

Last five league matches: Middlesbrough D W L L L, Newcastle L D W D D

Top scorers: Middlesbrough - no scorers; Solano (Newcastle) 4

Match Odds: H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10

Referee: G Poll (Tring)

Sunderland (10th) v Blackburn (8th) - Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen will start despite breaking his nose seven days ago. Youngster Michael Ingham will deputise for Austrian Jurgen Macho, who has a thigh strain, while Brazilian defender Emerson Thome has taken advantage of a three-week ban to undergo surgery on a knee cartilage problem.

Blackburn could give a debut to Lucas Neill, signed from Millwall, and Tugay could also make his Premiership debut after recovering from a thigh strain, while Jason McAteer (left) has won a surprise recall after five months in the wilderness.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Sunderland W D W L D, Blackburn W D L D W Top scorers: Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 2; Nathan Blake, Damien Duff, Keith Gillespie and Alan Mahon (Blackburn) all 1

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

Referee: M Dean (Heswall)

Sunday

Charlton (13) v Fulham (7) - Charlton are without Richard Rufus, who underwent surgery on knee ligament damage and will be out for six months. Steve Brown or Andy Todd, who has asked for a transfer from The Valley, will replace him.

Fulham's new £11.5million striker Steve Marlet is not expected to make his debut. Marlet, who moved from Lyon last week, has been handed the number nine shirt but is unlikely to play after sustaining an injury with the French team in Chile at the weekend. Luis Boa Morte is available after sitting out the first three Premiership matches due to a suspension held over from last season.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Charlton W L L L W, Fulham D L L W D

Top scorers: Jonatan Johansson and Kevin Lisbie (Charlton) both 1; Louis Saha (Fulham) 3

Match odds: H 7-5 A 8-5 D 21-10

Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees)

Tottenham (16) v Southampton (18) - Glenn Hoddle (left) must inspect a parade of his walking wounded before he can even name a squad. Gustavo Poyet starts a three-match suspension and eight players are on the treatment table as well as long-term absentees Stephen Carr, Chris Armstrong, Willem Korsten, Anthony Gardner and Ben Thatcher.

Southampton manager Stuart Gray will be without Norwegian defender Claus Lundekvam as his side try and win their first points of the season. Tahar El Khalej is expected to deputise for Lundekvam who serves a one-match ban after being sent off at Leeds last month. Midfielder Chris Marsden has an ankle injury while Matt Le Tissier is battling to recover from a calf injury.

Last season: Tottenham 0 Southampton 0, Southampton 2 Tottenham 0

Last five league matches: Tottenham L W D D L, Southampton L W W L L

Top scorers: Darren Anderton and Christian Ziege (Tottenham) both 1; Southampton - no scorers

Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10

Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood)

Odds supplied courtesy of William Hills