Saturday, October 6th

Chelsea (1) v Norwich (18)

Blues striker Daniel Sturridge has missed the last five matches with a hamstring injury but is expected to be fit after the international break. Manager Roberto Di Matteo must decide once again which players to recall and which to rest.

Norwich could have centre-back Sebastien Bassong back from a hamstring problem. Winger Anthony Pilkington (back) has returned to training and could be in contention but defender Steven Whittaker (ankle) continues his rehabilitation, while on-loan Tottenham striker Harry Kane is sidelined by a broken metatarsal.

Last season: Norwich 0 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 3 Norwich 1

Last five league matches: Chelsea W W D W W; Norwich D D D L L

Top scorers (all competitions): Fernando Torres (Chelsea) 5; Grant Holt, Wes Hoolahan, Simeon Jackson, Simon Lappin, Steve Morison, Robert Snodgrass & Alexander Tettey (Norwich) 1

Match odds: H 1-4 A 10-1 D 5-1

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).

Man City (4) v Sunderland (13)

City’s Javi Garcia (thigh) was substituted in the first half against Borussia Dortmund in midweek and fellow midfielder Yaya Toure appeared to be limping towards the end of the game, although manager Roberto Mancini played down injury fears. Central defender Joleon Lescott could be restored after being left out of Wednesday’s Champions League match but right-backs Maicon (heel) and Micah Richards (ankle) are out.

Carlos Cuellar could return to the Sunderland squad — the defender is back in training after missing the last three games and manager Martin O’Neill hopes he will be available. Midfielder Lee Cattermole serves the second game of his three-match ban, while Phil Bardsley (ankle) and Wes Brown (knee) have both

stepped up their bids for fitness, although neither is likely to figure tomorrow.

Last season: Man City 3 Sunderland 3, Sunderland 1 Man City 0

Last five league matches: Man City D W D D W; Sunderland D D D D W

Top scorers (all competitions): Edin Dzeko & Carlos Tevez (Man City) 4; Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) 5

Match odds: H 2-7 A 9-1 D 9-2

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Swansea (11) v Reading (19)

Swans boss Michael Laudrup hopes Ashley Williams will have recovered from a bout of illness. The defender has been playing with an ankle injury for the last two matches and if he is not fit to play, Garry Monk or Alan Tate could step in. Dutchman Kemy Agustien is out as he recovers from a calf injury.

Reading boss Brian McDermott has no fresh injury concerns. Goalkeeper Adam Federici (knee) remains sidelined and there is a small doubt over Mikele Leigertwood after the midfielder suffered a dead leg in the draw with Newcastle. Experienced striker Jason Roberts was introduced as a late substitute in the draw for his first appearance of the season following a calf problem and he remains in contention.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Swansea W D L L L; Reading D L L L D

Top scorers (all competitions): Michu (Swansea) 5; Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) 3

Match odds: H 10-11 A 3-1 D 5-2

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

West Brom (6) v QPR (20)

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie has completed a ban and is included in the squad but right-back Billy Jones and midfielder Chris Brunt have joined the injury list and are ruled out with knee and hamstring setbacks. Defender Steven Reid (hamstring) and number two goalkeeper Boaz Myhill (hand) are also sidelined while winger Jerome Thomas’ return from a series of injury niggles has been delayed by illness.

QPR defenders Jose Bosingwa and Anton Ferdinand are both doubts as they look to recover from hamstring problems and Armand Traore (leg) has not taken part in full training this week. Full-back Fabio (hamstring) is definitely out as is midfielder Samba Diakite, who serves a one-match ban for his sending off at West Ham on Monday, with striker Andy Johnson (knee) a long-term absentee.

Last season: West Brom 1 QPR 0, QPR 1 West Brom 1

Last five league matches: West Brom D W L W D; QPR D L D L L

Top scorers (all competitions): Shane Long (West Brom) 4; Bobby Zamora (QPR) 4

Match odds: H 17-20 A 16-5 D 5-2

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).

West Ham (7) v Arsenal (8)

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce must decide whether Andy Carroll starts. The striker returned from a hamstring problem in the win at QPR but is short of match fitness and Allardyce is wary of a further injury risk. Winston Reid should be available after he was knocked out at QPR but Allardyce is less certain about left-back Joey O’Brien (hamstring), while Jack Collison (knee) and Alou Diarra (thigh) are long-term absentees.

Arsenal could have defender Per Mertesacker back from a virus but first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (ankle) remains sidelined, as does Abou Diaby (thigh). Midfielders Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Emmanuel Frimpong (knee) continue their rehabilitation, along with winger Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and defender Bacary Sagna (broken leg).

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: West Ham L W D D W; Arsenal D W W D L

Top scorers (all competitions): Kevin Nolan (West Ham) 3; Gervinho (Arsenal) 5

Match odds: H 3-1 A 10-11 D 5-2

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Wigan (16) v Everton (2)

Wigan have Jordi Gomez available after the midfielder won his appeal against his sending off last week — the Spaniard won a claim for wrongful dismissal after receiving a red card early in the second half of the loss against Sunderland. Defender Antolin Alcaraz (groin) is more likely to return to action against Swansea in a fortnight while midfielder Fraser Fyvie (ankle) is doubtful.

Everton boss David Moyes will monitor the condition of Steven Naismith (calf) — the forward has been training but Moyes is wary of rushing him back into action too soon. The Scot has also confirmed that defender Tony Hibbert (calf) and midfielder Darron Gibson (thigh) will again not feature.

Last season: Wigan 1 Everton 1, Everton 3 Wigan 1

Last five league matches: Wigan W D L L L; Everton W L D W W

Top scorers (all competitions): Mauro Boselli (Wigan) 3; Victor Anichebe, Marouane Fellaini, Nikica Jelavic & Kevin Mirallas (Everton) 3

Match odds: H 13-5 A 21-20 D 12-5

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

Sunday, October 7th

Liverpool (14) v Stoke (12)

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will make changes again, with midfielder Jonjo Shelvey certain to drop out of the team as he continues to serve a domestic suspension. Jose Enrique and Joe Cole have been working their way back from knee and hamstring problems respectively, but it remains to be seen whether or not either is ready to make a first-team return, while Martin Kelly (knee) and Lucas Leiva (thigh) remain sidelined.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has a fully-fit squad to pick from, with Peter Crouch, Michael Owen and Charlie Adam all hoping to feature against their former club. The only Potters player not in contention is defender Andy Wilkinson, who serves the final match of a three-game suspension.

Last season: Liverpool 0 Stoke 0, Stoke 1 Liverpool 0

Last five league matches: Liverpool D L D L W; Stoke D D D L W

Top scorers (all competitions): Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 6; Peter Crouch (Stoke) 5

Match odds: H 4-9 A 13-2 D 16-5

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Newcastle (10) v Man Utd (3)

Magpies defender Davide Santon, midfielders Jonas Gutierrez and Hatem Ben Arfa and striker Demba Ba could figure after being rested for the Europa League win over Bordeaux, which saw full-back Danny Simpson return from a hamstring injury. Defenders Fabricio Coloccini (hamstring) and Steven Taylor (calf) and utility man Ryan Taylor are still sidelined and Steve Harper will be in goal with Tim Krul (elbow) out.

United have experienced midfield trio Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick available — Giggs and Carrick missed the Champions League trip to Cluj on Tuesday through illness while Scholes was rested.  Defender Jonny Evans has also recovered from a dead leg and could feature but Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones are not yet ready to return.

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

Last five league matches: Newcastle L D D W D; Man Utd W W W W L

Top scorers (all competitions): Demba Ba (Newcastle) 6; Robin van Persie (Man Utd) 7

Match odds: H 14-5 A 19-20 D 5-2

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Southampton (17) v Fulham (9)

Saints’ Morgan Schneiderlin could return after a knee injury — the midfielder missed last weekend’s defeat at Everton with the complaint but was back in training today. Jack Cork faces a bit longer out with an injury to his left knee, but goalkeeper Artur Boruc could be involved for the first time.

Fulham striker Mladen Petric is a doubt with a calf injury and boss Martin Jol gives fellow striker Dimitar Berbatov only a 10 percent chance of proving his fitness after a hip/upper thigh problem. Simon Davies (hip) and Mahamadou Diarra (knee) are out but Kieran Richardson returns and Pajtim Kasami, Philippe Senderos, Kerim Frei and Ashkan Dejagah may figure if they come through tonight’s development team match.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Southampton L L L W L; Fulham L L W W L

Top scorers (all competitions): Rickie Lambert (Southampton) 4; Damien Duff & Mladen Petric (Fulham) 3

Match odds: H 13-8 A 8-5 D 12-5

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Tottenham (5) v Aston Villa (15)

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor is fit after recovering from a hamstring injury. Andre Villas-Boas is expected to recall Brad Friedel in goal despite a solid performance from his understudy Hugo Lloris in yesterday’s Europa League draw against Panathinaikos but Kyle Naughton (foot), Scott Parker (Achilles), Jake Livermore (groin), Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Younes Kaboul (both knee) are out.

Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland (broken arm) and central defender Richard Dunne (groin) remain sidelined although the former could return after the international break. Boss Paul Lambert may recall striker Darren Bent to the starting line-up against one of his former clubs after he came off the substitutes’ bench to equalise against West Brom last weekend.

Last season: Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0

Last five league matches: Tottenham D D W W W; Aston Villa L D W L D

Top scorers (all competitions): Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 4; Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) 4

Match odds: H 4-9 A 6-1 D 17-5

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).