Saturday, March 2nd (kick-off 3.0pm unless stated otherwise)
Tottenham (3) v Arsenal (4) (12.30pm)
Tottenham will give fitness tests to Jan Vertonghen and Harry Winks ahead of Saturday’s north London derby. Vertonghen picked up a hip injury in the build-up to Wednesday’s defeat at Chelsea, where Winks sustained a similar problem. Dele Alli (hamstring) and Eric Dier (tonsillitis) are both out.
Captain Laurent Koscielny should be fit to lead out Arsenal. The defender was forced off in Wednesday’s win over Bournemouth after taking a knock to his knee - but it is expected that he will be ready to face Spurs. Stephan Lichtsteiner (back) is also available with long-term absentees Danny Welbeck (ankle), Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding (both knee) still missing.
Last season: Tottenham 1 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 2 Tottenham 0
Last five league matches: Tottenham W W W L L; Arsenal W L W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Harry Kane (Tottenham) 21; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) 19
Match odds: H 21-20 D 13-5 A 5-2
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Bournemouth (12) v Manchester City (2)
Bournemouth will make a late call on Callum Wilson, who has missed five games with a knee problem. David Brooks could start against his former club having returned to the squad following an ankle problem, but midfielder Jefferson Lerma will serve out his two-match suspension. Junior Stanislas and Dominic Solanke (both thigh) are still not fit. Steve Cook (groin) remains sidelined, as well as long-term absentees Simon Francis and Lewis Cook (both knee).
Defender John Stones and striker Gabriel Jesus are back in contention for City. The pair have missed the last three games with groin and hamstring injuries respectively. Centre-back Aymeric Laporte (hamstring) and midfielder Fernandinho (groin) remain on the sidelines and the game also comes too soon for Fabian Delph despite his return to training after a leg injury.
Last season: Man City 4 Bournemouth 0, Bournemouth 1 Man City 2
Last five league matches: Bournemouth W L L D L; Man City L W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) 11; Sergio Aguero (Man City) 25
Match odds: H 12-1 D 11-2 A 2-9
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Brighton (16) v Huddersfield (20)
Brighton’s attacking midfielder Pascal Gross suffered a minor hamstring injury during the midweek defeat at Leicester and has been ruled out. Forward Florin Andone returns to contention following a three-match ban, but back-up defender Leon Balogun (shoulder) remains sidelined.
Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert will assess defender Demeaco Duhaney. The right-back made his league debut in the midweek win against Wolves but was withdrawn at half-time due to a thigh strain, so midfielder Juninho Bacuna, who filled the gap, could start in that role on Saturday. Adama Diakhaby (hamstring) will be out for another three or four weeks, Tommy Smith is still suspended and Abdelhamid Sabiri (collarbone), Danny Williams (knee) and Isaac Mbenza (calf) remain unavailable.
Last season: Brighton 1 Huddersfield 1, Huddersfield 2 Brighton 0
Last five league matches: Brighton L L D L L; Huddersfield L L L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Glenn Murray (Brighton) 12; Mathias Jorgensen (Huddersfield) 3
Match odds: H 4-5 D 12-5 A 4-1
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Burnley (15) v Crystal Palace (14)
Ashley Westwood is expected to return to the heart of Burnley’s midfield. Westwood was a late withdrawal from the side beaten at Newcastle in midweek because of illness but the 28-year-old is available for this weekend and should resume his central midfield partnership with Jack Cork. Fellow midfielders Steven Defour (calf) and Aaron Lennon (knee) remain sidelined.
Palace will have Aaron Wan-Bissaka available for selection. The defender has recovered from a hamstring injury, and will be vying with Joel Ward to start. Mamadou Sakho has been ruled out having undergone knee surgery on Thursday, and while Pape Souare is nearing a return, Saturday’s fixture will come too soon.
Last season: Crystal Palace 1 Burnley 0, Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 0
Last five league matches: Burnley D D W W L; Crystal Palace D W D W L
Top scorers (all competitions): Chris Wood (Burnley) 10; Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) 8
Match odds: H 9-5 D 11-5 A 13-8
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Manchester United (5) v Southampton (17)
Anthony Martial could return for injury-hit Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prepares to play Marcus Rashford from the start. Martial will be assessed after a groin complaint and Rashford is fully fit after an ankle injury limited him to a substitute’s role in the midweek win away to Crystal Palace. Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard are set to miss out along with Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic, Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia.
Southampton will again be without forward Danny Ings and midfielder Mario Lemina. Ings has been sidelined by hamstring trouble, while Lemina is recovering from an abdominal problem and neither are able to train with the squad. Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl reported no fresh injury problems following the midweek win over fellow relegation battlers Fulham, but striker Michael Obafemi (hamstring) is set to miss the rest of the season.
Last season: Man Utd 0 Southampton 0, Southampton 0 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd D W W D W; Southampton D D L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Paul Pogba (Man Utd) 14; Danny Ings (Southampton) 8
Match odds: H 47-100 D 16-5 A 13-2
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Wolves (7) v Cardiff (18)
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed goalkeeper John Ruddy will make his first Premier League appearance of the season. Rui Patricio has been ever-present but Nuno wants to give Ruddy minutes before the FA Cup quarter-final with Manchester United in two weeks. Romain Saiss and Ruben Vinagre may be handed recalls.
Cardiff welcome back Victor Camarasa and Oumar Niasse. Spanish playmaker Camarasa has not started since January 19 because of a calf problem, while loan signing Niasse was ineligible to play against his parent club Everton on Tuesday. Harry Arter and Callum Paterson could both return after being rested in midweek, while Joe Ralls has recovered from a calf strain to rejoin the squad.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wolves W W D D L; Cardiff L W W L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Raul Jimenez (Wolves) 12; Sol Bamba, Callum Paterson & Bobby Reid (Cardiff) 4
Match odds: H 1-2 D 16-5 A 6-1
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
West Ham (10) v Newcastle (13) (5.30pm)
Marko Arnautovic will be back in the West Ham squad after illness. Full-backs Aaron Cresswell (toe) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) are also available after missing the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City through injury. Centre-back Fabian Balbuena is back in training after a knee injury but will not be involved.
Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey will miss out after asking to play for the club’s under-23s as he returns from injury. The England international, who is working his way back from a long-term thigh problem, currently finds himself behind Sean Longstaff, Isaac Hayden, Mohamed Diame and Ki Sung-yueng in the Magpies’ pecking order after sitting out since the beginning of January. Manager Rafael Benitez has no fresh selection problems with only keeper Rob Elliot (back) and defender Ciaran Clark (knee) unavailable.
Last season: West Ham 2 Newcastle 3, Newcastle 3 West Ham 0
Last five league matches: West Ham L D D W L; Newcastle W L D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Felipe Anderson (West Ham) 9; Salomon Rondon (Newcastle) 8
Match odds: H 21-20 D 12-5 A 27-10
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Sunday, March 3rd
Watford (8) v Leicester (11) (12.0pm)
Watford will have defender Jose Holebas available again following suspension. Adam Masina stood in at left-back for the past two matches and could continue, while defender Miguel Britos returns having missed the midweek 5-0 defeat at Liverpool through illness. Full-back Kiko Femenia has recovered from a hamstring injury, but sat out training on Friday as he was sick. Defender Sebastian Prodl played for the under-23s as he continues to overcome hamstring and knee injuries.
New Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has no new injury concerns. The 46-year-old, who joined from Celtic on Tuesday, is not expected to make wholesale changes for the trip to his former club. Daniel Amartey (ankle) and Marc Albrighton (hamstring) are the only players out.
Last season: Leicester 2 Watford 0, Watford 2 Leicester 1
Last five league matches: Watford L D W W L; Leicester D L L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Troy Deeney (Watford) 8; Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 9
Match odds: H 29-20 D 9-4 A 2-1
Referee: Jonathan Moss (County Durham)
Fulham (19) v Chelsea (6) (2.05pm)
Fulham’s new caretaker boss Scott Parker has no fresh selection concerns to contend with. Forward Andre Schurrle, who has missed the last two games, will not be available for the Premier League clash due to a virus. Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli and defender Alfie Mawson remain sidelined with long-term knee problems.
Kepa Arrizabalaga could return in goal in place of Willy Caballero. The Argentinian Caballero started Wednesday’s win over Tottenham as Kepa was disciplined for his refusal to be substituted in last week’s Carabao Cup final, and the pair will share goalkeeping duties in the Blues’ next two games. Head coach Maurizio Sarri plans to rotate his squad after a challenging series of fixtures.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Fulham W L L L L; Chelsea L L W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) 10; Eden Hazard (Chelsea) 15
Match odds: H 11-2 D 10-3 A 1-2
Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
Everton (9) v Liverpool (1) (4.15pm)
Everton boss Marco Silva has almost a full squad to choose from. Centre-back Kurt Zouma is available again having sat out the 3-0 win at Cardiff on Tuesday as he served a one-match suspension. Full-back Leighton Baines is the only injured player, ruled out with a back problem.
Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino faces a late fitness test to assess whether he is able to return. The Brazil international missed the midweek 5-0 win over Watford with an ankle problem but resumed light training on Thursday. Manager Jurgen Klopp is still missing defenders Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Last season: Everton 0 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 1 Everton 1
Last five league matches: Everton W L L L W; Liverpool D D W D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) 12; Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 20
Match odds: H 24-5 D 3-1 A 6-10
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
