Aston Villa (6) v Newcastle (12)

Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury and Villa will also check on midfielder Stiliyan Petrov, who has a bruised toe. Winger Ashley Young is available after suspension and central defender Curtis Davies is expected to have recovered from a knee injury.

Jose Enrique (calf) will return for Newcastle with emergency left-back Charles N'Zogbia suspended. Mark Viduka could start after returning from a calf injury as a substitute last weekend, while Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye are back in contention following their return from the African Nations Cup.
Last season: Newcastle 3 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa W W D D L; Newcastle L L D L D
Top scorers: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 7; Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 7
Match odds: H 8-11 D 11-5 A 10-3
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Bolton (14) v Portsmouth (9)

Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf could return to the starting line-up. The Senegal international started on the bench in Bolton's win at Reading last weekend after returning from the African Nations Cup but could replace Heidar Helguson as Kevin Davies' striking partner. Abdoulaye Meite is on international duty with the Ivory Coast and Joey O'Brien is again doubtful with a hamstring strain but Gavin McCann may return to the squad following a back injury.

Portsmouth have Papa Bouba Diop, Kanu and John Utaka all back from the African Nations Cup but centre-back Sylvain Distin again looks set to miss out with a hamstring injury. Midfielder Sulley Muntari is still in Ghana, who are taking part in the third-place play-off.
Last season: Bolton 3 Portsmouth 2, Portsmouth 0 Bolton 1
Last five league matches: Bolton W L D D W; Portsmouth W L W L D
Top scorers: Grzegorz Rasiak (Bolton) 8; Jermain Defoe, Sulley Muntari & John Utaka (Portsmouth) 4
Match odds: H 6-4 A 6-4 D 21-10
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Derby (20) v Tottenham (11)

Derby boss Paul Jewell faces mounting defensive problems. Claude Davis is set to have knee surgery, while Darren Moore and Andy Todd are doubts with hamstring problems. Tyrone Mears (shin), Jay McEveley (knee) and Danny Mills (knee) are also out. New signing Mile Sterjovski could be involved after being granted a work permit but on-loan Spurs midfielder Hossam Ghaly is ineligible.

Jonathan Woodgate is suspended but Darren Bent has been edging closer to full fitness after a knee injury and could be available. Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) remain on the sidelines, while Didier Zokora is on international duty.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Derby L L L D D; Tottenham L L W D D
Top scorers: Kenny Miller (Derby) 8; Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 18
Match odds: H 5-1 A 1-2 D 12-5
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Everton (4) v Reading (17)

Ayegbeni Yakubu has been left out after returning late from the African Nations Cup. Yakubu's international team-mate Joseph Yobo is back in contention having returned on Wednesday. South African midfielder Steven Pienaar is also back from Ghana but is carrying an ankle injury, while Victor Anichebe (knee) and on-loan defender Anthony Gardner (leg) are also out, and Leighton Baines (calf) is doubtful.

Reading are still set to be without Andre Bikey despite his bizarre sending-off on international duty for Cameroon. Bikey was dismissed for pushing a medic who was on the field treating team-mate Rigobert Song during the African Nations Cup semi-final clash with Ghana. However, he is expected to remain with the squad who play in Sunday's final, while Ivory Coast international Emerse Fae will remain in Ghana as his team play in the third-place play-off. Ivar Ingimarsson is suspended while winger Bobby Convey also misses out as he is back in the USA receiving treatment on a knee.
Last season: Everton 1 Reading 1, Reading 0 Everton 2
Last five league matches: Everton W W W D D; Reading L L L L L
Top scorers: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 12; Simon Cox (Reading) 9
Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Middlesbrough (13) v Fulham (19)

Record signing Afonso Alves could make the Middlesbrough squad for the first time, but is likely to be included only as a substitute at best after not playing for five weeks and having just two days' training with his new team-mates under his belt. Fellow striker Mido (groin) could return but midfielder Lee Cattermole is likely to be missing for two or three weeks after damaging his medial ligament at St James' Park and Tuncay Sanli (hamstring) remains on the sidelines.

Striker Brian McBride could start for Fulham after a serious knee injury. Paul Stalteri may be in contention after a dead leg, while Jari Litmanen could figure after improving his match fitness by playing for Finland. Hameur Bouazza has been granted special leave to deal with a family matter.
Last season: Middlesbrough 3 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Middlesbrough 1
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L D D W D; Fulham L L L D W
Top scorers: Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 11; Erik Nevland (Fulham) 7
Match odds: H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Sunderland (16) v Wigan (15)

Liam Miller damaged a calf muscle on international duty with the Republic of Ireland in midweek and could be out of action until the end of the month, and with Kieran Richardson (hamstring), Dwight Yorke (calf) and Grant Leadbitter (broken toe) all out and new signing Andy Reid searching for match fitness, Roy Keane's resources will be severely stretched.

Wigan could be without Mario Melchiot (thigh) and Marlon King, with the latter only returning from Jamaica today after playing all of his country's 1-1 draw with Costa Rica in Kingston. Fellow striker Emile Heskey, who is still nursing the back injury he suffered in last week's win over West Ham, is also a doubt.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sunderland L W L W L; Wigan D W L L W
Top scorers: Rade Prica (Sunderland) 13; Marlon King (Wigan) 11
Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

West Ham (10) v Birmingham (18)

Captain Lucas Neill will have to overcome a gruelling 24,000-mile round trip if he is to feature after playing for Australia in their World Cup qualifier in Melbourne. Mark Noble may be rested after three games in six days but Julien Faubert and Nolberto Solano both came through a reserve game against QPR on Monday while on-loan striker Henri Camara is back in training after he returned from the African Nations Cup. But there are concerns over Craig Bellamy, who has been sidelined with an abdominal injury and reported being "sore" three days after the reserve-team game.

Blues midfielder Olivier Kapo is banned, giving Gary McSheffrey hope of a recall. Mikael Forssell and Cameron Jerome are in contention for a recall, midfielder Mehdi Nafti and defender Radhi Jaidi are back after African Nations Cup duty — but full-back Franck Queudrue is still sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: West Ham L W D W L; Birmingham L D L L D
Top scorers: Dean Ashton (West Ham) 6; Cameron Jerome, Olivier Kapo & James McFadden (Birmingham) 5
Match odds: H 8-11 A 10-3 D 11-5
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Sunday, February 10th

Chelsea (3) v Liverpool (5)

England midfielder Frank Lampard could be back in contention for a place after being sidelined with a thigh problem since St Stephen's Day. Defender Ricardo Carvalho is back after suspension but Andriy Shevchenko (back) and John Terry (foot) remain out. Mikel John Obi should be available after international duty in the African Nations Cup.

Fernando Torres is facing a 10-day lay-off with a hamstring injury and Liverpool are also without Xabi Alonso (suspended) and long-term injury victims Andriy Voronin, Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa and Daniel Agger. Ryan Babel picked up an ankle injury playing for Holland on Wednesday making him a doubt.
Last season: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 1 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches: Chelsea W W W W D; Liverpool D D D L W
Top scorers: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 13; Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 18
Match odds: H 5-6 A 3-1 D 2-1
Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

Man Utd (2) v Man City (7)

Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra are suspended for United. With Louis Saha (knee) still injured Alex Ferguson is short of strikers and may even look to 17-year-old Danny Welbeck, who has been brought into the senior squad for the rest of the season. Gary Neville (ankle) is back in training but will not return to action for a couple of weeks.

Striker Benjani Mwaruwari could make his City debut after his complicated transfer from Portsmouth. Benjani could play on his own up front but Darius Vassell and youngster Daniel Sturridge are also in contention. City will be without suspended pair Elano and Vedran Corluka.
Last season: Man City 0 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 3 Man City 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W D; Man City W L D D L
Top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 27; Elano, Felipe Caicedo (Man City) 7
Match odds: H 2-7 A 8-1 D 16-5
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Monday, February 11th

Arsenal (1) v Blackburn (8)

Defender Philippe Senderos (knee) is a major doubt for Arsenal, while midfielder Mathieu Flamini (thigh) and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (virus) are also concerns. Gilberto should return from a stiff back but Abou Diaby (calf) is out, along with Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Robin van Persie (thigh), Johan Djourou (groin) and Denilson (hamstring). Kolo Toure could be rushed back from the African Nations Cup following Saturday's third-placed play-off.

Rovers centre-back Christopher Samba and midfielders David Dunn and Morten Gamst Pedersen are suspended, while defenders Ryan Nelsen (hamstring), Andre Ooijer (hamstring) and midfielder Steven Reid (knee) are doubts. Matt Derbyshire's girlfriend is expecting twins any time so that could affect the striker's participation, although Aaron Mokoena could be available after returning from the African Nations Cup.
Last season: Blackburn 0 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 6 Blackburn 2
Last five league matches: Arsenal W D W W W; Blackburn W W D D D
Top scorers: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 21; Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) 15
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).