Saturday, March 15

Arsenal (1) v Middlesbrough (12)

Arsenal have England Under-21 international Theo Walcott fit again following a thigh problem. Winger Emmanuel Eboue is available following a three-match domestic suspension, but Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Abou Diaby (calf) remain sidelined. Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie are pressing for a recall.

Strikers Afonso Alves and Jeremie Aliadiere return to the Middlesbrough squad, while manager Gareth Southgate must decide whether to continue with George Boateng and Mohamed Shawky in central midfield or recall Fabio Rochemback and Julio Arca.

Last season: Middlesbrough 1 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 1 Middlesbrough 1

Last five league matches: Arsenal W W D D D; Middlesbrough D W L L D

Top scorers: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 23; Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 11

Match odds: H 2-9 A 9-1 D 19-5

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

Derby (20) v Man Utd (2)

Derby defender Alan Stubbs suffered a calf injury in Wednesday's 6-1 defeat at Chelsea and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks. Rams boss Paul  Jewell will hand a late fitness test to Stephen Pearson, who is struggling with a stomach muscle strain, while Tyrone Mears and Claude Davis remain long-term absentees.

United keeper Ben Foster will make his long-awaited debut three seasons after moving to Old Trafford. He spent two seasons on loan to Watford before having a knee operation in the summer. With only one reserve game behind him, he has been drafted in as Edwin van der Sar has a groin problem and Tomasz Kuszczak is suspended.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers: Kenny Miller (Derby) 8; Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 30

Match odds: H 14-1 A 1-7 D 9-2

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Liverpool (4) v Reading (14)

Danish defender Daniel Agger has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a metatarsal injury that will require a third operation on Monday. Rafael  Benitez will recall Xabi Alonso to the squad to face the Royals, the Spanishmidfielder having missed Tuesday's win over Inter Milan to be at the bedside of his girlfriend for the birth of their son.

Reading are without Graeme Murty (knee), Brynjar Gunnarsson (groin) and Emerse Fae (malaria). Glen Little (hamstring) remains on the sidelines but has been pencilled in for a reserve game next week.

Last season: Reading 1 Liverpool 2, Liverpool 2 Reading 0

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

Top scorers: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 26; Dave Kitson (Reading) 9

Match odds: H 2-7 A 8-1 D 16-5

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

Portsmouth (7) v Aston Villa (6)

Portsmouth captain Sol Campbell faces a late fitness test on a knee problem. With Noe Pamarot still out injured, Hermann Hreidarsson may have to switch from left back. On-loan defender Lucien Aubey is in the squad. Lassana Diarra is set  to return to the starting line-up and replace Pedro Mendes, while Kanu is expected to continue his role as substitute.

Aston Villa have doubts over striker Gabriel Agbonlahor (foot) and right-back Craig Gardner (back). Olof Mellberg, who is fully fit after an ankle injury and started Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on the bench before replacing Gardner at half-time, is ready to come into the defence.

Last season: Aston Villa 0 Portsmouth 0, Portsmouth 2 Aston Villa 2

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

Top scorers: Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth) 13; John Carew (Aston Villa) 9

Match odds: H 5-4 A 9-5 D 21-10

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Sunderland (16) v Chelsea (3)

Sunderland winger Carlos Edwards played 60 minutes for the reserves in midweek following his recovery from a broken leg, and could be included in the senior squad for the first time since suffering the fracture against Derby on December 1. However, midfielder Dickson Etuhu is likely to be sidelined again with a knee problem, while Anthony Stokes has not trained all week because of a virus.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech remains sidelined by an ankle injury sustained in training and Italian Carlo Cudicini is set to continue in his absence. Avram Grant must decide whether to recall striker Didier Drogba to the starting line-up after leaving him on the bench for the 6-1 midweek victory over Derby.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers: Rade Prica (Sunderland) 13; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 17

Match odds: H 6-1 A 2-5 D 11-4

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

West Ham (10) v Blackburn (8)

West Ham hope to have defender Matthew Upson back from a calf problem but midfielder Luis Boa Morte is suspended, so Mark Noble could come in. Julien Faubert, Danny Gabbidon, Matthew Etherington, Lee Bowyer and Craig Bellamy are continuing their rehabilitation, but will not yet be back in first-team contention.

Australian Brett Emerton is expected to recover from a groin injury for Rovers while David Dunn (calf) is also fully fit. Steven Reid (groin) is a doubt.

Last season: Blackburn 1 West Ham 2, West Ham 2 Blackburn 1

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

Top scorers: Dean Ashton (West Ham) 6; Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) 15

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

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Sunday, March 16

Fulham (19) v Everton (5)

Struggling Fulham have Alexei Smertin available again as he has recovered from a back strain. Philippe Christanval and Jari Litmanen are still out with muscle problems while Kasey Keller looks certain to be preferred to Antti Niemi in goal again.

Lee Carsley returns from suspension but a hip problem is again expected to rule out fellow midfielder Tim Cahill.

Last season: Everton 4 Fulham 1, Fulham 1 Everton 0

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

Top scorers: Erik Nevland (Fulham) 7; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) 18

Match odds: H 21-10 A 21-20 D 11-5

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)

Man City (9) v Tottenham (11)

Richard Dunne faces a late fitness test on his injured shin. Dunne needed nine stitches in the injury he sustained during last week's defeat to Reading. Dunne's absence would leave Eriksson with few defensive options as Michael Ball (knee) and Micah Richards (knee) are still out. Martin Petrov is banned, but Nedum Onuoha is back after a hamstring strain.

Tottenham skipper Ledley King picked up a calf injury in midweek action against PSV Eindhoven and is out. Scotland full-back Alan Hutton was ineligible for UEFA  Cup duty and is expected to return to the squad , Ricardo Rocha (groin) is out but Younes Kaboul (knee) is back in contention. Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) are out for the season.

Last season: Tottenham 2 Man City 1, Man City 1 Tottenham 2

Last five league matches: Man City L W L D L; Tottenham D D W L W

Top scorers: Benjani Mwaruwari (Man City) 13; Dimitar Berbatov & Robbie Keane (Tottenham) 20

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

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

Wigan (13) v Bolton (18)

Wigan striker Emile Heskey has recovered from a foot injury so Latics boss Steve Bruce could name an unchanged line-up. On-loan striker Marcus Bent could miss out again through a slight injury problem, while Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist is unavailable after rejoining Helsingborgs this week on loan until the end of the season.

For Bolton, Gary Cahill is likely to be the only survivor after the 1-0 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of a UEFA Cup last-16 tie. Kevin Nolan, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Davies, Matt Taylor, El Hadji Diouf, Andy O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Ivan Campo, Gavin McCann and Gretar Steinsson should all return.

Last season: Wigan 1 Bolton 3, Bolton 0 Wigan 1

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

Top scorers: Marlon King (Wigan) 11; Grzegorz Rasiak (Bolton) 8

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

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)

Monday, March 17

Birmingham (17) v Newcastle (15)

Defender Martin Taylor serves the third game of a three-match ban for his sending off against Arsenal. Blues manager Alex McLeish has no fresh injury worries as his side look to repeat the performance in their last home game, when they demolished Tottenham 4-1. Cameron Jerome suffered a toe injury before the midweek game at Portsmouth but was able to come on as a substitute after taking painkillers.

Striker Mark Viduka could return, having not started a league game since January 2 because of a combination of calf and hamstring injuries. Joey Barton will play after missing last weekend's trip to Liverpool but midfielder James Milner is likely to be sidelined for three weeks with a foot injury and Shay Given (groin), Emre (calf) and Stephen Carr (hamstring) are still missing.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Birmingham D D D W L; Newcastle D L L L L

Top scorers: James McFadden (Birmingham) 8; Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 7

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

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)