Saturday, January 22nd

Arsenal (3) v Wigan (18)

Arsenal have no fresh injury problems as they head into tomorrow’s clash against Wigan. Striker Marouane Chamakh (knee) and midfielder Denilson (hip) have recovered from minor knocks and midfielder Jack Wilshere returns after being rested. Goalkeepers Lukasz Fabianski (shoulder) and Manuel Almunia (ankle) remain out, along with Abou Diaby (calf) and Sebastien Squillaci (hamstring), while centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is set for a six-week rehabilitation after a

minor procedure on his Achilles.

Victor Moses (shoulder) and James McCarthy (ankle) are back training for Wigan but are unlikely to feature. Franco Di Santo and Chris Kirkland are in contention but Tom Cleverley (hamstring) is out.

Last season

: Wigan 3 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 4 Wigan 0

Last five league matches:

Arsenal W D W D W; Wigan W D L D D

Top scorers (all competitions):

Samir Nasri (Arsenal) 14; Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 6

Match odds:

H 2-9 A 12-1 D 5-1

Referee:

Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Aston Villa (17) v Man City (2)

Record signing Darren Bent is poised to make his Aston Villa debut following his big-money move from Sunderland. Winger Ashley Young is available after missing the derby with Birmingham through suspension, but striker Emile Heskey will serve the final game of a three-match ban for his sending-off against Sunderland. Defender Luke Young (hip) and midfielder Stephen Ireland (knee) remain on the injury list.

New Manchester City signing Edin Dzeko is set for a recall after being ineligible for Tuesday’s FA Cup replay win over Leicester. Kolo Toure, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry are also in line to return.

Last season:

Man City 3 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 1 Man City 1

Last five league matches

: Aston Villa L L D L D; Man City W W W D W

Top scorers (all competitions):

Darren Bent (Aston Villa) 11; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 16

Match odds:

H 5-2 A 11-10 D 12-5

Referee

: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)

Blackpool (10) v Sunderland (6)

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has no fresh injury concerns. Marlon Harewood is almost ready to return after his hamstring injury but is likely to return against Manchester United on Tuesday, while David Carney is still on international duty with Australia at the Asian Cup.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will start life without leading scorer Darren Bent after his move to Aston Villa. Danny Welbeck has had knee surgery to leave Bruce with one recognised striker, record signing Asamoah Gyan. Skipper Lee Cattermole (back), Michael Turner, Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (all knee) and John Mensah (ankle) are still out.

Last season

: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches

: Blackpool W L L W L; Sunderland L L W W D

Top scorers (all competitions):

DJ Campbell (Blackpool) 8; Asamoah Gyan & Danny Welbeck (Sunderland) 7

Match odds

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

Referee

: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Everton (12) v West Ham (20)

Everton hope Phil Jagielka will be fit but Louis Saha is doubtful. Jagielka has missed four of the last five games with a thigh injury but Saha is struggling to overcome a thigh strain. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov could get a chance following the sale of Steven Pienaar but Tim Cahill is still on international duty at the Asian Cup.

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker will start after missing the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal with an ankle problem. Lars Jacobsen (heal), Manuel Da Costa (ankle) and Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh) are injured while Victor Obinna is suspended.

Last season:

Everton 2 West Ham 2, West Ham 1 Everton 2

Last five league matches:

Everton W D L W D; West Ham W D W L L

Top scorers (all competitions):

Tim Cahill (Everton) 9; Frederic Piquionne (West Ham) 7

Match odds:

H 11-20 A 5-1 D 3-1

Referee:

Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Fulham (15) v Stoke (8)

Steve Sidwell is pushing to make his Fulham debut. The midfielder was an unused substitute at Wigan last weekend following his switch from Aston Villa. Fulham are still without Bobby Zamora (leg), Philippe Senderos (Achilles) and Matthew Briggs (calf), while Mark Schwarzer is on Asian Cup duty with Australia.

New Stoke signing John Carew goes straight into the squad after joining on loan from Aston Villa. Jon Walters pressed his claims with both goals in the midweek FA Cup victory over Cardiff. Defender Danny Higginbotham came off with a hamstring strain in midweek and is unlikely to recover in time to be included in the squad.

Last season:

Fulham 0 Stoke 1, Stoke 3 Fulham 2

Last five league matches:

Fulham L W L W D; Stoke W L W L W

Top scorers (all competitions):

Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 7; Kenwyne Jones (Stoke) 7

Match odds:

H 23-20 A 13-5 D 11-5

Referee

: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)

Man Utd (1) v Birmingham (16)

Alex Ferguson must find a replacement for Brazilian full-back Rafael who is suspended after he was sent off against Tottenham. Brother Fabio, plus more experienced duo Wes Brown and John O’Shea, are all in contention to fill the vacancy, with Ferguson also expected to make a couple of extra changes as his side look to remain top.

Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome (hamstring) and winger Sebastian Larsson (hip) are available after injury. Liam Ridgewell is again set to deputise at the heart of the defence for Scott Dann, who has undergone surgery on his damaged hamstring, with David Murphy playing at left-back. Goalkeeper Ben Foster will return to Old Trafford for the first time since his £6million summer move from United.

Last season

: Birmingham 1 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 1 Birmingham 0

Last five league matches:

Man Utd W D W W D; Birmingham L D L W D

Top scorers (all competitions)

: Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 15; Craig Gardner & Jordon Mutch (Birmingham) 5

Match odds:

H 2-9 A 12-1 D 5-1

Referee

: Mike Jones (Cheshire)

Newcastle (9) v Tottenham (5)

Newcastle’s Alan Smith (ankle) could miss the rest of the season while leading scorer Andy Carroll (thigh), Dan Gosling (knee), Steven Taylor (hamstring), Sol Campbell (leg), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Ryan Taylor (ankle ligaments) also miss out. Captain Kevin Nolan (throat infection) will start but Cheik Tiote’s suspension continues.

Steven Pienaar is available to make his Tottenham debut after signing from Everton. Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Wilson Palacios are doubtful after they both picked up minor knee injuries in training and Ledley King (groin) is sidelined. Long-term absentees Jonathan Woodgate (groin), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are also unavailable.

Last season:

No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches:

Newcastle L L W W D; Tottenham W W W L D

Top scorers (all competitions):

Andy Carroll (Newcastle) 11; Gareth Bale & Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham) 11

Match odds:

H 21-10 A 5-4 D 12-5

Referee

: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

Wolves (19) v Liverpool (13)

Wolves’ new signing Adam Hammill is set to make his debut against former club Liverpool. The winger, who signed from Barnsley for £500,000, will feature in the squad and is likely to play some part. Mick McCarthy will be without Dave Edwards, who has a virus, and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, who is still out with a calf injury. Jody Craddock and Karl Henry are likely to start after playing in the team’s midweek FA Cup win over Doncaster.

Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole could be in line for a recall after playing 45 minutes for the reserves on Wednesday. Milan Jovanovic has been ill this week and may not make the squad which is again without captain Steven Gerrard, who serves the final game of this three-match ban.

Last season:

Wolves 0 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 2 Wolves 0

Last five league matches:

Wolves L W L W L; Liverpool L W L L D

Top scorers (all competitions):

Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 6; Steven Gerrard & David Ngog (Liverpool) 8

Match odds

: H 2-1 A 11-8 D 9-4

Referee

: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Sunday, January 23rd

Blackburn (11) v West Brom (14)

New signing Jermaine Jones is in contention for Blackburn. Roque Santa Cruz is poised for his first start since rejoining the club on loan from Manchester City. Ryan Nelsen (knee) and back-up goalkeeper Mark Bunn (back) are slight doubts but David Dunn (leg) is fit. Steven Nzonzi (hamstring) could return while Keith Andrews, Vince Grella and Phil Jones miss out.

West Brom welcome back key defender Jonas Olsson from suspension. Olsson played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Walsall and is set to return. Pablo Ibanez also came through that match unscathed after a hamstring injury but Graham Dorrans (ankle) is a doubt while Steven Reid (knee) is poised to return to training next week.

Last season:

No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches

: Blackburn L W L W L; West Brom L L L L W

Top scorers (all competitions):

Mame Biram Diouf (Blackburn) 6; Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 8

Match odds:

H 5-4 A 21-10 D 12-5

Referee

: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

Monday, January 24th

Bolton (7) v Chelsea (4)

Former Middlesbrough defender David Wheater could make his Bolton debut after signing a three-and-a-half-year deal. Striker Ivan Klasnic (groin) and full-back Gretar Steinsson (knee) are doubtful through injury while Lee Chung-yong is on international duty at the Asian Cup with South Korea.

Frank Lampard and John Terry are both doubts. Lampard is the bigger concern with a calf injury the club had yesterday been confident would not rule him out, while Terry is expected to be available despite picking up a back problem. Manager Carlo Ancelotti remains without Alex (knee), Yury Zhirkov (calf) and Yossi Benayoun (Achilles).

Last season

: Chelsea 1 Bolton 0, Bolton 0 Chelsea 4

Last five league matches

: Bolton W L L D L; Chelsea L W D L W

Top scorers (all competitions)

: Johan Elmander (Bolton) 10; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 12

Match odds

: H 9-2 A 6-10 D 3-1

Referee

: Chris Foy (Merseyside)