Saturday, April 9th
Blackburn (14) v Birmingham (15)
Rovers midfielder Steven Nzonzi begins a three-match suspension and is ruled out but defender Gael Givet is available again after his ban, while midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen has recovered from illness. Vince Grella is out for the rest of the season after an Achilles operation while fellow midfielder Keith Andrews is still not match fit after a groin operation
Blues winger David Bentley (groin) and defender Martin Jiranek (toe) are out and strikers Nikola Zigic and Obafemi Martins are given only a 50-50 chance of being fit by Blues boss Alex McLeish. The duo are both troubled by groin injuries while, in addition, Zigic also has hip concerns. James McFadden and Scott Dann remain sidelined by knee and hamstring problems and are unlikely to return from long term lay-offs this season.
Last season: Blackburn 2 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 2 Blackburn 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn D L L D D; Birmingham L L D L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Mame Diouf & Nikola Kalinic (Blackburn) 6; Craig Gardner & Nikola Zigic (Birmingham) 8
Match odds: H 1-1 A 14-5 D 12-5
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Bolton (8) v West Ham (18)
Zat Knight and Mark Davies return to the Bolton squad — Knight has been troubled by a knee injury and Davies an ankle problem. Ricardo Gardner is also in contention after returning from a loan spell at Preston but Stuart Holden, Sean Davis and Sam Ricketts remain sidelined through injury.
West Ham manager Avram Grant will serve the first match of a two-game touchline ban for comments made about referee Mike Jones during last month’s FA Cup quarter-final 2-1 defeat to Stoke. Jack Collison (knee) and Junior Stanislas (hernia) again miss out with long-standing injuries.
Last season: West Ham 1 Bolton 2, Bolton 3 West Ham 1
Last five league matches: Bolton W D W L L; West Ham D W W D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Johan Elmander (Bolton) 12; Demba Ba (West Ham) 13
Match odds: H 23-20 A 23-10 D 12-5
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Chelsea (4) v Wigan (20)
Alex could make his first appearance since November — the Brazil defender will start on the bench after recovering from knee surgery. His return gives manager Carlo Ancelotti a full squad to choose from, with Yossi Benayoun an unused substitute in Wednesday’s Champions League defeat against Manchester United.
Wigan captain Gary Caldwell is available after emergency dental surgery — the defender required treatment to repair three teeth after a collision with Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko on Saturday. His availability means the bottom side are at full strength, with new signing Connor Sammon pushing for a first start.
Last season: Chelsea 8 Wigan 0, Wigan 3 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea D W W W D; Wigan D L L W D
Top scorers (all competitions): Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 16; Conor Sammon (Wigan) 18
Match odds: H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Man Utd (1) v Fulham (10)
Striker Wayne Rooney begins a two-match ban for United, while Rafael is ruled out after suffering bruising to his knee in Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Chelsea. John O’Shea (hamstring) is available again, as is Wes Brown, who suffered what Sir Alex Ferguson described as “a knock” against Bolton last month.
Damien Duff (Achilles) is a doubt for Fulham and centre-back Aaron Hughes is expected to be involved after showing no ill-effects from a heavy blow to the head against Blackpool last weekend. Striker Bobby Zamora has recovered from a bout of illness and is expected to figure at Old Trafford.
Last season: Man Utd 3 Fulham 0, Fulham 3 Man Utd 0
Last five league matches: Man Utd W L L W W; Fulham D D W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 21; Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 11
Match odds: H 2-5 A 15-2 D 10-3
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Sunderland (12) v West Brom (13)
Sunderland are without knee injury victims Fraizer Campbell and Titus Bramble but loan signing Nedum Onuoha is available after being ineligible for the defeat at parent club Manchester City, while Kieran Richardson (hamstring), Phil Bardsley (knee) and Sulley Muntari (calf) are expected to be fit.
Graham Dorrans is still recovering from an ankle injury and while West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson is pleased with the midfielder’s progress, he has not set a date for his return. James Morrison is available after recovering from a thigh injury picked up in training.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sunderland L L D L L; West Brom D D W D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland) 10; Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 10
Match odds: H 21-20 A 13-5 D 12-5
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
Tottenham (5) v Stoke (11)
Spurs winger Aaron Lennon is struggling to recover from the illness which prompted his late withdrawal from Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid. Lennon, Vedran Corluka (ankle) and Niko Kranjcar (foot) will need fitness tests but Steven Pienaar is out with a groin problem. Younes Kaboul (thigh), Jonathan Woodgate (calf) and Alan Hutton (knee) are unavailable but there is some good news about Ledley King, who has returned to light training
after it emerged that he no longer requires a second operation on his groin injury.
Stoke are without Danny Higginbotham after the defender sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury. John Carew should play a part after three games out with back trouble. Thomas Sorensen (back) and Abdoulaye Faye (hamstring) are fit, while Jermaine Pennant should be available despite picking up a knock in training on Wednesday.
Last season: Stoke 1 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 0 Stoke 1
Last five league matches: Tottenham W L D D D; Stoke L D L W D
Top scorers (all competitions): Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham) 12; Jonathan Walters (Stoke) 9
Match odds: H 4-5 A 17-5 D 5-2
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Wolves (19) v Everton (7)
Wolves’ Steven Fletcher is expected to be fit after calf trouble but boss Mick McCarthy is confident the striker will be available. Kevin Doyle (knee), Ronald Zubar (back) and Dave Edwards (back) remain long-term casualties and Stephen Hunt’s hopes of being involved in the run-in have suffered a setback with him requiring hernia surgery — but Adlene Guedioura is in contention to play some part following six months out with a broken leg.
Everton’s Seamus Coleman, Jack Rodwell (both ankle) and Tim Cahill (foot) are doubtful but Victor Anichebe, injured on recent international duty, could be back in contention. Playmaker Mikel Arteta (hamstring) remains sidelined while Louis Saha and Marouane Fellaini are long-term absentees, although Magaye
Gueye and Apostolos Vellios could get further opportunities after making their Premier League debuts against Aston Villa last week.
Last season: Wolves 0 Everton 0, Everton 1 Wolves 1
Last five league matches: Wolves D W D W L; Everton W W D W D
Top scorers (all competitions): Kevin Doyle & Adam Hammill (Wolves) 8; Louis Saha (Everton) 10
Match odds: H 6-4 A 15-8 D 11-5
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Sunday, April 10th
Aston Villa (16) v Newcastle (9)
Villa midfielder Ciaran Clark will return after suspension, giving boss Gerard Houllier a full strength squad to choose from as his players look to avenge a 6-0 defeat at St James’ Park earlier in the campaign.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will be without suspended trio Kevin Nolan, Cheick Tiote and James Perch. Ryan Taylor returns to contention after completing a ban and full-back Jose Enrique (hamstring) is fit, but Stephen Ireland is ineligible under the terms of his loan agreement.
French winger Hatem Ben Arfa is set to resume training with the first-team squad after recovering from a double leg fracture the week after next, but Leon Best is out for the season after undergoing ankle surgery and Dan Gosling (knee) and Alan Smith (ankle) remain on the sidelines.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Aston Villa D W L L D; Newcastle W D L L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Darren Bent (Aston Villa) 16; Kevin Nolan (Newcastle) 12
Match odds: H 10-11 A 3-1 D 5-2
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Blackpool (17) v Arsenal (2)
Blackpool have DJ Campbell back after the striker completed his three-match suspension. Goalkeeper Matt Gilks, sidelined by a broken kneecap in November, has been playing for the reserves but Seasiders boss Ian Holloway does not feel the 28-year-old is ready yet for a return to first-team action. David Carney misses out again with a shoulder injury, for which he is to undergo surgery.
Arsenal will hand England winger Theo Walcott (ankle) a late fitness test but midfielder Alex Song (knee) definitely misses out. Full-back Bacary Sagna also has a knee problem and will be assessed ahead of the trip but Aaron Ramsey (groin) should return. Denilson (toe) remains out, while defenders Johan Djourou (shoulder), Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (finger) continue their rehabilitation.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Blackpool W L L D L; Arsenal W W D D D
Top scorers (all competitions): Charlie Adam & DJ Campbell (Blackpool) 10; Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 15
Match odds: H 6-1 A 2-5 D 4-1
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Monday, April 11
Liverpool (6) v Man City (3)
Steven Gerrard (groin) and Daniel Agger (knee) are out for the season, while Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly could be sidelined for another month with hamstring injuries. Jay Spearing is set to continue in central midfield, although Jonjo Shelvey is working his way back into contention after knee surgery.
City defender Pablo Zabaleta returns to the squad after compassionate leave, while Gareth Barry, James Milner and Edin Dzeko are all pushing for places in the team after being rested against Sunderland. Micah Richards (hamstring) and Jerome Boateng (knee) remain sidelined through injury.
Last season: Man City 0 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 2 Man City 2
Last five league matches: Liverpool D L W W L; Man City L D W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 12; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 22
Match odds: H 6-4 A 15-8 D 11-5
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
