Soccer:All the latest injury news and selection issues ahead of the weekend's English Premier League programme.

Saturday

Aston Villa (8) v Newcastle (4)
Aston Villa will be without Emile Heskey and Jermaine Jenas. Former England striker Heskey looks set to be out for two to three weeks with a pulled hamstring, while on-loan Tottenham midfielder Jenas also misses out this weekend after suffering a thigh injury in training.

Newcastle full back Davide Santon could be out of action for a month after suffering a cartilage injury. He will undergo treatment over the weekend and be reviewed by a specialist early next week. Utility man Ryan Taylor is likely to continue in his place. Hatem Ben Arfa is back in training after his ankle injury but is unlikely to be risked at the weekend. Haris Vuckic (broken hand), Mehdi Abeid and Mike Williamson (broken arm) remain on the casualty list.

Last season:Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 6 Aston Villa 0.
Last five league matches:Aston Villa W D W D D; Newcastle D D W W D.
Top scorers:Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 2; Leon Best (Newcastle) 2, Ryan Taylor (Newcastle) 2.
Match odds:H 10-11 A 3-1 D 5-2.
Referee:Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Blackburn (20) v Arsenal (12)
Blackburn playmaker Junior Hoilett is fit after being concussed after a heavy collision with Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer last week. Morten Gamst Pedersen (hamstring), David Dunn (calf) and Ryan Nelsen (knee) all face fitness tests.

Arsenal will welcome back Alex Song and Gervinho from three-match bans but midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle) faces a fitness test. Defender Carl Jenkinson is also available following a one-match suspension, but Tomas Rosicky (knee) and Ryo Miyaichi (calf) are doubts. Midfielders Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby (both ankle) are longer-term absentees.

Last season:Arsenal 0 Blackburn 0, Blackburn 1 Arsenal 2.
Last five league matches:Blackburn W L L L D; Arsenal D D L L W.
Top scorers:Ruben Rochina (Blackburn) 3; Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott  (Arsenal) 3.
Match odds:H 16-5 A 5-6 D 13-5.
Referee:Andre Marriner (England).

Bolton (14) v Norwich (17)
New Bolton signings David Ngog and Tuncay Sanli both scored for the reserves in midweek while right back Gretar Steinsson is pushing for a recall. Midfielder Stuart Holden is close to a first-team return after six months out with a knee ligament injury but is likely to have to wait until next week's Carling Cup tie.

Norwich will have goalkeeper John Ruddy back from a one-match suspension. Striker James Vaughan is available despite needing hospital treatment after being caught in the mouth by an elbow from West Brom defender Gabriel Tamas. Winger Anthony Pilkington (back) should return to the squad, but centre-half Zak Whitbread (hamstring) and defenders Daniel Ayala and Elliot Ward (knee) remain out.

Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Last five league matches:Bolton L W L L L; Norwich D D D L L.
Top scorers:Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 3; Ritchie De Laet, Grant Holt & Wesley  Hoolahan(Norwich) 1.
Match odds:H 4-5 A 17-5 D 13-5.
Referee:Howard Webb (England).

Everton (10) v Wigan (9)
Loan signing Royston Drenthe could be pushing for his first Everton start after featuring for the reserves in midweek. Fellow deadline-day arrival Denis Stracqualursi may also make his Toffees debut while Phil Neville is fighting to regain his place in the side after being left out last weekend. With striker Louis Saha still not fully match fit Tim Cahill is expected to start in attack again.

Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce (hamstring) is rated only 50-50, while defenders Steven Gohouri (calf) and Antolin Alcaraz (thigh) are getting closer to fitness but remain sidelined. Manager Roberto Martinez, who made seven changes in the Carling Cup in midweek, will revert to a more familiar line-up but Shaun Maloney, David Jones and Patrick van Aanholt could make league debuts.

Last season:Wigan 1 Everton 1, Everton 0 Wigan 0.
Last five league matches:Everton L W L W D; Wigan W D D W L.
Top scorers:Victor Anichebe, Leighton Baines, Leon Osman (Everton) 1; Ben Watson, Franco Di Santo (Wigan) 2.
Match odds:H 11-20 A 5-1 D 3-1.
Referee:Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Swansea (19) v West Brom (13)
Swansea captain Garry Monk is set for a first appearance of the season after recovering from a foot problem. Monk and Ashley Williams are the only fit centre halves that Rodgers can call upon, with Alan Tate (broken leg) and Steven Caulker (knee) injured and deadline-day signings Darnel Situ and Rafik Halliche unable to join the club after Fifa denied them international clearance. Midfielder Kemy Agustien (hamstring) and striker Craig Beattie (ankle) are also out.

Zoltan Gera will miss out for West Brom after suffering a recurrence of his ankle injury. Fellow midfielder Chris Brunt faces a late fitness test as he continues to recover from a knee injury picked up in training.

Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Last five league matches:Swansea W L D D L; West Brom D L L L W.
Top scorers:Marc-Antoine Fortune, Shane Long (West Brom) 2.
Match odds:H 8-5 A 7-4 D 11-5.
Referee:Martin Atkinson (England).

Wolverhampton (7) v QPR (11)
Wolves striker Steven Fletcher is a doubt as he battles to recover from a groin problem. The Irish duo of Stephen Hunt and Kevin Foley have both missed training this week with ankle niggles but manager Mick McCarthy is confident they, too, will be fit.

QPR manager Neil Warnock was expecting no fresh injury concerns. Rangers’ new signings all came through Monday night’s goalless draw with Newcastle unscathed and should be available again for the Molineux clash. Kieron Dyer (foot), Jamie Mackie (leg) and Rob Hulse (knee) remain sidelined.

Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Last five league matches:Wolverhampton L W W D L; QPR L L W L D.
Top scorers:Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolverhampton) 2; Tommy Smith (QPR) 1.
Match odds:H 17-20 A 10-3 D 5-2.
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).

Fulham (18) v Man City (2)
Bryan Ruiz is set for a return to the Fulham squad. The 26-year-old deadline day signing was ineligible for the midweek Europa League clash with FC Twente, whom he played for in the Champions League play-offs earlier in the season. Aaron Hughes also missed the Group K tie with a knee injury and is a doubt, while Dickson Etuhu is struggling with a thigh injury.

City midfielder James Milner has been ruled out. Milner missed the midweek Champions League game against Napoli after a clash of heads in last week’s defeat of Wigan. Midfielder Nigel de Jong (foot) remains 10 days to two weeks away from fitness while full back Aleksandar Kolarov is not hindered by a broken nose.

Last season:Man City 1 Fulham 1, Fulham 1 Man City 4.
Last five league matches:Fulham D D L L D; Man City W W W W W.
Top scorers:Bryan Ruiz (Fulham) 4; Edin Dzeko (Man City) 7.
Match odds:H 5-1 A 11-20 D 3-1.
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (England).

Sunday

Man Utd (1) v Chelsea (3)
Alex Ferguson has reported no fresh injury concerns. Nemanja Vidic (calf), Tom Cleverley (foot) and Rafael (shoulder) remain sidelined, while Danny Welbeck (hamstring) is not expected to be available until next week. Changes are anticipated though, with Ferguson expected to recall many of the players who were left out of his starting line-up for the midweek Champions League draw with Benfica.

Chelsea will once again be without Didier Drogba. The striker will not be risked at Old Trafford three weeks after his head injury, meaning manager Andre Villas-Boas must decide whether to start Fernando Torres or Nicolas Anelka. Ramires returns after being suspended for Tuesday’s Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen, while goalkeeping understudies Hilario and Ross Turnbull are both carrying knocks, although one will be on the bench.

Last season:Man Utd 2 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 2 Man Utd 1.
Last five league matches:Man Utd W W W W W; Chelsea L D W W W.
Top scorers:Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 8; Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) 2.
Match odds:H 4-5 A 17-5 D 13-5.
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Sunderland (16) v Stoke (5)
John O'Shea could return to bolster Sunderland's defence after missing the defeat by Chelsea due to a calf strain. Nicklas Bendtner is likely to lead the attack and Connor Wickham could make his first start but Craig Gordon, Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (all knee) remain sidelined.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis will check on the condition of a number of players, who did not travel to Dynamo Kiev. Record signing Peter Crouch stayed at home as a precaution after missing training, and Matthew Etherington (back), Rory Delap (groin) and Marc Wilson (hamstring) were also absent. Jonathan Woodgate is also among those that will be assessed, while goalkeeper Asmir Begovic — rested for the Dynamo game — is expected to return in place of Thomas Sorensen.

Last season:Stoke 3 Sunderland 2, Sunderland 2 Stoke 0.
Last five league matches:Sunderland W D L D L; Stoke L D D W W.
Top scorers:Sebastian Larsson, Dong-Won Ji (Sunderland) 1; Kenwyne Jones  (Stoke) 3.
Match odds:H 7-5 A 21-10 D 21-10.
Referee:Kevin Friend (England).

Tottenham (15) v Liverpool (6)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will revert to his first-choice XI after resting a number of key players for the Europa League clash at PAOK Salonika.

Rafael van der Vaart (hamstring), Aaron Lennon (groin) and William Gallas (calf) are making good progress in their recovery from injury and could play some part in the game at White Hart Lane. Steven Pienaar (groin), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Ledley King (knee) face fitness tests but Michael Dawson (Achilles) is out and Sandro (knee) is unlikely to be risked despite returning to light training following a knee injury he suffered this summer.

Right back Glen Johnson will miss out for Liverpool after a recurrence of a hamstring injury last weekend. Captain Steven Gerrard is nearing a return to fitness after six months out following a groin operation but he may not be risked at White Hart Lane.

Last season:Liverpool 0 Tottenham 2, Tottenham 2 Liverpool 1.
Last five league matches:Tottenham W W L L W; Liverpool L D W W L.
Top scorers:Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 2; Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 3.
Match odds:H 13-8 A 17-10 D 9-4.
Referee:Marc Jones (Wales).