Saturday, May 14th
Blackburn (15) v Man Utd (1)
Blackburn defender Phil Jones, who was a late omission from the team that drew against West Ham last week with a back problem, has recovered while Michel Salgado (knee) and David Dunn are also fit after missing the trip to Upton Park. Ryan Nelsen and Vince Grella are definite absentees and Ruben Rochina is a doubt after dislocating his shoulder.
Edwin van der Sar is set to get a week's break as Manchester United look to clinch a record 19th league title. Red Devils boss Alex Ferguson intends to introduce fellow Scot Darren Fletcher from the bench at some stage, with United requiring a single point to confirm top spot.
Last season:Blackburn 0 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 2 Blackburn 0
Last five league matches:Blackburn D L L W D; Man Utd W D W L W
Top scorers(all competitions): Mame Biram Diouf & Nikola Kalinic (Blackburn) 6; Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) 22
Match odds:H 16-5 A 7-10 D 12-5
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Blackpool (18) v Bolton (9)
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway should have a virtually full squad to choose from, with two exceptions. David Carney — whose season was ended by a shoulder problem — is the only injury absentee, while Marlon Harewood, recently returned from a loan stint at Barnsley, will not be considered for fitness reasons.
Bolton will be without Mark Davies after he had surgery yesterday to remove bone fragments in his ankle but boss Owen Coyle is optimistic he will be fit for pre-season. Stuart Holden, Sean Davis (both knee) and Sam Ricketts (Achilles) are all long-term absentees while Marcos Alonso is expected to be unavailable after his involvement in a fatal car accident in Madrid two weeks ago.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Blackpool L L D D D; Bolton W W L L L
Top scorers(all competitions): DJ Campbell (Blackpool) 11; Johan Elmander (Bolton) 12
Match odds:H 11-10 A 15-8 D 12-5
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
Sunderland (12) v Wolves (17)
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be without an entire starting XI against Wolves. With loan signing Sulley Muntari having returned to parent club Inter Milan and Anton Ferdinand joining the casualty list with a hamstring problem, Bruce will struggle to fill the substitutes’ bench even if he uses all his youngsters. Craig Gordon, Titus Bramble, Michael Turner, David Meyler and Fraizer Campbell are all out with knee injuries, while Kieran Richardson (fractured fibula), Lee Cattermole (back), Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck (both hamstring) remain on the sidelines. Marcos Angeleri is consulting a specialist in Argentina over his knee problem.
Kevin Doyle returns to the Wolves squad after nearly two months out with knee ligament damage. However, the form of Steven Fletcher and Stephen Ward means the striker is likely to be on the substitutes' bench for boss Mick McCarthy, who has no fresh injury concerns.
Last season:Wolves 2 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 5 Wolves 2
Last five league matches:Sunderland L L W L W; Wolves L D L D W
Top scorers(all competitions): Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland) 11; Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 11
Match odds:H 13-10 A 7-4 D 21-10
Referee:Mike Jones (Cheshire)
West Brom (13) v Everton (7)
West Brom captain Chris Brunt and Steven Reid are available after missing the last two games with hamstring and calf injuries respectively. Midfielder Paul Scharner is also back after suspension.
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill is pushing for a recall to the first XI. The Australian stepped off the bench last weekend after recovering from a foot problem and helped secure a victory against Manchester City. The Toffees are looking to improve their record of only one defeat in 10 games but will again be without Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha (both ankle) through injury.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:West Brom W L D W L; Everton W W L D W
Top scorers(all competitions): Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 15; Louis Saha (Everton) 10
Match odds:H 13-10 A 17-10 D 11-5
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Sunday, May 15th
Arsenal (3) v Aston Villa (14)
Centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is set to return for Arsenal after nine months out with a niggling Achilles problem. Captain Cesc Fabregas (thigh) and midfielder Samir Nasri (hamstring) face late fitness tests. Abou Diaby (calf) and Tomas Rosicky (thigh) are also out. However, full-back Gael Clichy is available again after missing the defeat at Stoke with a hamstring problem.
Defender Ciaran Clark has a niggling hamstring problem and will not travel for Villa. However, midfielder Jean Makoun does return to the squad after missing the last two matches with a dead leg injury.
Last season:Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 3 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches:Arsenal D D L W L; Aston Villa W W D L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 20; Ashley Young (Aston Villa) 9
Match odds:H 1-3 A 6-1 D 17-5
Referee:Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Birmingham (16) v Fulham (10)
Birmingham will be without leading scorer Craig Gardner and defender Liam Ridgewell through suspension. Stuart Parnaby and David Murphy will be in contention to replace Ridgewell at left-back. Striker Nikola Zigic is still battling to overcome groin and hip problems and is unlikely to be fit.
Fulham have doubts over Bobby Zamora (groin) and Simon Davies (calf) while full-back Chris Baird looks like missing the last two games of the season after deciding not to contest the charge of using an abusive gesture towards referee Lee Mason in the Liverpool match on Monday.
Last season:Fulham 2 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 1 Fulham 0
Last five league matches:Birmingham W L L D L; Fulham L D W W L
Top scorers(all competitions): Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 9; Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 13
Match odds:H 11-10 A 11-5 D 2-1
Referee:Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
Chelsea (2) v Newcastle (11)
Fernando Torres will start Chelsea’s final home game of the season having been dropped for last Sunday’s defeat at Manchester United. Jose Bosingwa will miss the final two matches of the campaign with a knee injury, while young full-back Ryan Bertrand (hamstring) will also miss out.
Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote will not be risked against Chelsea on Sunday to prevent him starting the new season with a suspension. The Ivory Coast international is unlikely to figure in the final game against West Brom either after picking up his 14th booking last weekend. Kevin Nolan (ankle) and Steve Harper (knee) are both out after surgery this week and join Mike Williamson (broken arm), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture), Stephen Ireland and Leon Best (both ankle), Danny Guthrie (shin) and Dan Gosling (knee) on the sidelines. Youngsters Sammy Ameobi — the younger brother of Shola — Kazenga LuaLua and Greg McDermott are included in the squad.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Chelsea W W W W L; Newcastle L D D L W
Top scorers(all competitions): Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 16; Kevin Nolan (Newcastle) 12
Match odds:H 1-5 A 17-2 D 9-2
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Liverpool (5) v Tottenham (6)
Andy Carroll could return to the Liverpool squad having missed two of the last three matches with a knee injury sustained at Arsenal in mid-April. The striker trained this week and may take his place on the bench. Midfielder Raul Meireles was forced off with a minor injury in Monday’s 5-2 demolition of Fulham but has also trained with the squad.
Tottenham defender William Gallas will miss out with a calf injury which looks to have ended his season. Ledley King could feature at Anfield, though, after making a successful comeback from his groin problem during a reserves match in midweek. Gareth Bale (ankle), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (hamstring), Heurelho Gomes (back) and Jermaine Jenas (thigh) are definitely out.
Last season:Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 2 Liverpool 1
Last five league matches:Liverpool W D W W W; Tottenham D D L D L
Top scorers(all competitions): Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) 15; Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham) 14
Match odds:H 3-4 A 10-3 D 11-4
Referee:Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)
Wigan (19) v West Ham (20)
Mohamed Diame is rated 50-50 to return for Wigan having missed the Latics’ 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last time out with a groin injury, but the midfielder will be given time to prove his fitness.
Scott Parker could feature for West Ham having missed recent matches with an Achilles complaint. Other than midfielders Gary O'Neil (ankle) and Mark Noble (hernia), the Hammers have a full squad of players available to them.
Last season:West Ham 3 Wigan 2, Wigan 1 West Ham 0
Last five league matches:Wigan L W L D D; West Ham L L L L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Charles N'Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 8; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 11
Match odds:H 21-20 A 21-10 D 9-4
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral)
