Soccer:All the latest team news ahead of the weekend Premier League programme.
Saturday
Fulham (9) v Aston Villa (16)
Dimitar Berbatov returns from a problem with his hip/upper thigh and will be joined in the Fulham side by fellow striker Mladen Petric, who has recovered from a calf problem. Mahamadou Diarra's recovery from a knee injury means he could also be involved, although Simon Davies (hip) and Bryan Ruiz (groin) are out.
Midfielder Stephen Ireland (arm) is available and Joe Bennett is expected to be fit after a leg injury but defender Richard Dunne (groin) remains a long-term casualty. Boss Paul Lambert will assess goalkeeper Brad Guzan and midfielders Brett Holman and Karim El Ahmadi after gruelling midweek international trips.
Last season:Aston Villa 1 Fulham 0, Fulham 0 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches:Fulham L W W L D; Aston Villa D W L D L
Top scorers (all competitions):Damien Duff & Mladen Petric (Fulham) 3; Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) 4
Match odds:H 5-6 A 3-1 D 5-2
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Liverpool (14) v Reading (18)
Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina faces a late fitness test on a hamstring problem but midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is available again after suspension. Striker Fabio Borini is out for up to three months with a fractured foot but defenders Jose Enrique and Jon Flanagan returned to training this week.
Reading forward Noel Hunt is a doubt because of a heel problem but boss Brian McDermott has no other injury concerns, with midfielder Mikele Leigertwood now recovered from a dead leg.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Liverpool L D L W D; Reading L L L D D
Top scorers (all competitions):Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 7; Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) 4
Match odds:H 3-10 A 8-1 D 4-1
Referee:Roger East (Wiltshire).
Man Utd (2) v Stoke (12)
Midfielder Ashley Young returns to the United squad after a two-month absence with a knee injury but defender Chris Smalling (foot) will not be considered, even though he is closing in on full fitness.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis will assess the condition of midfielder Glenn Whelan (hamstring) and striker Michael Owen (groin). Defender Andy Wilkinson is available again after completing a three-match ban.
Last season:Man Utd 2 Stoke 0, Stoke 1 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches:Man Utd W W W L W; Stoke D D L W D
Top scorers (all competitions):Robin van Persie (Man Utd) 7; Peter Crouch (Stoke) 5
Match odds:H 3-10 A 8-1 D 4-1
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Norwich (19) v Arsenal (7)
Norwich hope forward Robert Snodgrass is fit after he returned from international duty with Scotland with an ankle problem. Defender Steven Whittaker has returned to full training after ankle trouble but is not yet ready for a first-team return, while on-loan Tottenham striker Harry Kane (foot) is out.
The Gunners are without Laurent Koscielny (back), fellow defender Kieran Gibbs (thigh) and forward Theo Walcott (chest) but Emmanuel Frimpong (knee) and fellow midfielder Jack Wilshere (ankle) could figure after injury. Defender Bacary Sagna (broken leg), midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh), winger Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and keepers Wojciech Szczesny (ankle) and Lukasz Fabianski (ankle) are out.
Last season:Arsenal 3 Norwich 3, Norwich 1 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches:Norwich D D L L L; Arsenal W W D L W
Top scorers (all competitions):Grant Holt (Norwich) 2; Gervinho (Arsenal) 5
Match odds:H 4-1 A 8-15 D 10-3
Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Swansea (11) v Wigan (15)
Swans manager Michael Laudrup could decide to keep faith with the side that recovered from 2-0 down to draw with Reading. Kemy Agustien is in contention after a calf problem while Pablo Hernandez will hope to displace Nathan Dyer or Wayne Routledge on the flanks. Neil Taylor (ankle) is a long-term absentee.
Wigan are without defender Antolin Alcaraz and winger Albert Crusat. Alcaraz is likely to be out for two more weeks with a groin injury, while Crusat has a knee problem. Boss Roberto Martinez will monitor Maynor Figueroa and Jean Beausejour closely after long international trips with Honduras and Chile respectively.
Last season:Wigan 0 Swansea 2, Swansea 0 Wigan 0
Last five league matches:Swansea D L L L D; Wigan D L L L D
Top scorers (all competitions):Michu (Swansea) 6; Mauro Boselli, Franco Di Santo & Arouna Kone (Wigan) 3
Match odds:H 1-1 A 13-5 D 9-4
Referee:Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Tottenham (5) v Chelsea (1)
Spurs midfielder Scott Parker may not be back until Christmas after Achilles trouble. Defenders Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Younes Kaboul (both knee) are still absent but Jake Livermore and Kyle Naughton are back in training after groin and ankle injuries respectively.
John Terry’s four-match ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand comes into force tomorrow, but Chelsea have Frank Lampard and Ryan Bertrand available. Midfielder Lampard has overcome a calf injury while defender Bertrand has recovered from illness.
Last season:Chelsea 0 Tottenham 0, Tottenham 1 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches:Tottenham D W W W W; Chelsea W D W W W
Top scorers (all competitions):Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 4; Fernando Torres (Chelsea) 6
Match odds:H 6-4 A 8-5 D 12-5
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral).
West Brom (6) v Man City (3)
Albion may be without midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, who picked up a niggle on duty with DR Congo this week and is rated 60-40 to be fit by head coach Steve Clarke. Striker Romelu Lukaku is expected to be available after an ankle problem but Steven Reid, Chris Brunt (both hamstring), Billy Jones (knee) and Boaz Myhill (thumb) are out, while long-term absentee Jerome Thomas is not quite ready.
Hamstring injuries sustained on international duty keep David Silva and Jack Rodwell sidelined for City. Another midfielder, Javi Garcia, remains out with a thigh problem, alongside defender Maicon (foot).
Last season:Man City 4 West Brom 0, West Brom 0 Man City 0
Last five league matches:West Brom W L W D W; Man City W D D W W
Top scorers (all competitions):Shane Long (West Brom) 4; Edin Dzeko & Carlos Tevez (Man City) 4
Match odds:H 7-2 A 7-10 D 11-4
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
West Ham (8) v Southampton (17)
Defenders Winston Reid (back) and Guy Demel (thigh) must prove their fitness for the Hammers and striker Ricardo Vaz Te (dislocated shoulder) is out. Andy Carroll is expected to start up front, while Raphael Spiegel will back up Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal, with Stephen Henderson beginning a loan spell at Ipswich.
Saints winger Gaston Ramirez faces another four weeks out with a dead leg picked up before the international break. Frazer Richardson (thigh), Jack Cork, Danny Butterfield (both knee) and Tadanari Lee (elbow) are also out but Nathaniel Clyne is set to return. Goalkeeper Artur Boruc could also be involved.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:West Ham W D D W L; Southampton L L W L D
Top scorers (all competitions):Kevin Nolan (West Ham) 3; Rickie Lambert
(Southampton) 4
Match odds:H 10-11 A 13-5 D 13-5
Referee:Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Sunday
QPR (20) v Everton (4)
Jose Bosingwa and Anton Ferdinand are now fit for QPR but fellow defender Armand Traore is still fighting for match fitness and full back Fabio (hamstring) is due to have a scan in the next two weeks. Midfielder Samba Diakite returns from a one-match ban with striker Andy Johnson (knee) a long-term absentee.
A knee injury keeps out Everton’s Marouane Fellaini, but manager David Moyes is optimistic the midfielder will not be sidelined for too long. Tony Hibbert (calf) and Darron Gibson (thigh) also miss the game, while short-term signing Thomas Hitzlsperger will not yet be considered.
Last season:QPR 1 Everton 1, Everton 0 QPR 1
Last five league matches:QPR L D L L L; Everton L D W W D
Top scorers (all competitions):Bobby Zamora (QPR) 4; Nikica Jelavic (Everton) 4
Match odds:H 23-10 A 11-10 D 23-10
Referee:Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).
Sunderland (13) v Newcastle (10)
Sunderland winger James McClean is in contention after shaking off a groin injury and full back Phil Bardsley could also make the squad after an ankle injury. However, defender Titus Bramble is a doubt with a hip flexor problem and captain Lee Cattermole completes his three-match ban.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew could welcome back defenders Fabricio Coloccini (hamstring) and Steven Taylor (calf) from injury. Goalkeeper Tim Krul may also be back after elbow trouble, while full back Danny Simpson (hamstring) might also figure after sitting out the defeat to former club Manchester United.
Last season:Newcastle 1 Sunderland 1, Sunderland 0 Newcastle 1
Last five league matches:Sunderland D D D W L; Newcastle D D W D L
Top scorers (all competitions):Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) 5; Demba Ba (Newcastle) 6
Match odds:H 29-20 A 15-8 D 21-10
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
