Saturday, September 9
Arsenal (17) v Middlesbrough (16)
William Gallas is set to make his Arsenal debut at left-back. Johan Djourou has recovered from a shoulder injury picked up on international duty with Switzerland Under-21s and should start at centre-back. England youngster Theo Walcott will be rested following his midweek international, but new signing Julio Baptista will be in the squad. Gael Clichy (foot), Philippe Senderos (shoulder), Abou Diaby (ankle) and Lauren (knee) are all longer-term absentees.
Jonathan Woodgate will make his debut for Boro following his loan move from Real Madrid, while fellow new arrival Jason Euell could also be involved. Full-back Andrew Taylor (calf) is fit, but Chris Riggott (ankle ligaments) is out for up to eight weeks. Robert Huth (ankle), Julio Arca (foot), Ugo Ehiogu (Achilles), Matthew Bates (thigh) and Ray Parlour (groin) are still sidelined.
Last season: Arsenal 7 Middlesbrough 0, Middlesbrough 2 Arsenal 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal W W W D L; Middlesbrough D L L W L
Top scorers: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 2; Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Stewart Downing, Emanuel Pogatetz & Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) 1
Match odds: H 30-100 A 7-1 D 100-30
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Bolton (8) v Watford (18)
Record signing Nicolas Anelka and Andranik Teimourian are both set to make their Bolton debuts. With Kevin Davies (fractured cheekbone) and Stelios Giannakopoulos (groin) both out, manager Sam Allardyce is certain to draft £8million signing Anelka in, while Teimourian has an outside chance of being involved from the start after starring in Iran's Asian Nations Cup win over Syria this week. Henrik Pedersen (Achilles) is a minor doubt for Bolton, who have lost just four of their last 29 Premiership games on home soil.
Tommy Smith is poised to make the first appearance of his second spell at Watford following his £500,000 return from Derby. Adrian Boothroyd also welcomes back Ben Foster after the goalkeeper missed last month's home defeat by Manchester United under the terms of his year-long loan deal from Old Trafford.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Bolton D W W D L; Watford W D L D L
Top scorers: Kevin Davies, Ivan Campo & El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton) 1; Damien Francis (Watford) 2
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10
Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).
Chelsea (5) v Charlton (15)
Ashley Cole will go straight into Chelsea's squad after completing his move from Arsenal just before last week's transfer deadline. Jose Mourinho is still without injured midfielder Arjen Robben and Joe Cole.
Charlton hope skipper Luke Young will be fit after the England right-back returned early from international duty because of concerns over a long-standing ankle problem. Winger Darren Ambrose (groin) will also be assessed, while Hermann Hreidarsson starts a three-match ban so there could be debuts for new signings Souleymane Diawara and Omar Pouso.
Last season: Chelsea 1 Charlton 1, Charlton 0 Chelsea 2
Last five league matches: Chelsea L L W L W; Charlton L L L L W
Top scorers: Andriy Shevchenko, Frank Lampard & Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 2; Darren Bent (Charlton) 3
Match odds: H 1-6 A 11-1 D 9-2
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Everton (4) v Liverpool (7)
Everton forward James McFadden looks set to miss the match as he was injured in the first half of Wednesday's Scotland victory over Lithuania, and his absence for tomorrow's lunchtime kick-off will open the way for James Beattie to return to the side alongside Andrew Johnson up front.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has a striking dilemma with Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Fowler all available. The Reds expect to still be without Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise (both ankle) but Mohamed Sissoko is available again after a knee injury.
Last season: Liverpool 3 Everton 1, Everton 1 Liverpool 3
Last five league matches: Everton W D W D W; Liverpool W W W D W
Top scorers: Andrew Johnson (Everton) 2; Peter Crouch (Liverpool) 3
Match odds: H 23-10 A 1-1 D 21-10
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Man Utd (1) v Tottenham (14)
Gary Neville is set to skipper United after recovering from a calf strain picked up during the World Cup. Neither Alan Smith nor Gabriel Heinze will be considered despite nearing recovery from their respective injuries, Nemanja Vidic is due to have a new plaster put on a broken wrist next week, while Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney complete three-match bans.
Tottenham manager Martin Jol is boosted by the return of captain Ledley King who has finally recovered from surgery on his knee and will partner Michael Dawson in defence. However, new £10.8million Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov, is almost certain to miss out after suffering a groin strain on international duty. Pascal Chimbonda is set to make his debut at right-back.
Last season: Tottenham 1 Man Utd 2, Man Utd 1 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd D W W W W; Tottenham W L L W L
Top scorers: Wayne Rooney & Louis Saha (Man Utd) 2; Dimitar Berbatov & Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham) 1
Match odds: H 1-2 A 5-1 D 12-5
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
Newcastle (13) v Fulham (10)
Shola Ameobi faces a late fitness test despite making good progress on his long-standing hip complaint. New boy Giuseppe Rossi is likely to start on the bench after sealing his loan deal from Manchester United, while defender Steven Taylor is a doubt after returning from international duty with an injured foot.
Fulham expect to have midfielder Michael Brown fit from a knee problem while Wayne Routledge, signed on a season loan from Tottenham, is likely to start on the bench. Denmark midfielder Claus Jensen (calf) should be back but Ahmad Elrich (knee) and Simon Elliott (calf) remain out.
Last season: Fulham 1 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 1 Fulham 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle W D W W L; Fulham L W L D W
Top scorers: Shola Ameobi (Newcastle) 3; Jimmy Bullard (Fulham) 2
Match odds: H 8-13 A 4-1 D 23-10
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Portsmouth (2) v Wigan (11)
Pedro Mendes returns to Portsmouth's midfield at home to Wigan just 16 days after being knocked unconscious at Manchester City. Glen Johnson and Lomana LuaLua (both ankle) are also back in the squad. Niko Kranjcar only arrived back from international duty with Croatia on Thursday, Andy Cole is still recovering fitness following a knee operation earlier in the year and goalkeeper Dean Kiely is fit to deputise for David James.
Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is fit after withdrawing from the England squad earlier in the week with sciatica. Svetoslav Todorov, on loan from Pompey, is ineligible under league rules, and with Henri Camara (thigh) and Lee McCulloch (knee) both struggling, 18-year-old David Cotterill — a £2million signing from Bristol City on transfer deadline day — may be handed a debut. Midfielder Kevin Kilbane is suspended.
Last season: Wigan 1 Portsmouth 2, Portsmouth 0 Wigan 2
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W L W D W; Wigan L L L L W
Top scorers: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth) 4; David Cotterill & Svetoslav Todorov (Wigan) 2
Match odds: H 4-6 A 7-2 D 23-10
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
Sheff Utd (19) v Blackburn (20)
Sheffield United midfielder Phil Jagielka will again start at centre-back due to ongoing defensive injury problems. Manager Neil Warnock is refusing to rush back Claude Davis (knee), Craig Short (thigh) and Leigh Bromby (hamstring), although all are close to a return. Nick Montgomery is now out for up to six weeks after undergoing ankle surgery on Wednesday, but goalkeeper Paddy Kenny plays after being withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad last week due to a haematoma in his leg.
Shabani Nonda is set for a place on the Blackburn bench after returning late from international duty with DR Congo. Turkish midfielder Tugay is available after suspension while long-term hamstring injury victim Ryan Nelsen remains sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sheff Utd D W D L L; Blackburn W W L D L
Top scorers: Rob Hulse (Sheff Utd) 1; Benedict McCarthy (Blackburn) 1
Match odds: H 13-8 A 11-8 D 21-10
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Sunday, September 10
West Ham (6) v Aston Villa (3)
Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano could make their West Ham debuts. Tevez is short of match fitness but Mascherano has impressed manager Alan Pardew in training this week and could start. Injuries to full-back John Pantsil (knee) and goalkeeper Roy Carroll (groin) could open the way for Tyrone Mears and Robert Green to both start.
Stilian Petrov is poised to make his Villa debut following his move from Celtic. Either Gavin McCann or Steven Davis look likely to make way for the 27-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract. Striker Milan Baros is set to be among the substitutes after finally recovering from a summer-long foot injury.
Last season: Aston Villa 1 West Ham 2, West Ham 4 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: West Ham W W W D L; Aston Villa L W D W W
Top scorers: Bobby Zamora (West Ham) 4; Juan Pablo Angel & Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa) 2
Match odds: H 21-20 A 21-10 D 11-5
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Monday, September 11
Reading (12) v Man City (9)
New signing Ulises de la Cruz stands by for his Reading debut should skipper Graeme Murty not recover from a knee injury sustained after a bungee-style training apparatus snapped and lashed his left knee. A knee injury keeps striker Dave Kitson on the sidelines but defender Ibrahima Sonko returns following a one-match ban. Sam Sodje is out having undergone knee surgery.
Dietmar Hamann is set to make his Manchester City debut. He struggled to recover from a bruised foot suffered on City's pre-season tour of China but is now fit. Veteran defender Hatem Trabelsi is also available but may have to be content with a place on the bench, while Darius Vassell (knee), DaMarcus Beasley (hamstring), Andreas Isaksson (hamstring) and Ben Thatcher (suspended) are all out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Reading D W W L L; Man City L L L D W
Top scorers: Steve Sidwell, Dave Kitson, Leroy Lita & Kevin Doyle (Reading) 1; Joey Barton (Man City) 1
Match odds: H 13-10 A 7-4 D 21-10
Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).
