Saturday, December 16th

Arsenal (3) v Portsmouth (4)

Arsenal captain Thierry Henry (hamstring) will probably not play again until the new year, while defender William Gallas (thigh) and midfielder Tomas Rosicky (groin/hamstring) are doubts. Theo Walcott could be handed another run-out and Cesc Fabregas looks set to return to midfield.

Midfielder Pedro Mendes returns from suspension but Kanu (knee) faces a late fitness test. Centre-back Sol Campbell also returns to face former team-mates while Niko Kranjcar is pushing for a place in the starting line-up.
Last season: Portsmouth 1 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 4 Portsmouth 0
Last five league matches: Arsenal L L W D W; Portsmouth W L D D W
Top scorers: Robin Van Persie & Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 7; Kanu (Portsmouth) 9
Match odds: H 1-3 A 7-1 D 3-1
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).

Aston Villa (8) v Bolton (6)

On-loan Crystal Palace goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly makes his Villa debut, with Thomas Sorensen and Stuart Taylor sidelined with knee injuries. Captain Gareth Barry returns after suspension and defender Wilfred Bouma is fit despite needing stitches in a head wound suffered during Monday's draw at Sheffield United.

Bolton striker El Hadji Diouf serves a one-match suspension but Tal Ben Haim has served a ban. Quinton Fortune is again out with Achilles trouble and Joey O'Brien remains on the injured list.
Last season: Bolton 1 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Bolton 2
Last five league matches: Aston Villa D D L D D; Bolton L W L L W
Top scorers: Gareth Barry & Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa) 7; El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton) 5
Match odds: H 23-20 A 21-10 D 2-1
Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).

Charlton (19) v Liverpool (5)

Charlton are without keeper Scott Carson as part of his loan deal from the Reds — Thomas Myhre comes in. Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and defender Djimi Traore are fit and could start but midfielders Radostin Kishishev (calf) and Andy Reid (hamstring) are concerns. Winger Jerome Thomas (knee) has returned to training, but will not yet be available.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez may be tempted to name an unchanged side. Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt look likely to continue their strike partnership with Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler on the bench. Bolo Zenden, Mohamed Sissoko and Harry Kewell remain sidelined with long-term injuries.
Last season: Liverpool 0 Charlton 0, Charlton 2 Liverpool 0
Last five league matches: Charlton L D L W L; Liverpool D W D W W
Top scorers: Darren Bent (Charlton) 8; Peter Crouch (Liverpool) 9
Match odds: H 9-2 A 4-7 D 23-10
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Newcastle (14) v Watford (20)

Kieron Dyer (thigh), Scott Parker (back muscle) and Emre (ankle) are fit for Newcastle, while Damien Duff (knee) has a chance of figuring. Antoine Sibierski is now clear of Achilles trouble, but Charles N'Zogbia, Michael Owen and Tim Krul (all knee), Shola Ameobi and Olivier Bernard (both hip), Nolberto Solano and Craig Moore (both hamstring), Titus Bramble (calf), Stephen Carr (foot) and Steve Harper (groin) are out.

Watford captain Gavin Mahon is free of suspension and almost certain to replace Al Bangura in central midfield but on-loan Manchester United keeper Ben Foster remains sidelined with a knee injury and forward Marlon King (knee) and defender Clarke Carlisle (thigh) are long-term absentees.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Newcastle D W W W L; Watford L L L D D
Top scorers: Antoine Sibierski & Obafemi Martins (Newcastle) 6; Ashley Young (Watford) 4
Match odds: H 4-7 A 9-2 D 23-10
Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Reading (7) v Blackburn (17)

Reading expect to welcome back defender Graeme Murty and forward Seol Ki-Hyeon after toe injuries. Winger Bobby Convey (knee) and striker Dave Kitson (appendix operation) remain sidelined however.

Blackburn defender Andy Todd is expected to recover from an ankle injury suffered in the UEFA Cup victory against Nancy on Wednesday. Manager Mark Hughes is down on defenders as Stephane Henchoz is ineligible while Zurab Khizanishvili has a groin injury. Brett Emerton (hamstring) is also expected to be sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Reading W W W L D; Blackburn L D W L L
Top scorers: Kevin Doyle (Reading) 8; Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 8
Match odds: H 10-11 A 13-5 D 21-10
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Wigan (11) v Sheff Utd (16)

Wigan captain Arjan de Zeeuw is back in contention, after missing the last four matches with a toe injury. Midfielder Paul Scharner is also available again after serving a one-match ban. But Gary Teale, Antonio Valencia, Steve McMillan and Ryan Taylor all remain out through injury.

Michael Tonge is in contention for United after seven weeks out with ankle trouble but fellow midfielder Mikele Leigertwood is still sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in the win at Watford.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Wigan L L W D L; Sheff Utd L L W W D
Top scorers: Henri Camara (Wigan) 6; Rob Hulse (Sheff Utd) 4
Match odds: H 5-6 A 3-1 D 2-1
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Sunday, December 17th

Everton (10) v Chelsea (2)

Phil Neville and Leon Osman may return to Everton's side after knee and hamstring problems respectively but Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill, Tony Hibbert, Alessandro Pistone and Gary Naysmith are all injured. James McFadden is pushing for a starting role with James Beattie and Andrew Johnson struggling for goals.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has doubts over centre-back Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) — Khalid Boulahrouz is on stand-by — and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (thigh). Joe Cole is out for three more weeks with a broken foot while Didier Drogba is expected to have recovered from a slight hamstring strain in time to be involved.
Last season: Chelsea 3 Everton 0, Everton 1 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Everton W D L W L; Chelsea W D W D W
Top scorers: Tim Cahill (Everton) 7; Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 15
Match odds: H 5-1 A 1-2 D 12-5
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Man City (12) v Tottenham (9)

Micah Richards and keeper Nicky Weaver sustained dead legs in last weekend's Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford, Claudio Reyna has a tight hamstring, while Dietmar Hamann picked up a knock in training. Ben Thatcher and Bernardo Corradi are both suspended.

Tottenham will still be without Robbie Keane (knee) and Jermaine Jenas (ankle), both of whom may not play again this year. Didier Zokora is suspended and Teemu Tainio missed the midweek UEFA Cup win over Dinamo Bucharest through illness.
Last season: Tottenham 2 Man City 1, Man City 0 Tottenham 2
Last five league matches: Man City W L W D L; Tottenham D W L W W
Top scorers: Joey Barton (Man City) 4; Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham) 9
Match odds: H 11-8 A 17-10 D 2-1
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).

West Ham (18) v Man Utd (1)

Anton Ferdinand is expected to be fit for West Ham after an ankle injury, but new boss Alan Curbishley believes his centre-back will be ready to face the leaders. Danny Gabbidon remains sidelined with a hamstring complaint, while striker Dean Ashton (ankle) will not return until next month.

Patrice Evra remains United's only injury absentee for Sunday's trip to West Ham. The Barclays Premiership leaders will be looking to consolidate their five-point advantage over Chelsea, and Sir Alex Ferguson could name an unchanged side.
Last season: Man Utd 1 West Ham 0, West Ham 1 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches: West Ham L W L L L; Man Utd W D W W W
Top scorers: Bobby Zamora (West Ham) 5; Louis Saha (Man Utd) 12
Match odds: H 6-1 A 2-5 D 11-4
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Monday, December 18th

Fulham (13) v Middlesbrough (15)

Luis Boa Morte, Papa Bouba Diop and Ian Pearce are set to miss the entire Christmas programme. Captain Boa Morte will be out for a month with a hamstring tear, fellow midfielder Diop faces a month to six weeks on the sidelines with a quad muscle tear — and defender Pearce's back problem will keep him out for two weeks. Keeper Antti Niemi (cartilage) and former Boro left-back Franck Queudrue (gashed shin) may return.

The visitors welcome back Lee Cattermole from suspension but Emanuel Pogatetz is banned for the trip to Craven Cottage. Abel Xavier stands by to start alongside Jonathan Woodgate in the centre of defence with Stuart Parnaby poised to slot into the right-back berth vacated by the former Portugal international.
Last season: Fulham 1 Middlesbrough 0, Middlesbrough 3 Fulham 2
Last five league matches: Fulham L L W L L; Middlesbrough D D L L D
Top scorers: Brian McBride (Fulham) 4; Yakubu (Middlesbrough) 5
Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).