Arsenal (3) v Hull (16):Arsenal midfielder Denilson has recovered from a back injury and is set to come in for the injured Cesc Fabregas who is likely to be out for eight to 10 days with a minor hamstring strain.
Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Robin van Persie (ankle) remain sidelined, along with full-back Gael Clichy (back) and Johan Djourou (knee). Armand Traore, however, could return against Aston Villa on December 27.
Hull have no fresh injury concerns with manager Phil Brown missing only midfield talisman Jimmy Bullard and long-term casualty Ian Ashbee, both with knee problems. Bullard, who damaged a medial ligament at Aston Villa a fortnight ago, is hoping to be back in action by the end of January. Gabon striker Daniel Cousin is back in contention following a shoulder injury.
Last season:Hull 1 Arsenal 3, Arsenal 1 Hull 2
Last five league matches:Arsenal L L W W D; Hull D W D L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 10; Deiberson Geovanni (Hull) 4
Match odds:H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee:Steve Bennett (Kent).
Aston Villa (4) v Stoke (11)
Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has no fresh injury worries and could keep faith with the side which beat Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium Of Light in midweek. Central defender James Collins may again have to be content with a place on the bench because of the form of Carlos Cuellar and Richard Dunne. Emile Heskey is likely to be preferred to John Carew after netting his third goal in the last six games against the Black Cats.
Stoke defender Robert Huth is suspended after the former Middlesbrough centre-back was booked in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Wigan and will serve a one-match suspension for accumulating five cautions. His absence could mean Andy Wilkinson reverts to right-back with Danny Collins coming in on the left.
Last season:Aston Villa 2 Stoke 2, Stoke 3 Aston Villa 2
Last five league matches:Aston Villa D D W W W; Stoke L W D L D
Top scorers(all competitions): Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 9; Tuncay Sanli & Matthew Etherington (Stoke) 3
Match odds: H 2-5 A 8-1 D 16-5
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
Blackburn (12) v Tottenham (5)
David Dunn is again doubtful for Blackburn after missing the last four matches with the calf injury he suffered against Stoke last month. Australian midfielder Vince Grella is available after sitting out the midweek loss to Birmingham with a thigh injury. Manager Sam Allardyce reported no other fresh injuries following Tuesday’s 2-1 reverse.
Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric has picked up an ankle injury and will not feature. Winger David Bentley has a calf strain and is doubtful for the trip back to his former club. Ledley King is back in training but will not play, nor will fellow centre-back Jonathan Woodgate.
Last season:Blackburn 2 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 1 Blackburn 0
Last five league matches: Blackburn L D D D L; Tottenham W D D L W
Top scorers(all competitions) : David Dunn (Blackburn) 6; Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 14
Match odds: H 11-5 A 5-4 D 23-10
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
Fulham (9) v Man Utd (2)
Fulham striker Andy Johnson will miss the match with Manchester United as he continues his recovery from a groin injury. Johnson has been sidelined since October and misses out along with Simon Davies (ankle), Seol Ki-Hyeon (leg) and Diomansy Kamara, who has been to France for more treatment on his knee injury. Damien Duff, Brede Hangeland and Clint Dempsey all likely to start.
Manchester United are sweating on Nemanja Vidic’s fitness after he limped out of the midweek win over Wolves with a calf strain. With Jonny Evans (calf), John O’Shea (leg), Gary Neville (groin), Rio Ferdinand (back) and Wes Brown (hamstring) all definitely out, Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping the Serbian makes it. Tomasz Kuszczak continues in goal as Edwin van der Sar (knee) has returned to the Netherlands for treatment.
Last season:Fulham 2 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 3 Fulham 0
Last five league matches: Fulham L W D W D; Man Utd W W W L W
Top scorers(all competitions): Bobby Zamora (Fulham) 9; Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 13
Match odds:H 6-1 A 1-2 D 3-1
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Man City (8) v Sunderland (10)
Nigel de Jong will miss Manchester City’s encounter with Sunderland after collecting his fifth booking of the season at Tottenham on Wednesday, so his midfield spot is likely to go to Vincent Kompany. Although the Blues had lost just one Premier League game all season prior to the White Hart Lane reverse, they are now on a run of one win in 10 and will be desperate for a return to winning ways to ease the pressure on Mark Hughes.
Sunderland will be without skipper Lorik Cana who is suspended. Manager Steve Bruce will make a late decision on whether to start with Lee Cattermole, who has returned from from an eight-week lay-off with a medial ligament injury. Central defender Michael Turner will undergo a fitness test on the ankle he damaged in midweek. Bolo Zenden (hamstring), Anton Ferdinand (ankle) and Craig Gordon (broken arm) remain on the sidelines.
Last season: Man City 1 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 0 Man City 3
Last five league matches:Man City D D W D L; Sunderland W L L D L
Top scorers(all competitions) : Carlos Tevez (Man City) 8; Darren Bent (Sunderland) 10
Match odds:H 4-9 A 13-2 D 16-5
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Portsmouth (20) v Liverpool (6)
Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul returns from a one-game ban for the clash with Liverpool but there are doubts over the fitness of goalkeeper David James, who sat out his side’s 2-1 loss at Chelsea on Wednesday night with the calf problem which has troubled him for much of the season. Asmir Begovic stands by to replace him, but striker Frederic Piquionne should be fit despite limping out at Stamford Bridge with cramp.
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has been passed fit to face his former club. The England right-back, who left Pompey to move to Anfield in the summer, has been troubled by a hamstring injury. Striker Fernando Torres is likely to start having come off the bench to score against Wigan but winger Albert Riera still has a hamstring problem and is not fit. Forward Ryan Babel returns to the squad after an ankle injury.
Last season:Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 3, Liverpool 1 Portsmouth 0
Last five league matches: Portsmouth L L W D L; Liverpool D W D L W
Top scorers(all competitions): Frederic Piquionne & Aruna Dindane (Portsmouth) 5; Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 11
Match odds:H 5-1 A 4-7 D 14-5
Referee:Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Sunday, December 20
Everton (15) v Birmingham (7)
Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell will miss out and Brazilian Jo is also doubtful. Rodwell became the latest addition to manager David Moyes’ lengthy list of absentees when he suffered a hamstring injury in the Europa League defeat by BATE Borisov. Forward Jo is struggling after turning his ankle and suffering from flu, but Tim Cahill is back after being suspended for last week’s trip to Chelsea. Leon Osman could come into the reckoning after playing 81 minutes against Borisov.
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is set to name an unchanged side for the sixth successive match. McLeish has no fresh injury worries or concerns about the fitness levels of his side as they prepare for their third game in eight days. David Murphy, Teemu Tainio, Martin Taylor and Garry O’Connor remain long-term injury absentees.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Everton L L L D D; Birmingham W W W W W
Top scorers(all competitions) : Louis Saha (Everton) 12; Lee Bowyer (Birmingham) 6
Match odds:H 4-5 A 18-5 D 12-5
Referee:Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).
West Ham (19) v Chelsea (1)
West Ham welcome back Matthew Upson from a hamstring injury. Forward Luis Jimenez also returns from a muscle strain but Carlton Cole (knee ligaments), Valon Behrami, Zavon Hines (both knee) and Kieron Dyer (hamstring) are still out.
Striker Didier Drogba is fit again and set to return for Chelsea. The Ivory Coast international has recovered from the back injury which kept him out of the side that beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. Ricardo Carvalho is expected to replace Alex in defence while Joe Cole will come in for Deco. Jose Bosingwa (knee) and Michael Essien (hamstring) are sidelined.
Last season:West Ham 0 Chelsea 1, Chelsea 1 West Ham 1
Last five league matches:West Ham D W L L L; Chelsea W W L D W
Top scorers(all competitions): Carlton Cole (West Ham) 7; Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 18
Match odds: H 15-2 A 4-11 D 18-5
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Wolverhampton (18) v Burnley (13)
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is poised to make more sweeping changes, with nine outfield players set to return after controversially missing the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in midweek. Midfielder Dave Edwards, who started against Tottenham last weekend, suffered ankle ligament damage at White Hart Lane and will be missing for up to 10 weeks. Kevin Foley, who made only his fourth start of an injury-hit season against United, is set to continue to deputise for Edwards.
Burnley manager Owen Coyle could name an unchanged side with his team still looking for their first away win in the league but go into the match after holding Arsenal to a draw in midweek. Long-term absentees Martin Paterson, Chris McCann and Jay Rodriguez remain sidelined through injury.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Wolverhampton L L W W L; Burnley D L L D D
Top scorers(all competitions): Kevin Doyle & Jody Craddock (Wolverhampton) 4; Steven Fletcher (Burnley) 8
Match odds:H 1-1 A 11-4 D 12-5
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Monday, December 21
Wigan (14) v Bolton (17)
Mohamed Diame is out of Wigan’s side after the midfielder sustained lateral ligament damage to his left knee during Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Liverpool. Jason Scotland, who replaced Diame at Anfield, is almost certain to return to the starting line-up as manager Roberto Martinez reverts to playing two in attack.
Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba is suspended after the England Under-21 international picked up his fifth booking of the season in Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over West Ham. Midfielder Gavin McCann’s recovery from an ankle injury has not come quickly enough for him to be involved against Wigan but he may make the squad for Burnley on St Stephen’s Day.
Last season:Wigan 0 Bolton 0, Bolton 0 Wigan 1
Last five league matches:Wigan L W L D L; Bolton L D L D W
Top scorers(all competitions) : Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 6; Ivan Klasnic (Bolton) 9
Match odds:H 21-20 A 13-5 D 23-10
Referee:Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
