ArsenalArsenal defender Martin Keown is on standby as Sol Campbell decides whether he feels able to face Manchester United on Sunday following the death of his father. If Campbell does not play, Keown would be expected to partner Kolo Toure in central defence, although Pascal Cygan is another option. Arsene Wenger must also decide whether to restore Dennis Bergkamp to his starting line-up, although his only injury worry is reserve goalkeeper Stuart Taylor, who has a shoulder problem.
Aston VillaAston Villa boss David O'Leary may be forced into moving Mark Delaney to a centre-back position for tomorrow's game against Charlton due to a defensive injury crisis. Both Olof Mellberg and Ronny Johnsen are struggling to be fit to face the Addicks with groin and hamstring injuries respectively.
Elsewhere, Villa will be lifted by the return of Gareth Barry, who is expected to slot back into midfield after serving a two-match ban for a red card against Portsmouth on the opening day of the season.
BirminghamBirmingham have striker Christophe Dugarry and central defender Kenny Cunningham back for tomorrow's clash with Leeds at Elland Road. French World Cup winner Dugarry has missed Birmingham's last three games following knee surgery. Cunningham was sidelined for last weekend's 2-2 draw against Fulham by a groin problem picked up while playing for Ireland against Russia in the Euro 2004 qualifier earlier this month.
BlackburnSteven Reid and Craig Short are Blackburn's only two absentees from the squad to travel to Portsmouth tomorrow. Reid is suspended while Short is recovering from a knee operation that will keep him out until the end of October. Manager Graeme Souness will have to decide which of his central midfield trio of Tugay, Garry Flitcroft and Barry Ferguson he will leave on the bench.
BoltonBolton manager Sam Allardyce is facing a defensive crisis ahead of the match against Newcastle tomorrow. Florent Laville is out for six months as he needs surgery on his left knee while Nicky Hunt has a hamstring problem. However, French forward Youri Djorkaeff has shrugged off a calf problem sustained in the victory against Middlesbrough and is available.
CharltonMark Fish returns from suspension for Charlton's trip to Aston Villa tomorrow following his opening-day red card. South Africa international Fish was dismissed in the home defeat to Manchester City and was banned for last Saturday's 2-0 loss to Manchester United as a defensive crisis hit Alan Curbishley's side. The Londoners also welcome back Luke Young, who missed champions United's visit due to a stomach bug, but fellow defenders Richard Rufus and Hermann Hreidarsson (both knee) will be sidelined for at least another week.
ChelseaMarcel Desailly and Adrian Mutu are Chelsea's main doubts for tomorrow's trip to Wolves after suffering ankle injuries in the midweek Champions League victory away to Sparta Prague. Neither player is understood to be seriously injured and Mutu was even back in training yesterday, but Claudio Ranieri has such a large squad there seems little point in taking any risks.
John Terry would therefore hope to replace Desailly in defence, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen are looking for recalls up front and a handful of changes are also expected in midfield, with Geremi being suspended.
EvertonEverton goalkeeper Richard Wright has been told to rest for three weeks after an exploratory operation on his knee injury failed to discover any serious trouble. Wright has struggled with knee problems all season, and had to come off in the first half of last weekend's 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
Nigel Martyn took over and will continue at Middlesbrough on Sunday, with Scottish youngster Iain Turner on the bench. Everton are also without Steve Simonsen (thigh), Li Tie (foot) and Scot Gemmill (thigh). Kevin Campbell is back in training after his hamstring injury but will not be considered at the Riverside. Wayne Rooney has recovered from an ankle injury received last weekend.
LeedsLeeds skipper Dominic Matteo will miss a second successive match with an ankle injury sustained in training a week ago. In Matteo's absence for the visit of Birmingham, Gary Kelly will again skipper a side which is likely to remain unchanged in defence despite the 4-0 loss at Leicester on Monday as Lucas Radebe is also ruled out with a recurrence of his knee injury.
LeicesterLeicester defender Riccardo Scimeca is added to manager Micky Adams' squad for tomorrow's clash at Liverpool after serving a suspension. Adams, though, is again without the banned Alan Rogers, as well as Matt Elliott, Les Ferdinand and Callum Davidson through injury. Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie remains doubtful with an ankle problem sustained on international duty recently.
LiverpoolLiverpool's growing injury list almost certainly means John Arne Riise and Emile Heskey will return to the starting line-up for tomorrow's home game with Leicester. Both players have seen themselves ousted by Jamie Carragher and Milan Baros in recent weeks, but with that pair now out for long spells after injuries suffered against Blackburn last weekend, boss Gerard Houllier will be forced into a reshuffle.
Carragher (broken leg) and Baros (broken ankle) will not play again until the new year, joining Dietmar Hamann and Chris Kirkland on the injury list. Stephane Henchoz is still suffering from a calf problem which means Igor Biscan will continue to deputise in defence.
Manchester CityKevin Keegan is expected to stick with the same side that beat Aston Villa in such impressive fashion last weekend, despite the availability of Dutch midfielder Paul Bosvelt, who missed the Villa clash with a stomach virus.
Jon Macken will again be out with a foot injury and Keegan's biggest decision will be where to play Steve McManaman. The former Real Madrid player excelled against Villa in a central midfield role, however with Bosvelt available again, McManaman may be moved out wide to accommodate the Dutch international.
Manchester UnitedUnited skipper Roy Keane is expected to return from injury for Sunday's crucial Premiership showdown with Arsenal at Old Trafford. Keane, who has been plagued with an ankle injury recently, came off the bench in United's 5-0 Champions League triumph over Panathinaikos, and although he may still not be 100% fit, Alex Ferguson will be keen to see him start.
The inexperienced Cristiano Ronaldo in expected to start on the bench, while Quinton Fortune is the player most likely to make way for Keane's return.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough defender Franck Queudrue is included in the squad for Sunday's Premiership clash with Everton for the first time this season after completing a five-match ban. Former Derby duo Malcolm Christie and Chris Riggott return after shaking off a virus and Dutchman Budewijn Zenden could make his home debut after wearing a Boro shirt for the first time at Bolton last weekend. Ugo Ehiogu and Stuart Parnaby (both knee ligaments), Massimo Maccarone (ankle) and David Murphy (foot) remain on the sidelines.
NewcastleNewcastle boss Bobby Robson is sweating on the fitness of England defender Jonathan Woodgate. The 23-year-old has not played since the 1-0 Champions League qualifier defeat by Partizan Belgrade last month because of a torn stomach muscle, but after training this week, is in line for a return against Bolton tomorrow.
Goalkeeper Shay Given, whose deputy Steve Harper is out with a torn hamstring, is winning his battle against the knee injury he picked up on international duty, while Nolberto Solano could get the nod ahead of Lee Bowyer on the right hand side of midfield.
PortsmouthPortsmouth, who have made an impressive start to the season, will hope to continue their fine form with victory over Blackburn Rovers. Nigel Quashie looks set to continue in the left-sided midfield role as he fills in for Patrick Berger, who is expected to be out of action for up to four weeks after picking up a groin injury.
New boy Jason Roberts is challenging for a place in attack but manager Harry Redknapp's unbeaten team are again likely to start with Teddy Sheringham and Yakubu Ayegbini up front, with Roberts settling for a place on the bench.
SouthamptonSouthampton's Rory Delap is not expected to make his comeback from an ankle injury in tomorrow's Barclaycard Premiership clash at Tottenham. The midfielder lasted 55 minutes of a reserve match in midweek before being substituted with tight calves and is targeting Wednesday's UEFA Cup date against Steaua Bucharest for his comeback.
Saints boss Gordon Strachan is also without another quartet of players for tomorrow's White Hart Lane fixture. Striker Marian Pahars is out for another two weeks with a groin injury and fellow forward Agustin Delgado faces another five weeks on the sidelines with his back problem. Fitz Hall should be back next week after his broken toe but Darren Kenton faces a month-long battle to regain his fitness after a thigh injury.
TottenhamTottenham manager Glenn Hoddle is hoping to have Wales international midfielder Simon Davies back to face Southampton at White Hart Lane tomorrow. Davies missed last weekend's defeat at Chelsea with a slight thigh strain but came through a reserve match this week along with Gus Poyet (wrist) who is also likely to be back in the squad. Robbie Keane (ankle), Christian Ziege (thigh) and Ledley King (hamstring) are Hoddle's main injury worries at the moment, but none of them are expected to be long-term absentees.
WolvesHenri Camara is back to boost Wolves' bid for their first Barclaycard Premiership win over Chelsea at Molineux tomorrow. The Senegal striker has recovered from the toe infection which ruled him out of last Saturday's defeat at Southampton and is expected to regain his place in the starting line-up.
And boss Dave Jones is further boosted by Hassan Kachloul's recovery from a groin strain which ought to ensure the former Villa man his Wolves debut. But Jones has a slight doubt over striker Nathan Blake (hamstring) while goalkeeper Matt Murray suffered a setback in midweek and has still not recovered sufficiently from his back strain.
Filed by Shane Murray
