ASTON VILLA v NORWICH
Gavin McCann's absence for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery has left a gaping hole for Aston Villa manager David O'Leary.
O'Leary does not have another ball-winning midfielder at his disposal and the likes of Mathieu Berson or Steven Davis are likely to earn a recall to the starting line-up.
Thomas Hitzlsperger is in contention for a place on the bench after completing an hour of a reserve game with Manchester United following eight games out with a thigh problem.
But it is too soon for O'Leary to consider recalling striker Darius Vassell who played half an hour against the Red Devils after three months out of action with a broken ankle.
Provisional squad from: Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Samuel, Solano, Hendrie, Berson, Davis, Whittingham. Barry, Angel, Cole, Postma, De la Cruz, L Moore.
Injury-hit Norwich are set to hand new £3million striker Dean Ashton his debut in tomorrow's match at Villa Park.
Leon McKenzie could play alongside the former Crewe man after recovering from a hamstring injury, although manager Nigel Worthington could opt for a three up front with Darren Huckerby and Mattias Jonson pressed further forward.
Phil Mulryne is set to come into midfield with Thomas Helveg (calf) and David Bentley (knee) injured. Simon Charlton (broken toe) is also unavailable.
Team (from): Green, Edworthy, Fleming, Doherty, Charlton, Francis, Mulryne, Brennan, Jonson, Ashton, Huckerby, McKenzie, McVeigh, Crow, Jarvis, Shackell, Gallacher.
BOLTON v ARSENAL
Bolton striker Kevin Davies is struggling to recover from his recent hamstring injury.
Boss Sam Allardyce is anxious to involve the former Southampton striker as he seeks to dent the Gunners' title chances by recording three successive wins.
Anthony Barness is out with medial ligament damage and Julio Cesar is out for at least another week with a broken toe.
Team from: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Gardner, Campo, Okocha, Speed, Nolan, Giannakopoulos, Pedersen, Diouf, Davies, Poole, Hierro, Ben Haim, Vaz Te.
Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole return to bolster Arsenal's defence after
recovering from ankle injuries, although Lauren is still sidelined with a knee problem.
Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg are also back after being rested for last weekend's FA Cup win against Stoke, while Dennis Bergkamp is back for the first time since Boxing Day after a thigh injury.
Mathieu Flamini (thigh), Pascal Cygan (back), Edu (broken toe) and Gilberto Silva (back) are nevertheless still ruled out, while Manuel Almunia returns at the expense of Jens Lehmann in goal.
Team from: Almunia, Lehmann, Eboue, Hoyte, Cole, Clichy, Campbell, Toure, Senderos, Vieira, Fabregas, Pires, Ljungberg, Pennant, Reyes, van Persie, Bergkamp, Henry.
CHARLTON v BIRMINGHAM
Charlton hope defender Jonathan Fortune will recover from his hip injury to face Birmingham in tomorrow's clash at The Valley – Mark Fish is on stand-by.
Midfielders Jason Euell (toe) and Graham Stuart (back) are also doubtful, as is striker Shaun Bartlett (hamstring), so Francis Jeffers could continue in attack.
Chris Perry (groin) and Kevin Lisbie (hamstring) are both nearing match fitness, while midfielder Bryan Hughes is pressing for a start against his former club after he scored twice against Rochdale.
Provisional squad: Kiely, Young, Fortune, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Fish, Murphy, Holland, Kishishev, Thomas, Bartlett, Rommedahl, Hughes, Euell, Jeffers, Konchesky, Stuart, Hughes, Andersen.
Robbie Savage looks to have played his last game for Birmingham with a £3million move to Blackburn set to go ahead sooner rather than later.
Stan Lazaridis is given only a 50-50 chance of being fit after collecting a thigh injury during the FA Cup triumph over Leeds.
If he is ruled out, then either Olivier Tebily or Jamie Clapham would probably replace the Australian at left-back.
Provisional squad: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Lazaridis, Anderton, Clemence, Carter, Gray, Morrison, Heskey, Vaesen, Clapham, Blake, Tebily, Martin Taylor.
LIVERPOOL v MANCHESTER UNITED
Fernando Morientes is expected to make his Liverpool debut, while fellow La Liga import Mauricio Pellegrino is also in line for his first taste of action since his move from Valencia.
Pellegrino, who has been short of full match action all season, took part in a practice game against a Crewe side on Wednesday, and scored with a long-range free-kick with manager Rafael Benitez wanting to judge his match fitness.
Centre-back Sami Hyypia has recovered from flu and will also return afterbeing sidelined for the midweek Carling Cup semi-final first leg win over Watford.
Provisional squad: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Pellegrino, Traore, Riise, Luis Garcia, Hamann, Gerrard, Nunez, Warnock, Morientes, Baros, Biscan, Diao, Harrison, Mellor, Sinama-Pongolle.
Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand face late fitness tests for United. Giggs has missed the last two games since limping out of the goalless draw with Tottenham with a hamstring injury while Ferdinand has also missed the last two matches.
Gary Neville will not be considered despite returning to training following his recent virus so Alex Ferguson's main selection decision will centre around whether he retains Tim Howard or recalls Roy Carroll, who has not played since his blunder against Spurs.
Squad: Carroll, Howard, P Neville, Silvestre, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Heinze,
Fortune, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Djemba-Djemba, Smith, Saha, Rooney.
MANCHESTER CITY v CRYSTAL PALACE
Injured Nicolas Anelka is out for City. However, Robbie Fowler will return after missing the FA Cup defeat at Oldham due to a family bereavement and is expected to replace Bradley Wright-Phillips in what is otherwise expected to be an unchanged side.
Willo Flood definitely misses out with a hamstring strain, while Stephen Jordan returns to the squad after his recent ankle problem.
Provisional squad: James, Waterreus, Onuoha, Distin, Sommeil, Thatcher, Dunne, Bosvelt, S Wright-Phillips, Barton, Sibierski, Fowler, McManaman, Macken, B Wright-Phillips.
Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie will have to shuffle his pack for the trip to Eastlands, with Danny Granville and Michael Hughes suspended after picking up five cautions each.
Defender Gonzalo Sorondo should come back into contention after three matches out with a hamstring problem, while young midfielder Tom Soares may get another chance to impress.
Aki Riihilahti (calf) and Joonas Kolkka (ribs) are still out, while Nicola Ventola (fractured ankle) and Tommy Black (broken leg) are long-term absentees.
Provisional squad: Kiraly, Speroni, Boyce, Hall, Butterfield, Popovic, Leigertwood, Sorondo, Routledge, Powell, Soares, Torghelle, Andrews, Watson, Lakis, Johnson, Shipperley, Freedman.
NEWCASTLE v SOUTHAMPTON
Newcastle boss Graeme Souness welcomes back Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert for the visit of former club Southampton to St James' Park tomorrow.
Shearer has missed the last 12 games with thigh and calf injuries, while Kluivert has been out since early December with a hamstring problem.
Laurent Robert (hamstring) and Charles N'Zogbia (ankle) are also named in the squad, but Nicky Butt (hamstring) and Stephen Carr (knee) are still missing.
Provisional squad: Given, Harper, Taylor, Hughes, Babayaro, Bernard, Boumsong, Bramble, O'Brien, Dyer, Jenas, Bowyer, Robert, N'Zogbia, Milner, Ambrose, Shearer, Bellamy, Kluivert, Ameobi.
Midfielders Anders Svensson and Fabrice Fernandes are both fit to return to Southampton's squad as they bid to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation.
Svensson missed last weekend's FA Cup win at Northampton with a dead leg, while Fernandes has been struggling for the last ten days with a hamstring strain.
Defender Andreas Jakobsson is doubtful after pulling a muscle in his back, while Graeme Le Saux, Darren Kenton, Jelle van Damme and Marian Pahars are all on the long-term injury list.
Team (from): Niamey, Teller, Lundekvam, Davenport, Higginbotham, Prutton, Delap, Redknapp, McCann, Crouch, Phillips, Dodd, Jakobsson, Blackstock, A Svensson, Fernandes, Nilsson, Ormerod, Oakley, Smith.
PORTSMOUTH v BLACKBURN
Lomana LuaLua returns to the Portsmouth squad after a month out with an ear infection.
Midfielder Steve Stone will undergo a late fitness test on a hamstring injury sustained after coming on as a substitute in last weekend's FA Cup third-round win over Gillingham.
Right-back Andy Griffin is definitely out with a torn hamstring so Linvoy Primus will return to the starting line-up. Nigel Quashie is also set to regain his place in midfield after being rested for the victory over the Gills.
Team (from): Ashdown, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth, O'Neil, Stone, Quashie, Berger, Yakubu, Kamara, Hislop, Taylor, Hughes, LuaLua, Fuller, Faye, Berkovic.
Barry Ferguson will miss the trip to the south coast as questions continue to surround his Ewood Park future.
Ferguson - wanted back by his former club Rangers - has a groin strain and joins suspended pair Lucas Neill and Dominic Matteo on the sidelines.
South African Aaron Mokoena could be in line for his full debut. Matt Jansen and Tugay have both recovered from knee injuries and are back in the squad.
Team (from): Friedel, Todd, Johansson, Emerton, Flitcroft, Thompson, Stead, Dickov, Enckelman, Pedersen, Gallagher, Tugay, Johnson, Amoruso, Nelsen, Mokoena, Douglas, McEveley, Jansen, Gray.
TOTTENHAM v CHELSEA
Spurs striker Fredi Kanoute could return to the starting line-up for tomorrow's clash with Premiership leaders Chelsea at White Hart Lane.
The Mali international missed the goalless draw at Manchester United and the FA Cup win over Brighton with a hamstring injury, and head coach Martin Jol will give his striker a late fitness before making a decision.
Jol will again be without Rohan Ricketts, who missed last week's cup game after damaging his knee ligaments in training last Friday, and the midfielder could be out for six weeks.
Team from: Robinson, Edman, King, Gardner, Kelly, Ziegler, Mendes, Carrick, Brown, Keane, Defoe, Kanoute, Fulop, Pamarot, Yeates, Ifil, Marney, Naybet, Bunjevcevic.
Chelsea will travel to their London neighbours tomorrow with a minor injury doubt over midfielder Tiago. He limped off during the goalless draw with Manchester United in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final with an ankle knock.
Otherwise, manager Jose Mourinho has a full squad to choose from with the exceptions of long-term injury victim Scott Parker (broken foot) and Ricardo Carvalho (broken toe).
German international Robert Huth is almost fully fit after his ankle injury but is not expected to re-join the first team squad until next week. Arjen Robben is back after suspension.
Team from: Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Lampard, Smertin, Jarosik, Cole, Geremi, Tiago, Robben, Kezman, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Duff, Makelele, Bridge.
FULHAM v WEST BROM (Sunday)
Fulham striker Andy Cole is suspended. Canadian international Tomasz Radzinski is back after overcoming his hamstring strain while Papa Bouba Diop and Zesh Rehman, who were rested against Watford, are back in the reckoning.
Claus Jensen, Alain Goma and Ian Pearce will be given run-outs for the reserves over the next week and boss Chris Coleman revealed they could soon be back in first-team action.
Provisional squad from: Van der Sar, Crossley, Volz, Bocanegra, Fontaine, Malbranque, Knight, Rehman, Pembridge, Diop, Legwinski, McBride, John, Hammond, Rosenior, Clark, Boa Morte.
West Brom will hand a debut to striker Kevin Campbell. Campbell steps into the side after his arrival on a free transfer from Everton.
Fellow striker Kanu should be fit after missing last weekend's 2-0 FA Cup win at Preston with a virus while Geoff Horsfield is also winning his fitness battle after suffering a hamstring strain at Preston.
Cosmin Contra also hopes to return after a groin problem ruled him out at Preston. But central defender Darren Moore will miss his seventh successive with a knee injury despite making progress.
Team from: Hoult, Albrechtsen, Purse, Clement, Robinson, Scimeca, Johnson, Wallwork, Kanu, Campbell, Earnshaw, Horsfield, Greening, Gera, Hulse, Koumas, Dyer, Contra, Kuszczak.
MIDDLESBROUGH v EVERTON (Sunday)
Middlesbrough manager Steve McLaren will be without suspended midfielder Ray Parlour.
Chris Riggott, Stuart Parnaby (both knee) and Malcolm Christie (hamstring) are all sidelined, while Gaizka Mendieta (knee), Mark Viduka (hamstring) and George Boateng (broken toe) remain on the long term casualty list.
Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Nash, Reiziger, McMahon, Queudrue, Southgate, Ehiogu, Cooper, Zenden, Doriva, Downing, Nemeth, Morrison, Wilson, Hasselbaink, Job, Graham.
Thomas Gravesen's imminent departure to Real Madrid will see Everton starting life without the Danish star and with a re-structured midfield.
An insight into the future was seen at Plymouth in the FA Cup last weekend when Kevin Kilbane occupied a more central midfield place behind Lee Carsley and Leon Osman, rather than his usual position on the left wing. Tim Cahill and James McFadden can expect more prominent roles now too.
Steve Watson is still likely to be out with a stomach muscle problem, while Joseph Yobo is fit to play despite dislocating a finger at the Home Park cup tie last weekend.
Duncan Ferguson is available again after his three match ban while Iain Turner will continue as the substitute 'keeper with Nigel Martyn still out.
Provisional squad: Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Stubbs, Naysmith, Pistone, Carsley, Cahill, Osman, Kilbane, McFadden, Beattie, Bent, Chadwick, Turner, Ferguson.
