SATURDAY, 26 DECEMBER
Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech will miss Saturday's Premier League encounter at Arsenal due to a muscle problem while defenders Ben Chilwell and Reece James are doubtful after picking up knocks, manager Frank Lampard said.
Ziyech joined Chelsea from Ajax Amsterdam during the close-season for a reported €40 million but the 27-year-old missed the start of the campaign through injury.
The Morocco international has not played since Chelsea's 3-1 win over promoted Leeds United on 5 December.
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The forward has missed the last two games with a calf injury and boss Mikel Arteta will be keen to have him back as the Gunners look to address their poor run of form.
Thomas Partey (thigh) is expected to miss out again but fellow midfielder Granit Xhaka is available having served a three-match ban and Gabriel Martinelli is likely to be fit after limping off against Manchester City on Tuesday.
Jamie Vardy will be fit for the clash with Manchester United after coming off with a minor groin problem in Leicester's win at Tottenham.
Caglar Soyuncu is touch-and-go with a groin injury and Ricardo Pereira remains out with a similar complaint.
United will check on the fitness of Scott McTominay and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Midfielder McTominay suffered a groin injury in United's win over Leeds last weekend while right-back Wan-Bissaka missed the midweek game at Everton with a knock.
Defenders Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo remain long-term absentees.
Manchester City have confirmed that Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker have tested positive for Covid-19. Along with two staff members, the duo will self-isolate.
Pep Guardiola can otherwise pick from close to a fully-fit squad, with defender Eric Garcia their only notable absentee with a leg injury.
Sergio Aguero (knee) could be in contention after a 16-minute run-out in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles and winger Allan Saint-Maximin are still missing as they continue to recover from Covid-19.
Federico Fernandez could be available after missing the midweek cup defeat at Brentford through muscle fatigue and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is close to returning from a heel injury.
Fulham could be without Ivan Cavaleiro for their St Stephen's Day clash with Southampton, with manager Scott Parker also absent from the dugout.
The forward pulled up in the warm-up before the Newcastle game and remains a doubt for the fixture while the manager is self-isolating after a member of his household returned a positive Covid-19 test.
Kenny Tete will be unlikely to feature after his wife gave birth while Terence Kongolo suffered a minor setback and is likely to be out for a further 10 days before being able to return to training.
Mario Lemina is also ineligible to face his parent club but Joachim Andersen will be available after his red card against Newcastle was overturned.
Southampton have several selection concerns ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage, where they will be missing Oriol Romeu through suspension.
Striker Danny Ings (hamstring) and defender Jannik Vestergaard (knee) are doubts, along with winger Nathan Redmond, who is struggling with a hip problem.
Ghanaian centre-back Mohammed Salisu could be set to step in for a belated debut following a summer switch from Real Valladolid, having again been an unused substitute for the defeat by Manchester City.
Ross Barkley is expected to be available for Aston Villa's clash with Crystal Palace.
The midfielder has been out for a month with a hamstring problem but has returned to training while Ezri Konsa has also shaken off an illness.
Trezeguet remains out with a thigh injury and, although Wesley has started running again, the striker will not return from his long-term knee injury until next year.
Palace will be without former Villa defender Gary Cahill at Villa Park.
The experienced centre-back has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury following last weekend's 7-0 drubbing at the hands of champions Liverpool.
Striker Christian Benteke - another ex-Villa player - returns from a one-match ban, but Wayne Hennessey (thigh), Nathan Ferguson (knee), Martin Kelly, Mamadou Sakho (both calf) and Connor Wickham (thigh) remain sidelined.
RESULTS, FIXTURES AND STANDINGS
Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge faces up to four months on the sidelines after surgery to repair a damaged tendon.
Oli McBurnie (shoulder) has an outside chance of returning and fellow frontman Lys Mousset (ankle) could be involved as a substitute, while midfielder John Lundstram begins a three-match ban.
Everton are set to be without Richarlison, sidelined under concussion protocols, and James Rodriguez who will miss a fifth successive match with a calf problem. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to return after being rested in midweek.
SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER
Liverpool could welcome back midfielders James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri into the squad for the visit of West Brom on Sunday.
Milner has missed the last six matches with a hamstring injury while Shaqiri has been sidelined by a muscle problem since the November international break.
Fellow midfielder Thiago Alcantara is edging closer to a return after more than two months out with a knee injury but will not be fit for this game.
West Brom skipper Jake Livermore begins a three-match suspension following the midfielder's red card in the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa, Albion's first game under new boss Sam Allardyce.
Matheus Pereira is back available after completing a three-game ban of his own.
Kyle Bartley, Conor Townsend, Sam Field and Hal Robson-Kanu remain sidelined.
Wolves hope Leander Dendoncker and Willy Boly will be available for Tottenham's visit to Molineux on Sunday.
Belgium midfielder Dendoncker missed Monday's 2-1 defeat at Burnley after picking up an injury in the previous game against Chelsea.
Boly was an unused substitute at Turf Moor and should return, but Raul Jimenez (fractured skull) and Jonny (knee) remain sidelined.
Tottenham will be without Giovani Lo Celso due to a hamstring injury which will keep him out for the festive period.
Gareth Bale will be assessed after he came off at half-time during the Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Stoke with a calf problem, having given his side the first-half lead.
Japhet Tanganga (shoulder) will also miss out for Jose Mourinho's team.
Leeds will be without captain Liam Cooper against Burnley due to an abdominal strain.
Fellow centre-half Robin Koch is a long-term absentee following knee surgery, but Spain defender Diego Llorente could make his home debut after recovering from a muscle strain.
Burnley wingers Dwight McNeil and Robbie Brady are doubtful with respective groin and hamstring injuries. Forward Matej Vydra has tweaked a muscle in his back and is another doubt while midfield pair Jack Cork and
Johann Berg Gudmundsson are making progress in their recoveries from injuries but will not feature at Elland Road.
Michail Antonio will be assessed ahead of West Ham's match with Brighton.
The attacker has not featured in December due to a hamstring injury, but is back in training and is expected to return for the Hammers during the festive period.
Arthur Masuaku is out following knee surgery, while Manuel Lanzini will be monitored after a hamstring injury saw him miss Monday's 3-0 loss at Chelsea.
Brighton will once again be without injured defender Tariq Lamptey.
The full-back missed the weekend draw with Sheffield United and continues to struggle with a hamstring problem.
Albion boss Graham Potter has no fresh selection concerns.
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
