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Aston Villa v Coventry

Yorke 6 Leading scorer Dublin 8

Last season: 2-1

Aston Villa's versatile Simon Grayson may start his first game for a month as central defenders Gareth Southgate, Riccardo Scimeca and David Hughes are all doubtful through injury. Midfielder Ian Taylor will once again be missing as he sits out the final game of a three-match ban. Goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, back from international duty with Australia, is set to return to the side in place of former England Under-21 keeper Michael Oakes. Villa have won only one of their past six Premiership games.

Coventry captain Gary McAllister misses the derby with a knee injury sustained last week. Coventry, who have never won at Villa Park, recall David Burrows after a one-game absence. He was left out of the side that lost 2-0 at home to Leicester last week because he was involved in proposed transfer swap with Sheffield Wednesday's Mark Pembridge, which has now fallen through. Irish midfielder Willie Boland is suspended. Norwegian Trond Soltvedt and Dane Martin Johansen are in contention to take over in midfield.

Blackburn v Bolton

Sutton 11 Leading scorer Blake 8

Last season: No fixture

Blackburn's leading scorer Chris Sutton (knee) has had treatment and should be fit, while captain Tim Sherwood and defender Jeff Kenna have both passed tests on minor injuries. Norwegian defender Tore Pedersen has a minor injury but will be left out anyway, as Colin Hendry returns. Hendry has been out for a month with a back injury and will replace Pedersen, partnering Stephane Henchoz in defence. Kevin Gallacher is now fully fit and available after being on the substitutes' bench at Old Trafford last week.

Bolton defender Gerry Taggart, having completed a six-match ban, is available for selection. Central defender Chris Fairclough and full-back Neil Cox are also available after recovering from injury, but all three may struggle to win immediate recalls. Colin Todd is likely to begin with a back four of captain Gudni Bergsson, Mark Fish, Andy Todd, and Mike Whitlow, with Taggart on the bench. Todd's side will be buoyed by their 1-0 win over Newcastle last Monday, and will start Nathan Blake and Dean Holdsworth up front.

Derby v West Ham

Wanchope 10 Leading scorer Hartson 17

Last season: 1-0

Igor Stimac ends a two-month absence when he returns to first- team football today. The Derby captain has finally recovered from the back injury that has kept him out since October and will replace Dean Yates. Although Stimac is back, Danish defender Jacob Laursen is still out with a knee injury and midfielder Robbie van der Laan misses his eighth game with a damaged ankle. Derby, unbeaten at home in Premiership, will be looking to recover from their 4-0 defeat at Chelsea last week.

Stan Lazaridis and Andy Impey are doubts for West Ham today but Paul Kitson should make a return after 10 weeks out with a groin injury. Goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko missed the 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday with a neck injury, and might not feature. Midfielder Frank Lampard has recovered from the virus which has kept him out for two games. The Hammers' will be looking to replicate their home form - nine wins from the last 10 games - away, where they have won just once and lost seven times this season.

Leeds v Everton

Wallace 10 Leading scorer Cadamarteri, Last season: 1-0 Speed 5

Two of Leeds' international contingent, Lucas Radebe and Harry Kewell, are doubtful for today. South African defender Radebe, who will fly out immediately after the game for tomorrow's friendly with Brazil in Johannesburg, might play despite a groin strain, but Australian striker Kewell has a knee problem which has only allowed him to undergo light training this week. Captain David Hopkin is definitely out as he completes a three-game suspension. Leeds' manager, George Graham, has steered his side to four consecutive Premiership wins.

Everton are likely to recall Andy Hinchcliffe as they attempt to end a sequence of 20 successive away games without a win stretching back to a 1-0 victory win at Derby in December last year. Dave Watson also returns to the squad after injury today. New Norwegian goalkeeper Thomas Myhre has recovered from a midweek training injury and will also be in the squad, although Neville Southall is expected to play, after recovering from bruised ribs.

Leicester v Crystal Palace

Marshall 7 Leading scorer Shipperley 5

Last season: No fixture

Martin O'Neill's side are back in the Premiership top six after their 2-0 victory at Coventry last weekend. However, O'Neill could be without eight players today. Ian Marshall, Steve Walsh and Steve Guppy face late fitness tests after joining long-term absentee Scott Taylor on the injury list, while Garry Parker remains absent because his daughter is seriously ill. Emile Heskey is still suspended, Tony Cottee is on loan at Birmingham and Mark Robins is looking for a new club in Greece. Rob Ullathorne could be added to the squad for the first time since breaking his ankle 10 months ago.

Crystal Palace are likely to be without Jamie Smith, who limped off after 12 minutes of the 4-1 midweek defeat at West Ham. Smith may yet recover, otherwise another player with an ankle problem, Andy Roberts, is fit enough to travel and could play, as could Bruce Dyer. Attilio Lombardo remains out with thigh muscle injury picked up while training with Italy prior to their World Cup qualifying play-off against Russia. Israeli Itzik Zohar could get only his second Premiership start.

Liverpool v Man Utd

Fowler 8 Leading scorer Cole 13

Last season: 1-3

Liverpool, who helped Manchester United last Sunday by beating Arsenal at Highbury, face up to their biggest test of the season without inspirational captain and former Old Trafford midfielder Paul Ince, who completes his three-match suspension. Ince's absence is compensated for by the return of Robbie Fowler (ban), who is likely to replace Karlheinz Riedle and partner Michael Owen in attack. Rob Jones is not yet fully recovered from an Achilles problem, while Mark Wright (back) is still not ready for a recall. Out-of-favour Michael Thomas, who has rejected a move to Coventry, is unlikely to play.

Manchester United's Gary Pallister (hip) and Nicky Butt (shin) both needed treatment following last week's 4-0 win over Blackburn, but both were yesterday cleared by Alex Ferguson to play at Anfield today. Ferguson may well leave last Sunday's side unchanged, since Paul Scholes is still suspended, and Roy Keane and Denis Irwin are injured. United go into the game with a three-point cushion and a large goal-difference lead at the top of the Premiership.

Newcastle v Arsenal

Asprilla 6 Leading scorer Bergkamp 12

Last season: 1-2

Faustino Asprilla could eventually make his return for Newcastle after tearing a stomach muscle during their Champions' League match in Kiev two months ago. He is nearly fully recovered from reparative surgery. John Barnes was thought to have torn a hamstring in last Saturday's 2- 1 win at Crystal Palace but it was only a cramp, so he is likely to start along with goalkeeper Shay Given, whose shoulder and ankle injuries have cleared up.

Nicolas Anelka (ankle) is available again for Arsenal after recovery and could threaten the place of the out-of-form Ian Wright. Patrick Vieira (knee) is still out, although he could return next week. Ray Parlour (knee) has an outside chance of passing a late fitness test. Steve Bould completes a three-match ban for five yellow cards and Frenchman Gilles Grimandi starts one. Arsene Wenger has to decide whether to change his formation, bringing in a third centre-back alongside Adams and Martin Keown, or stick to his favoured 4-4-2, with Alberto Mendez challenging Stephen Hughes for a midfield place.

Tottenham v Chelsea

Ginola 5 Leading scorer Vialli 10

Last season: 1-2

Christian Gross has a number of injury problems. Sol Campbell's shoulder strain makes him doubtful, although there is a chance he will be fit. If Campbell fails to make the team, Gross will give the captain's armband to Colin Calderwood. Calderwood did not figure in the first team towards the end of Gerry Francis' reign, but was employed by Gross in a midfield holding role in last week's 2-0 win at Everton. Chris Armstrong is still a long-term absentee, while Steffen Iversen (foot) and Rory Allen (ankle) are both doubts. Jose Dominguez has recovered from injury and is back in the squad.

Ruud Gullit, yet to field an unchanged Chelsea side in back- to-back matches this season, has no fresh injury worries after last week's 4- 0 win over Derby but is still without Eddie Newton (broken toe) and Gustavo Poyet (ruptured knee ligament). Italian striker Gianluca Vialli, still Chelsea's top scorer with 10 goals in nine games, was left out against Derby but is in a squad of 19 today, along with the young midfielder Mark Nicholls and Gullit himself.

Tomorrow

Wimbledon v Southampton

Cort 6 Leading scorer Davies 10

Last season: 3-1

Joe Kinnear is without five of his first-team squad for tomorrow as Wimbledon's injury crisis worsens. Jason Euell and John Goodman are long-term injuries and Brian McAllister and Alan Kimble have not responded to treatment. Efan Ekoku will have a late fitness test on an injured ankle. Kinnear now hopes that with the World Cup finalised, his international players, especially Jamaica's Robbie Earle, will be able to concentrate on domestic matters.

Norwegian international Egil Ostenstad is in contention for a recall to Southampton's starting line-up for the first time in two months.

Ostenstad has not started a game since undergoing ankle surgery in October but the striker scored for the reserves in midweek after appearing as a late substitute in the 3-2 home defeat against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. Kevin Davies, named as joint Carling Player of the Month for November this week, will take his place in attack, looking to add to his 10 goals this season as Saints look to end a run of three successive defeats.