Sunday
Aston Villa v West Ham United, 1.30pm
Aston Villa are set to recall goalkeeper Brad Friedel. The American was on the bench for Villa’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg win against Blackburn last night.
Martin O’Neill has used Brad Guzan for Villa’s Cup games this season but Friedel has been an ever-present in the Premier League. O’Neill also looks poised to recall right back Luke Young who was also on the bench for the 1-0 victory at Ewood Park.
Carlos Cuellar is set to return to the centre of defence in place of James Collins after he played at right-back against Rovers.
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Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, has no senior strikers available.
Carlton Cole, Luis Boa Morte and Kieron Dyer are still sidelined with knee injuries, leaving West Ham’s options limited to teenagers Frank Nouble and Freddie Sears after Guillermo Franco was injured in training.
Zola hopes to have Scott Parker back from a hamstring injury while Mark Noble is fit again - but Herita Ilunga and Danny Gabbidon are both out.
Villa (from): Friedel, L Young, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, A Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing, Heskey, Agbonlahor, Guzan, Sidwell, Carew, Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye, Albrighton, Delfouneso.
West Ham (from): Green, Kurucz, Faubert, Da Costa, Upson, Tomkins, Daprela, Spector, Kovac, Noble, Parker, Collison, Behrami, Payne, Diamanti, Jimenez, Stanislas, Nouble, Sears.
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Lars Jacobsen has joined Sam Allardyce’s growing injury list ahead. The defender suffered a thigh problem in the Carling Cup semi final first leg defeat to Aston Villa and looks set to miss out.
Vince Grella (thigh) and Jason Roberts (knee) are also still sidelined, while El-Hadji Diouf is suspended - but Allardyce is hopeful that Gael Givet will have recovered from a head injury in time for the visit of Roy Hodgson’s side.
Fulham will have Brede Hangeland available.
The Norway defender came off at half-time during the Cottagers’ match against Stoke with a knee injury but is fully fit and will probably replace Chris Smalling in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI.
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Long-term absentees Bobby Zamora (shoulder) and John Pantsil (knee) will be missing while Simon Davies (foot) and Diomansy Kamara (knee) are also out.
Blackburn (from): Robinson, Olsson, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Samba, Salgado, Pedersen, Givet, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Andrews, Emerton, Dunn, Di Santo, McCarthy, Kalinic, Jones, Brown, Reid.
Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Konchesky, Hangeland, Baird, Smalling,Kelly, Hughes, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Gera, Riise, Greening, Duff, Nevland, Elm, A Johnson.
Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal, 4pm
Owen Coyle, the Bolton manager, expects Kevin Davies and Mark Davies to come into contention for his first game in charge at the Reebok Stadium.
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Both players are back in training after being laid low with a virus that has hit the club.
Bolton, who are unbeaten in four games, will again be without long-term injury absentees Joey O’Brien and Sean Davis.
Cesc Fabregas returns to the Arsenal side following the hamstring strain he suffered against Aston Villa two weeks ago.
Denilson misses the trip to the Reebok with an abdominal muscle injury while striker Nicklas Bendtner (groin)is still a fortnight away from full fitness.
Gael Clichy is available again and is set to start from the bench, having recovered from his back injury, but new signing Sol Campbell is not in the squad.
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Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Cohen, Taylor, Gardner, Muamba, McCann, Lee, K Davies, Klasnic, Basham, A O’Brien, Al Habsi, Samuel, Elmander, M Davies, Ricketts.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Traore, Ramsey, Diaby, Arshavin, Eduardo, Nasri, Fabregas, Fabianski, Mannone, Silvestre, Rosicky, Merida, Vela.