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Aston Villa v Coventry

W 1887, 95, 97 Best Cup years W 1987

1905, 13, 20, 57

Aston Villa will check on the fitness of leading scorer Dwight Yorke and central defender Steve Staunton before the game. The two players have been under treatment for calf problems. Yorke, who has scored three goals in the last three games, picked up his latest injury at Derby County last weekend when he scored in Villa's 1-0 win. If Yorke is out, the manager Brian Little may have to consider turning to Savo Milosevic who refused to go on the substitutes' bench at Derby County last week. Little said: "I have to look at things and see what is right for the club."

Coventry City manager Gordon Strachan's 19-year-old son Gavin is in contention for his FA Cup debut. Injuries to Gary McAllister and Paul Williams and suspensions for Paul Telfer and Noel Whelan have opened the way for Strachan junior to step into midfield if called upon. He faces competition from the Republic of Ireland B international Willie Boland. There could also be a place in the Coventry attack for the Romanian World Cup striker, Viorel Moldovan.

Leeds v Birmingham

Leeds should be boosted by the return from injury of Dutch central defender Robert Molenaar for this game against First Division opposition. Molenaar was forced to sit out last week's 1-0 defeat at Leicester with a twisted knee but has done light training this week, with his manager George Graham hopeful he will be fit. Graham, however, is on the brink of major disciplinary problems as nine players are one booking away from suspension.

Birmingham's Peter Ndlovu is set to start his first game since Boxing Day. Ndlovu is poised to join Nicky Forster in a new-look forward line as leading scorer Paul Furlong is beginning a three-game ban after being sent off at Reading last month, while new pounds 1m striker Dele Adebola is cup-tied having played for Crewe against Birmingham in the third round. Manager Trevor Francis has to shuffle his midfield as well due to further suspensions. Chris Marsden is starting a three-game ban having also been dismissed at Reading, while Steve Robinson will have to sit out the next two games having been booked at Elm Park.

Newcastle v Tranmere

W 1910, 24, 32 Best Cup years 5R 1968, 88

1951, 52, 55

Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish expects to have a full squad to choose from, apart from right-back Steve Watson, who has a broken foot, and new signing Andy Griffin, who is cup-tied. Two other new recruits - Andreas Andersson and Gary Speed - are both available, the latter because he missed his old club Everton's third-round defeat by Newcastle through injury. Swedish international forward Andersson goes in search of his first goal for Newcastle since his pounds 3m move to the north-east.

First Division strugglers Tranmere travel to Newcastle aiming to go one better than Stevenage Borough, but they will be missing recent signing Stephen Frail and Lee Jones, who both have knee injuries. There is also a doubt over Graham Branch, of whom Rovers manager John Aldridge said: "He didn't train on Thursday, but we'll have another look at him." Branch is doubtful after he injured his Achilles tendon in the midweek win over Swindon. The striker missed training on Thursday. Definitely out are striker Lee Jones and Stephen Frail, who both have knee problems.

West Ham v Blackburn

W 1964, 75, 80, Best Cup years W 1884, 85, 86

1890, 91, 1928

Rio Ferdinand is hoping to recover from the foot injury which ruled him out of the England B international against Chile on Tuesday. Ferdinand is not manager Harry Redknapp's only defensive doubt as David Unsworth is struggling with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to be involved. Paul Kitson has a groin injury, while his fellow striker Samassi Abou is suspended and Trevor Sinclair is cup-tied. Goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko played a reserve match against Norwich yesterday and is available, but Craig Forrest is likely to retain his place.

Blackburn have a doubt over winger Stuart Ripley. He has been unable to train for a couple of days after suffering a recurrence of the knee injury he picked up at Sheffield Wednesday in the last round. The worry over Ripley is off-set by the fact that two other internationals, goalkeeper Tim Flowers and striker Kevin Gallacher, have both been declared fit for the tie. Swedish striker Martin Dahlin, who has not started a first team game for four months, is back in contention after scoring twice in a midweek reserve team outing.

Wimbledon v Wolves

W 1988 Best Cup years W 1893, 1908,

1949, 60

Wimbledon will be without Carl Leaburn and Michael Hughes, the outstanding players in their 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Monday. Leaburn, who scored twice against Palace, is cup-tied having played for his former club Charlton earlier in the competition, while Hughes, the man of the match in Monda's game,, is suspended. Marcus Gayle is still on international duty with Jamaica, so Wimbledon manager Joe Kinnear is likely to play Jason Euell and Carl Cort in attack.

Steve Bull has been named in Wolves' squad. The long-serving former England striker is unlikely to play at Selhurst Park but is included to provide back up for Don Goodman and Dougie Freedman. Simon Osborn and defender Adrian Williams are in line for a place on the bench after recovering from injury. Robbie Keane is out after chipping two bones in his arm while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland's B side. Right-back Kevin Muscat begins a two-match suspension and should be replaced by Mark Atkins.

Playing tomorrow...

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

W 1930, 36, 50, Best Cup years RU 1990

71, 79, 93

Ian Wright (hamstring) will miss the game. The England striker appeared as a substitute in the 2-0 win over Chelsea last Sunday after missing four games and spending a week at a special fitness clinic in France, but felt more discomfort. Defender Martin Keown, another victim of hamstring trouble, is still out having withdrawn from England's match against Chile in midweek, but Ray Parlour has recovered from a foot injury he sustained playing for the England B team. With captainTony Adams suspended, Arsenal could switch Gilles Grimandi from right back into the centre of defence, and allow fit-again Lee Dixon to return to the starting line- up. Stephen Hughes should keep his place in midfield as Patrick Vieira, back from a two-match ban, has had flu.

Crystal Palace's Tomas Brolin and Bruce Dyer pick themselves as Attilio Lombardo, Michele Padovano, Neil Shipperley and Paul Warhurst are still out injured, while Marcus Bent and new signing Matt Jansen are Cup-tied. Jamie Fullarton is back from suspension. Simon Rodger, who played the last 30 minutes against Wimbledon on Monday, is close to a return from injury, and Neil Emblen is pushing for a recall. David Tuttle, out since September with a broken leg, is also back in the squad.

Man Utd v Barnsley

W 1909, 48, 63, 77 Best Cup years W 1912

83, 85, 90, 94, 96

Ronny Johnsen and Brian McClair are ready to fill Manchester United's midfield gaps. Both Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes are suspended and there is also a doubt over David Beckham, who pulled out of the England squad this week for treatment on a hamstring injury. Andy Cole is also on the doubtful list after pulling out of the England squad in midweek. If Cole misses out then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will partner Teddy Sheringham up front and the Norwegian youngster, Erik Nevland, could get another call- up to the senior squad. Henning Berg should return to partner Gary Pallister in defence, with Gary Neville moving to his normal right-back position and brother Phil possibly starting where he finished off against Bolton last weekend in midfield.

Barnsley manager Danny Wilson will be without defenders Darren Sheridan and Darren Barnard. Sheridan completes a two-match suspension while Barnard starts a two-game ban, which could mean a place in the starting-line up for Steve Thompson for the first time since the Tykes' 7-0 thrashing at Old Trafford at the end of October. Striker Jan-Age Fjortoft is cup-tied so John Hendrie is almost certain to partner Ashley Ward up front.

FAIR PLAY LEAGUE

Referee Games Red Yellow Pts Ave

1 G Poll 15 7 60 95 6.33

2 G Willard 13 4 58 78 6.00

3 M Reed 12 2 59 69 5.75

4 G Barber 14 3 53 68 4.86

5 P Durkin 14 3 50 65 4.64

6 J Winter 14 2 52 62 4.43

7 D Elleray 14 2 50 60 4.29

8 P Jones 12 2 41 51 4.25

9 U Rennie 14 1 52 57 4.07

10 M Riley 13 2 42 52 4.00

11 S Dunn 10 1 34 39 3.90

12 A Wilkie 14 2 44 54 3.86

13 P Alcock 13 0 47 47 3.62

14 N Barry 13 1 40 45 3.46

15 G Ashby 14 2 38 48 3.43

16 D Gallagher 14 2 37 47 3.36

17 K Burge 12 1 34 39 3.25

18 S Lodge 14 2 33 43 3.07

19 M Bodenham 13 0 39 39 3.00

(Premiership matches only; includes abandoned matches. Red cards: 5pts. Yellow: 1pt)

UNFAIR PLAY LEAGUE

Played Red Yellow Pts Ave

1 Coventry 25 5 51 76 3.04

2 Leeds 25 3 54 69 2.76

3 Bolton 25 4 47 67 2.68

4 Chelsea 25 3 51 66 2.64

5 Everton 25 3 51 66 2.64

6 Arsenal 25 2 53 63 2.52

7 Sheff Wed 25 3 42 57 2.28

8 C Palace 26 2 49 59 2.27

9 Derby 26 1 54 59 2.27

10 Blackburn 25 3 39 54 2.16

11 Newcastle 25 2 41 51 2.04

12 West Ham 26 2 43 53 2.04

13 Southampton 25 1 43 48 1.92

14 Man Utd 25 0 43 43 1.72

15 Liverpool 25 1 35 40 1.60

16 Barnsley 25 0 39 39 1.56

17 Wimbledon 26 1 35 40 1.54

18 Tottenham 25 1 33 38 1.52

19 Leicester 25 1 31 36 1.44

20 A Villa 25 1 31 36 1.44

(Premiership matches only; includes abandoned matches. Red cards: 5pts. Yellow: 1pt)

LEADING SCORERS

Lg FA CC EurTotal

1 Cole (Man Utd) 12 4 0 5 21

2 Hartson (W Ham) 12 1 6 0 19

3 Gallacher (Blkbrn) 13 2 1 0 16

Dublin (Coventry) 12 3 1 0 16

5 Sutton (Blkbrn) 13 1 1 0 15

Bergkamp (Arsenal) 12 1 1 1 15

Vialli (Chelsea) 7 2 0 6 15

8 Owen (Liverpool) 9 0 4 1 14

9 Fjortfort (Barnsley) 10 2 1 0 13

(12 for Sheffield United)

Fowler (Liverpool) 9 0 3 1 13

11 Baiano (Derby) 11 1 0 0 12

Davies (Soton) 9 0 3 0 12

Hasselbaink (Leeds) 8 2 2 0 12

Wanchope (Derby) 8 0 4 0 12 15 Wright (Arsenal) 10 0 1 0 11