NO-HEADLINE

Aston Villa v Liverpool

Yorke 9 Leading scorer Owen 17 Last season: 1-0

New Aston Villa manager John Gregory will be without striker Savo Milosevic as he takes charge for his first game today. The Yugoslavian international is out of contention with medial knee ligament damage suffered during Villa's 2-1 defeat at Wimbledon last week. Gregory also has worries over the fitness of three more key first-team players - striker Dwight Yorke (calf), midfielder Mark Draper (ankle) and utility player Steve Staunton (hamstring) are all struggling to recover and rated as doubtful.

Liverpool are hoping that Karlheinz Riedle will have shaken off a foot injury in time to replace Robbie Fowler, who will be out for six months with cruciate ligament damage sustained in the Merseyside derby. The German striker has been a frustrated substitute for long periods this season because Roy Evans has persisted with the Fowler-Michael Owen partnership, and Riedle has started only once in Liverpool's last 16 matches. Stig- Inge Bjornebye returns after international duty. Jason McAteer, Phil Babb and Dominic Matteo are definitely out. Paul Ince and Steve McManaman are slight doubts.

Barnsley v Wimbledon

Refearn 10 Leading scorer Euell 7 Last season: No fixture

Barnsley striker John Hendrie (ankle) and defender Nicky Eaden (chest infection) will both undergo late fitness tests before today's game. Hendrie has "improved greatly" after limping out of Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round win over Manchester United but is unlikely to play to make sure he is fit for the sixth-round tie at Newcastle next weekend. Jan-Age Fjortoft should return in his place. Arjan de Zeeuw is also unlikely to figure despite being close to full fitness following a groin problem, while fellow centre-back Chris Morgan is available again after completing a two-game ban.

Defender Duncan Jupp injured himself during Wimbledon's midweek FA Cup fifth-round replay defeat against Wolves and may miss the trip to Oakwell. His place may be taken by Kenny Cunningham who could return to the starting line-up following a recent ankle injury. Jamaican international midfielder Robbie Earle is struggling for fitness and is thought unlikely that the Wimbledon vice captain will play. The Dons are looking to complete a hat-trick of Premiership wins, while Barnsley are looking to move off the bottom of the table.

Blackburn v Leicester

Gallacher 17 Leading scorer Marshall 8 Last season: 2-4

Blackburn will be without striker Kevin Gallacher, who starts a three-match ban. Goalkeeper Tim Flowers is also out with a shoulder injury and Anthony Williams has been recalled from a month's loan at QPR to act as cover for Alan Fettis. Billy McKinlay is a major doubt with the calf injury which forced him to be substituted after just 20 minutes of Wednesday's FA Cup replay against West Ham. He will have a late fitness test before today's match. Stuart Ripley and Gary Croft are both suffering from fatigue but are expected to play. Lars Bohinen returns from international duty.

Leicester City manager Martin O'Neill will wait for fitness reports on three key defenders. Swedish international Pontus Kamark faces a late test on an Achilles injury while Matt Elliott and Spencer Prior have had a virus. Tony Cottee is doubtful with a hamstring strain but goalkeeper Kasey Keller returns after missing the last two matches on international duty with the United States. Leicester would move to within two points of their hosts with a win. Blackburn have won once in the last five Premiership games.

Chelsea v Man Utd

Vialli 15 Leading scorer Cole 22 Last season: 1-1

Ed De Goey returns for Chelsea after international duty. De Goey, a Premiership ever-present before missing last week's 2-0 defeat at Leicester, will replace Dmitri Kharin. Gianluca Vialli is likely to persevere with the policy of playing himself, Mark Hughes and Gianfranco Zola together, even though the diminutive Italian has not scored for three months. A win for Chelsea could leave them second in the Premiership tonight, and eight points behind United. Defeat would leave them 14 points adrift with 11 games remaining.

Norwegian duo Henning Berg and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer return for Manchester United but the champions are still waiting on the fitness of England midfielder Nicky Butt. Berg missed Wednesday's 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Barnsley because he was away on international duty and Solskjaer has recovered from the virus which kept him out of the last three games. However Butt is still suffering from a calf injury while Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are unfit and David May is unlikely to be risked. Michael Clegg, Michael Twiss, Ben Thornley and John Curtis should be in the squad but are unlikely to start.

C Palace v Coventry

Dyer 8 Leading scorer Dublin 17 Last season: No fixture

Crystal Palace may give a debut to Matt Jansen, who is in the squad today following his pounds 1m move from Carlisle. The 20-year-old is available after being cup-tied for the 2-1 midweek FA Cup defeat against Arsenal. Manager Steve Coppell welcomes back Marcus Bent, who was also cup-tied, but is still without long-term casualties Attilio Lombardo, Michele Padovano, Neil Shipperley and Paul Warhurst. Jamie Smith suffered an ankle injury in the cup match but is expected to be fit. Palace have yet to win at home in the League this season, while Coventry are looking for a seventh consecutive win.

Coventry manager Gordon Strachan will give late fitness tests to David Burrows and Richard Shaw, who both have groin injuries, before naming his side for today. Shaw has missed the last three games, while Burrows collected his injury during last weekend's 1-0 win against Barnsley. "One result might change everything and we have to make sure that result is not against us," said Strachan yesterday. "We have got to be professional and keep our good form going." Coventry have an otherwise unchanged squad.

Derby v Sheff Wed

Wanchope 13 Leading scorer Di Canio 12 Last season: 2-2

Danish defender Jacob Laursen could make a surprise return for Derby. Laursen had an exploratory knee operation 11 days ago but has been named in the squad. Striker Deon Burton is available again after returning from international duty with Jamaica and midfielder Jonathan Hunt is back from suspension, but goalkeeper Russell Hoult is out. Hoult is banned following his dismissal in a reserves match, so England Under-18 goalkeeper Richard Knight will be on the bench.

Defender Earl Barrett will make his Sheffield Wednesday debut as the replacement for Ian Nolan, who broke a leg in the 1-0 home win over Tottenham last week. Manager Ron Atkinson could be without Norwegian international midfielder Petter Rudi, who sustained a hamstring strain in a friendly with France on Wednesday. Defender Dejan Stefanovic is also doubtful after he picked up a back strain, also on international duty, in Yugoslavia's game with Argentina. Striker Andy Booth, meanwhile, is fully recovered from a groin injury and could play in his first game for four weeks.

Everton v Newcastle

Ferguson 9 Leading scorer Barnes 7 Last season: 2-0

Don Hutchison will make his Everton debut after completing his pounds 1m move from Sheffield United. Howard Kendall's team will be without captain Duncan Ferguson, who starts a three-match ban, while Nick Barmby is still suffering from a groin strain. Frenchman Mickael Madar and youngster Danny Cadamarteri will lead the attack in place of them. Terry Phelan attempted a comeback in a midweek reserve match, but suffered a reaction and will now have an exploratory operation on his calf problem. Everton have drawn three and lost one of their last four Premiership games.

Newcastle will be without Alessandro Pistone (suspended) and Steve Watson (ankle). Otherwise the Magpies are at full strength. Gary Speed returns to his former club three weeks after completing a pounds 5.5m move to Tyneside as Newcastle seek their third 1-0 victory over the Toffees this season. Alan Shearer has scored four goals since returning from injury, although all have been in the FA Cup. "If I can help towards three points by scoring a goal or two at Goodison I will be extra happy," he said yesterday.

Leeds v Southampton

Hasselbaink 14 Leading scorer Davies 12 Last season: 0-0

Austrian defender Martin Hiden will make his debut for Leeds, who have defensive worries. Lucas Radebe plays in today's African Nations Cup final for South Africa against Congo, David Robertson remains out after his recent cartilage operation, while David Wetherall starts a two- match ban. Alfie Haland and Lee Bowyer are also suspended while Derek Lilley is still on the injured list. Captain David Hopkin will play after recovering from a calf strain. Leeds have won once in their last five Premiership games.

Kevin Davies (ankle) is a major doubt for Southampton. Egil Ostenstad is likely to continue in attack alongside David Hirst if Davies fails to recover. Carlton Palmer has been cleared to play against his old club after the FA delayed a disciplinary hearing until next month. John Beresford is available after suspension but Ken Monkou is still banned. Paul Jones, ever-present this season, is confident of recovering from a back problem and Francis Benali is hopeful he will shrug off a hamstring injury. Elland Road is the only Premiership ground that Matt Le Tissier, recovering his form recently, has not scored at.

TOMORROW

Tottenham v Bolton

Ginola 8 Leading scorer Blake 11 Last season: No fixture

Jurgen Klinsmann will return for Tottenham tomorrow, four weeks after fracturing his jaw. "If anything the injury has allowed me to get even fitter all round," he said yesterday, adding that he had been able to do a lot more pace training to increase his speed. Klinsmann will return to fill the gap left by Les Ferdinand, whose knee injury is likely to keep him out for another couple of weeks. Swiss defender Ramon Vega is still out through suspension and midfielder Stephen Clemence is unavailable with an ankle injury.

Bolton will be without Mark Fish, who is on African Nations Cup duty with South Africa, and midfielder Scott Sellars, who completes a two-match suspension. John Sheridan or Dane Michael Johansen will deputise. "Our season could revolve around this one result," said Colin Todd, the Bolton manager, yesterday. "I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the be all and end all, but a win will have a big significance on this club," he added. If Bolton win, they will move out of the relegation zone and send Spurs into it in their place. Bolton also have a game in hand on tomorrow's opponents.