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Team news from the RP

Arsenal (7) v Portsmouth (18)

Arsenal will bring Dennis Bergkamp back into the squad after he was rested for the 1-0 win at Charlton and, with Robin van Persie (knee) still unavailable, he returns to contention. Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy (foot) remain sidelined as they recover match fitness, while young striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (knee) will be out for up to a month.

Portsmouth defender Linvoy Primus is out with a groin injury while winger Laurent Robert is suspended following his sending-off in the 1-1 draw with West Ham. Skipper Dejan Stefanovic is also struggling after taking a knock to a knee. Vincent Pericard (thigh) and Salif Diao (hamstring) are likely to remain unavailable.

Birmingham (19) v Man Utd (2)

Muzzy Izzet is suspended after he was sent off on Boxing Day at Tottenham. Blues boss Steve Bruce made five changes for the defeat at White Hart Lane and the loss of Izzett, who had only just returnedfrom a hamstring injury, will force him to reshuffle with Nicky Butt, Stephen Clemence and David Dunn all pushing for a recall. Mikael Forssell and full-back Mario Melchiot could be available after thigh injuries.

Cristiano Ronaldo could return aftersuspension as Sir Alex Ferguson attempts to freshen up his Manchester United squad. The Portuguese winger may replace Ryan Giggs as Ferguson spreads the workload. Mikael Silvestre (thigh) is again unlikely to be involved but the United boss is confident Wes Brown (groin) and Paul Scholes (virus) will shrug off their minor problems.

Blackburn (11) v Sunderland (20)

Andy Todd is expected to miss the match after he picked up a knee injury. Mark Hughes is able to welcome Lucas Neill and Paul Dickov back from injury, as well as Morten Gamst Pedersen, who sat out the Middlesbrough trip, but Tugay is banned.

Sunderland full-back Nyron Nosworthy returns to the squad after serving a one-match ban. Right-back Stephen Wright's calf problem is likely to sideline him once again, while Stephen Elliott is still recovering from his back injury.

Bolton (5) v Middlesbrough (13)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is likely to turn to Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies, Abdoulaye Faye and Joey O'Brien who wererested for the 0-0 draw at Sunderland. Martin Djetou, Khalilou Fadiga, Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Hunt could make way. Striker Henrik Pedersen is not expected to play again until the new year because of an Achilles problem.

Boro boss Steve McClaren is hopeful of welcoming back emerging youngster James Morrison who has not featured since suffering concussion following an accidental collision with Robbie Keane against Tottenham on December 18. George Boateng (ankle), Stewart Downing and Ray Parlour (knee), Tony McMahon (shoulder) and Malcolm Christie (leg) are out but Szilard Nemeth could return from a hamstring injury.

Everton (16) v Liverpool (3)

Midfielder Mohamed Sissoko returns to the Liverpool squad after completing a one-match suspension. The Anfield club also expect to have Dietmar Hamann back after his struggle to overcome the knee problems caused by Michael Essien's tackle in the Champions League game at Chelsea on December 7. The German star has not played since.

Fulham (15) v Aston Villa (14)

Fulham midfielder Papa Bouba Diop remains unavailable after failing to recover from his ankle injury. Goalkeeper Mark Crossley suffered a recurrence of his hamstring problem in the 3-2 defeat by Chelsea so may be replaced in the starting line-up by Tony Warner. Claus Jensen, Moritz Volz and Steed Malbranque remain in the treatment room but Collins John could start.

James Milner is Aston Villa's most significant new fitness doubt after he limped out of the emphatic 4-0 victory over Everton with a hamstring injury. Eirik Bakke could come in as Lee Hendrie (Achilles) is out. Luke Moore (leg) could miss out as manager David O'Leary could pair Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel.

Man City (8) vChelsea (1)

Richard Dunne could return to the Manchester City line-up after being named on the bench for the defeat at Wigan. The same could also go for striker Andy Cole who scored a late goal after coming on as a substitute.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien will miss out because of a heel injury. Defender Ricardo Carvalho (Achilles) has also been ruled out of the match but Damien Duff (Achilles) could be back after sitting out the 3-2 victory over Fulham while Asier del Horno (leg) may alsofigure.

Newcastle (10) v Charlton (12)

Newcastle will be without defender Steven Taylor and suspended midfielder Lee Bowyer. But they will have Scott Parker back from his ban to face the club he started his career with. Taylor will have a shoulder operation after a recurrence an injury in the Boxing Day defeat at Liverpool, while Bowyer will start a three-match ban for his red card in the same match.

Charlton must do without suspended midfielder Danny Murphy after his sending-off in the1-0 defeat to Arsenal at The Valley on Boxing Day. Defender Gonzalo Sorondo is a major doubt after badly bruising his foot against the Gunners, while Alexei Smertin (knee) and Jerome Thomas (virus) will also face fitness tests. Goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, striker Kevin Lisbie and winger Darren Ambrose could start.

West Brom (17) v Tottenham (4)

Paul Robinson is a major doubt for West Brom after he was stretchered off with concussion against Manchester United. Neil Clement (ankle) and Junichi Inamoto (thigh) are both rated 50-50 after missing the Old Trafford defeat. Zoltan Gera could be available following his hernia operation.

Tottenham boss Martin Jol hopes the groin injury Ledley King sustained on Boxing Day is not serious enough to keep him out. Jol must also decide whether to reinstate Jermain Defoe to the starting XI after the England striker made another forceful case with a goal-scoring appearance off the bench.

West Ham (9) v Wigan (6)

West Ham manager Alan Pardew has Hayden Mullins, Tomas Repka and Danny Gabbidon all injured following the 1-1 draw at Portsmouth. Matthew Etherington and Paul Konchesky are expected to be available despite taking knocks at Fratton Park but Yossi Benayoun (groin) and Teddy Sheringham (calf) are still out.

Wigan manager Paul Jewell has no fresh injury worries. Jewell conceded to 'one or two knocks, but nothing major' following the 4-3 victory over Manchester City. That just leaves defender Emerson Thome on the sidelines, the Brazilian recovering from a fractured cheekbone.