Team news, statistics and our verdicts ahead of the Barclays Premier League action on Sunday and Monday.
Sunday, December 28
Aston Villa (13) v Sunderland (14)Gabriel Agbonlahor will be absent for Aston Villa due to suspension after receiving his fifth booking of the season against Swansea on Boxing Day, while Kieran Richardson must serve the final game of a three-match ban.
Sunderland will welcome back Connor Wickham from suspension, but left-backs Anthony Reveillere (calf) and Patrick van Aanholt (dislocated shoulder) remain on the sidelines.
Last season: Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa W W L D L; Sunderland L D D W L
Top scorers: Callum Robinson (Aston Villa) 5; Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) 4, Adam Johnson (Sunderland) 4
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Our Verdict: Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 1
Hull (17) v Leicester (20)
Hull midfielder Mohamed Diame is struggling with a knee problem while James Chester and Tom Huddlestone are definitely out due to suspension. Jake Livermore is available after completing his ban but Michael Dawson has a torn hamstring.
Leicester will be without the suspended Jamie Vardy, who collected his fifth booking of the season in the defeat to Tottenham, but Chris Wood could return after an infection and Esteban Cambiasso may be recalled after being rested against Spurs. Kasper Schmeichel and Matt Upson (both foot) remain out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Hull D D L L W; Leicester L L L L L
Top scorers: Nikica Jelavic (Hull) 5; Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester) 7
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Our Verdict: Hull 2 Leicester 2
Man City (2) v Burnley (19)
Vincent Kompany could make a welcome return for City after missing their last two matches with calf and hamstring problems, while Stevan Jovetic could feature but fellow strikers Edin Dzeko (calf) and Sergio Aguero (knee) are still out.
Sam Vokes is likely to be named on the bench again after making his return to the Burnley squad on Boxing Day following nine months out with a cruciate ligament injury. Matt Taylor could be in contention after recovering from Achilles surgery but Michael Duff (calf) and Stephen Ward (ankle) look set to miss out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Man City W W W W W; Burnley D L W L L
Top scorers: Sergio Aguero (Man City) 19; Danny Ings (Burnley) 4
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Our Verdict: Man City 5 Burnley 0
Newcastle (10) v Everton (12)
Cheick Tiote comes back into the reckoning after suspension but Newcastle still have a lengthy injury list, with goalkeepers Tim Krul (ankle) and Rob Elliot (thigh), and midfielders Mehdi Abeid (toe), Siem de Jong (thigh), Rolando Aarons (hamstring), Gabriel Obertan (thigh) and Ryan Taylor (knee) all likely to miss out.
Tim Howard (calf) and Phil Jagielka (ankle) are big doubts for Everton after sustaining problems in the 1-0 defeat to Stoke, while John Stones and Kevin Mirallas may be absent due to knocks they picked up. Steven Naismith, meanwhile, is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign against the Potters.
Last season: Newcastle 0 Everton 3, Everton 3 Newcastle 2
Last five league matches: Newcastle D W L L L; Everton D L W L L
Top scorers: Papiss Cisse (Newcastle) 8; Romelu Lukaku (Everton) 7
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Our Verdict: Newcastle 2 Everton 0
QPR (16) v Crystal Palace (18)
QPR midfielder Joey Barton may feature after missing the defeat at Arsenal with a hamstring problem, while midfielder Leroy Fer will start after Rangers opted to rest him against the Gunners due to being on four yellow cards.
Crystal Palace could be without Yannick Bolasie, whose wife is due to give birth, as Keith Millen takes caretaker charge following Neil Warnock's sacking. Marouane Chamakh is sidelined with a hamstring complaint but Warnock said there are no fresh doubts after the Boxing Day loss to Southampton.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: QPR L W L W L; Crystal Palace L D D L L
Top scorers: Charlie Austin (QPR) 12; Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace) 6
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Our Verdict: QPR 3 Crystal Palace 1
On-loan Southampton full-back Ryan Bertrand is ineligible to face his parent club, with Matthew Targett likely to come in. Captain Jose Fonte, Shane Long, Dusan Tadic and Victor Wanyama are all in line for recalls to the starting XI but Jay Rodriguez (cruciate ligament), Sam Gallagher (knee) and Jack Cork (knock) remain out.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has the luxury of a full squad to choose from with no injury concerns or suspended players. He is likely to make changes for the Blues' second match in three days as Andre Schurrle, John Obi Mikel, Filipe Luis and Didier Drogba push for recalls.
Last season: Southampton 0 Chelsea 3, Chelsea 3 Southampton 1
Last five league matches: Southampton L L L W W; Chelsea W L W W W
Top scorers: Graziano Pelle (Southampton) 11; Diego Costa (Chelsea) 13
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Our Verdict: Southampton 0 Chelsea 1
Stoke (11) v West Brom (15)
Stoke boss Mark Hughes is sweating on the fitness of Bojan Krkic after the former Barcelona forward injured his back in the 1-0 win over Everton, while Phil Bardsley is a doubt because of the ankle issue that ruled him out of playing at Goodison Park. The head injury sustained by Ryan Shawcross in that game should not stop him from being involved.
Graham Dorrans could return after missing West Brom's defeat to Manchester City through illness and a calf strain, while captain Chris Brunt might also be pushing for a start after making his comeback from a hamstring injury as a substitute against City.
Last season: West Brom 1 Stoke 2, Stoke 0 West Brom 0
Last five league matches: Stoke L W D L W; West Brom L D W L L
Top scorers: Jonathan Walters (Stoke) 6; Saido Berahino (West Brom) 8
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Our Verdict: Stoke 1 West Brom 0
Tottenham Hotspur (7) v Man Utd (3)
Hugo Lloris is fit to start for Tottenham despite being left bloodied in their win over Leicester. Ryan Mason could return to the starting line-up after being a second-half substitute at the King Power Stadium following an ankle injury.
Midfielder Angel di Maria is a big doubt for Manchester United's game on Sunday because of a pelvis injury, while Belgian duo Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj are out through illness. Luke Shaw could feature for the first time since November 22 but midfielder Ander Herrera (muscle injury) is unlikely to feature.
Last season: Man Utd 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches: Tottenham Hotspur L D W W W; Man Utd W W W D W
Top scorers: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) 15; Robin van Persie (Man Utd) 8, Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 8
Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)
Our Verdict: Tottenham 1 Man United 3
Alex Song (knee) and Diafra Sakho (back) are expected to return to West Ham's starting line-up after being rested against Chelsea, with Mark Noble and Enner Valencia replacing them. James Tomkins (hamstring) is likely to miss out again, with James Collins continuing in central defence.
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud begins a three-match suspension after being sent off for head-butting in the 2-1 victory over QPR, but Laurent Koscielny could be back from a hamstring problem. Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Mikel Arteta (calf), Mesut Ozil (knee), Abou Diaby (calf), Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Serge Gnabry (knee) are sidelined.
Last season: Arsenal 3 West Ham 1, West Ham 1 Arsenal 3
Last five league matches: West Ham W W D W L; Arsenal W L W D W
Top scorers: Diafra Sakho (West Ham) 8; Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) 15
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Our Verdict: West Ham 2 Arsenal 1
Monday, December 29
Liverpool (9) v Swansea (8)Simon Mignolet will return to the Liverpool goal at the expense of the injured Brad Jones, while Fabio Borini comes back into the squad following suspension. Defenders Dejan Lovren, Glen Johnson (both groin) and Jon Flanagan (knee) are still not fit.
Jefferson Montero is set to be missing for Swansea's trip to Anfield after damaging a hamstring in the Boxing Day win against Aston Villa. Swansea manager Garry Monk will again utilise his squad in this hectic festive period with possible recalls for Jazz Richards, Wayne Routledge and Bafetimbi Gomis.
Last season: Liverpool 4 Swansea 3, Swansea 2 Liverpool 2
Last five league matches: Liverpool W D L D W; Swansea W L L W W
Top scorers: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) 6; Wilfried Bony (Swansea) 8
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
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