Saturday, March 31st (kick off 3pm, unless stated)
Brighton (12) v Leicester (8)
Brighton will assess the fitness of midfielder Dale Stephens. He has missed Albion’s last two matches due to a knock and has been unable to train this week. Full-back Gaetan Bong (thigh) is available to return but on-loan forward Leonardo Ulloa is ineligible against his parent club and former Foxes winger Anthony Knockaert is suspended.
Kelechi Iheanacho will be assessed ahead of Leicester’s trip to the south coast. The striker suffered a broken hand while away on international duty with Nigeria but manager Claude Puel has not ruled out the possibility of Iheanacho being involved on Saturday. Harry Maguire is fit after missing England’s friendly against Italy this week with cramp but Matty James has suffered another Achilles problem and will miss out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Brighton W D W W L; Leicester D L D D W
Top scorers (all competitions): Glenn Murray (Brighton) 13; Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 17
Match odds: H 9-5 D 21-10 A 13-8
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Crystal Palace (16) v Liverpool (3) (kick off: 12.30pm)
Palace will give late fitness tests to Wilfried Zaha, Alexander Sorloth and James Tomkins. Zaha was unable to train during the international break because of a knee problem, while Sorloth is recovering from a hamstring injury and Tomkins from a calf issue. Doubts also persist around Mamadou Sakho (also calf). Jeffrey Schlupp (ankle) also misses out, while Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon, Bakary Sako and Connor Wickham — who this week suffered a minor groin injury — remain long-term absentees.
Liverpool will be without Emre Can and Joe Gomez. Full-back Gomez faces three to four weeks on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury on England duty while Can is still battling a back problem. Nathaniel Clyne is included in the squad for the first time all season after his own serious back issues and left-back Andy Robertson has recovered from the dead leg he sustained playing for Scotland.
Last season: Liverpool 1 Crystal Palace 2, Crystal Palace 2 Liverpool 4
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace L L L L W; Liverpool W W W L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) 8; Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 36
Match odds: H 6-1 D 7-2 A 4-9
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Everton (9) v Manchester City (1) (kick off: 5.30pm)
Idrissa Gana Gueye faces a late fitness test for Everton. The midfielder sustained a hamstring injury in the Toffees’ victory over Stoke prior to the international break and will be assessed on Saturday morning. Gylfi Sigurdsson (knee) remains out while defender Ashley Williams completes a three-game ban.
Manchester City defender John Stones will miss out against his former club after suffering a head injury on England duty. Top scorer Sergio Aguero (knee) is now close to fitness but City may rest him with next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool in mind. Benjamin Mendy (knee) also remains on the sidelines.
Last season: Everton 4 Man City 0, Man City 1 Everton 1
Last five league matches: Everton W L L W W; Man City D W W W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Wayne Rooney (Everton) 11; Sergio Aguero (Man City) 30
Match odds: H 15-2 D 19-5 A 1-3
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Manchester United (2) v Swansea (14)
Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Ander Herrera are back in contention for Manchester United but Ashley Young is a doubt. Full-back Young suffered a knee complaint towards the end of England’s 1-1 draw with Italy. Daley Blind is not available but boss Jose Mourinho suggested Scott McTominay could feature while Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joined the LA Galaxy since United were last in action.
Swansea have no fresh injury worries for the trip to Old Trafford. Andy King and Andre Ayew are both expected to return to the starting line-up after being ineligible for the FA Cup defeat to Tottenham two weeks ago. Jordan Ayew serves the second game of a three-match ban, while Renato Sanches (hamstring) and Angel Rangel (groin) remain out.
Last season: Man Utd 1 Swansea 1, Swansea 1 Man Utd 3
Last five league matches: Man Utd W L W W W; Swansea D W L W D
Top scorers (all competitions): Romelu Lukaku (Man Utd) 25; Jordan Ayew (Swansea) 10
Match odds: H 2-9 D 5-1 A 12-1
Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire)
Newcastle (13) v Huddersfield (15)
Loan signing Islam Slimani could be handed a Newcastle debut. The Algeria international arrived from Leicester in January with a thigh problem and is yet to pull on a black and white shirt, but he could make the squad for the first time with Joselu sidelined by an ankle injury. Winger Matt Ritchie is also fit after withdrawing from the Scotland squad with a groin problem and full-back Jesus Gamez has recovered from a long-term ankle injury.
Huddersfield pair Aaron Mooy and Philip Billing are expected to be in contention. Mooy (Australia) and fellow midfielder Billing (Denmark Under-21s) were both withdrawn early from international duty this week, but have returned to training and hope to feature. Centre-half Terence Kongolo (hip) could also return to the squad after injury, but midfielder Danny Williams (fractured fibula) and defender Michael Hefele (knee) are still out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Newcastle D W D L W; Huddersfield W W L D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Dwight Gayle (Newcastle) 5; Steve Mounie (Huddersfield) 8
Match odds: H 3-4 D 12-5 A 4-1
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Watford (11) v Bournemouth (10)
Watford defender Craig Cathcart will be pushing for his first start in seven months. Cathcart has not played for the Hornets since August following a hip problem, but completed 22 minutes for Northern Ireland in their friendly against South Korea last weekend. Christian Kabasele (hamstring) is closing in on a return, while midfielder Tom Cleverley (thigh) continues his rehabilitation, along with Gerard Deulofeu (foot), Nathaniel Chalobah (knee), Younes Kaboul (foot) and Isaac Success (knee).
Bournemouth have a doubt over forward Lys Mousset. Mousset did not feature for France Under-21s because of illness, so will be monitored, while defender Adam Smith (back) will be assessed. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic missed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s friendlies as he manages a long-standing knee problem, while midfielder Harry Arter (calf) and winger Ryan Fraser (back) should also be in contention.
Last season: Bournemouth 2 Watford 2, Watford 2 Bournemouth 2
Last five league matches: Watford L W W L L; Bournemouth L D D L W
Top scorers (all competitions): Richarlison (Watford) 8; Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) 8
Match odds: H 7-5 D 12-5 A 9-5
Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
West Brom (20) v Burnley (7)
West Brom will be without Sam Field and Gareth Barry. Field will miss out after sustaining a calf injury while away with the England Under-21 squad and fellow midfielder Barry is still having issues with a knee problem. Nacer Chadli (thigh) and Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) are also out.
Tom Heaton may still be missing for Burnley. Boss Sean Dyche would only say his goalkeeper, out since September with a dislocated shoulder, is “really close” to a return having played four games, either behind closed doors or with the development squad. Johann Berg Gudmundsson should be fine despite picking up a knock on international duty with Iceland but Scott Arfield (calf), Robbie Brady and Steven Defour (both knee) remain out.
Last season: Burnley 2 West Brom 2, West Brom 4 Burnley 0
Last five league matches: West Brom L L L L L; Burnley D L D W W
Top scorers (all competitions): Jay Rodriguez (West Brom) 9; Chris Wood (Burnley) 9
Match odds: H 13-8 D 2-1 A 19-10
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
West Ham (17) v Southampton (18)
West Ham will check on Manuel Lanzini with the Argentina midfielder nursing a knee knock. Arthur Masuaku is back after his six-game ban for spitting and Edimilson Fernandes is fit again. James Collins is a major doubt with a hamstring problem while Winston Reid, Pedro Obiang, Sam Byram and Andy Carroll are still sidelined.
Charlie Austin is in contention for Southampton. The striker, who has scored on his last two appearances against the Hammers, has recovered from the hamstring injury which has kept him out since Christmas. Captain Steven Davis is also close to returning from his hamstring problem.
Last season: Southampton 1 West Ham 3, West Ham 0 Southampton 3
Last five league matches: West Ham L W L L L; Southampton W L D D L
Top scorers (all competitions): Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez (West Ham) 7; Charlie Austin (Southampton) 6
Match odds: H 15-8 D 11-5 A 6-4
Referee: Jon Moss (West Yorkshire)
Sunday, April 1st
Arsenal (6) v Stoke (19) (kick off: 1.30pm)
Arsenal should have Jack Wilshere fit and available. Wilshere missed both England friendlies with a knee problem but is expected to be in contention to keep his place in the Arsenal midfield. Alexandre Lacazette (knee) is also ready to return having been sidelined since February 10, while Santi Cazorla (Achilles) is a long-term absentee.
Stoke could welcome back forward Mame Biram Diouf. He has missed the last two matches with a shoulder problem but is expected to return along with defender Erik Pieters, who was fined and left out of the squad for the defeat by Everton two weeks ago after breaking a curfew. Midfielder Charlie Adam begins a three-match ban following his red card against Everton while forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is expected to be sidelined for several weeks by a groin problem. Ibrahim Afellay has been banished from the squad by manager Paul Lambert.
Last season: Stoke 1 Arsenal 4, Arsenal 3 Stoke 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal W L L L W; Stoke D D D L L
Top scorers (all competitions): Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) 20; Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke) 7
Match odds: H 3-10 D 4-1 A 9-1
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Chelsea (5) v Tottenham (4) (kick off: 4pm)
Thibaut Courtois and Andreas Christensen are doubts for Chelsea. Goalkeeper Courtois sustained a hamstring problem before the international break, meaning Willy Caballero could deputise, while centre-back Christensen has been struggling with fatigue. Defender David Luiz (knee) is definitely out, along with midfielder Ross Barkley who is set to feature for the club’s under-23 side.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino will give Harry Kane every chance to prove his fitness. Kane suffered ankle ligament damage three weeks ago and Pochettino said on Thursday that he cannot rule his striker out of the game at Stamford Bridge. Harry Winks is definitely missing as he sees a specialist over his own ankle injury.
Last season: Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0, Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches: Chelsea L W L L W; Tottenham D W W W W
Top scorers: Eden Hazard (Chelsea) 15; Harry Kane (Tottenham) 35
Match odds: H 13-10 D 11-5 A 21-10
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
