SATURDAY
Arsenal v Blackburn - 12.30pm
William Gallas will return after nearly three months out with a thigh problem.
Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas are back in contention after being rested
for the midweek fourth-round replay at Bolton, but Manuel Almunia will again
deputise for the rested Jens Lehmann.
Other players likely to be given a breather are Gilberto, Julio Baptista and
Abou Diaby.
Alexander Hleb (virus) is sidelined, Johan Djourou has a knee problem and
full-back Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) is still doubtful - but Philippe Senderos
is available again after a one-match ban.
Benni McCarthy's achilles injury has ruled him out and he joins Morten Gamst
Pedersen (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Tugay is rested, but Matt Derbyshire could come back after a recent thigh
injury, while Bruno Berner and Christopher Samba return to the squad after
being ineligible for Wednesday's UEFA Cup defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Toure, Clichy, Gallas, Senderos, Denilson,
Rosicky, Fabregas, Ljungberg, Henry, Adebayor, Aliadiere, Hoyte, Walcott,
Gilberto, Eboue, Diaby, Baptista, Poom.
Blackburn Rovers (from): Friedel, Emerton, Henchoz, Khizanishvili,
Todd, Dunn, Warnock, Bentley, Mokoena, Nelsen, Roberts, Nonda, Jeffers,
Brown, Derbyshire, Samba, Berner, Gallagher, Peter.
Chelsea v Norwich - 3pm
Ricardo Carvalho is set to return after he missed Saturday's 3-0 victory over
Middlesbrough with a fever and should start alongside John Terry.
Jon Obi Mikel returns to the squad after overcoming a thigh problem but Ashley
Cole (knee), Joe Cole (foot) and Michael Ballack (thigh) are unavailable.
Chelsea (from) : Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Terry,
Carvalho, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Obi, Diarra, Morais, Ballack, Bridge,
Drogba, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, Kalou.
Norwich are set to name an unchanged side from that which started the 3-2 win
over Blackpool, with Darren Huckerby hoping to add to his stunning brace in
a tie which also has financial importance for the club.
Man Utd v Reading - 5.15pm
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return to the starting line-up. The Portugal
winger has recovered from the virus which kept him out of last week's win
over Charlton and should be one of three or four changes.
Wayne Rooney is suspended, and Edwin van der Sar is still missing - although
Sir Alex Ferguson hopes the Dutchman will return in the Champions League tie
against Lille next Tuesday, after breaking his nose .
Reading will monitor the fitness of Kevin Doyle ahead of Saturday's trip to
Old Trafford.
Doyle has almost recovered from the hamstring problem which has sidelined him
for more than a month and Steve Coppell, who intends to play fringe players,
will make a late decision on the Irishman.
Coppell has no other injury worries but new signings Michael Duberry and Greg
Halford are both cup-tied.
Manchester United (from): Kuszczak, Heaton, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand,
Vidic, Silvestre, O'Shea, Evra, Heinze, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick,
Park, Giggs, Richardson, Saha, Solskjaer, Larsson.
Reading (from): Federici, Hahnemann, de la Cruz, Murty, Ingimarsson,
Bikey, Sodje, Shorey, Seol, Oster, Gunnarsson, Convey, Lita, Kitson, Long,
Doyle, Hunt, Harper, Sidwell, Little.
Middlesbrough v West Brom - 3pm
Jonathan Woodgate and Julio Arca could return. Woodgate has missed the last
two games with a hamstring problem, while Arca turned an ankle during the
3-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at Chelsea.
Dong Gook Lee is available after being ineligible for the fourth-round replay
and could be included in the squad - while Stuart Parnaby and Chris Riggott
are both back in training following knee injuries.
Boro (from): Schwarzer, Davies, Taylor, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz,
Boateng, Arca, Morrison, Cattermole, Yakubu, Viduka, Downing, Jones, Hines,
Parnaby, Euell, Arca, Rochemback, Christie, Lee.
West Brom are at full strength after Nathan Ellington shook off a heel injury.
Curtis Davies has put off an operation on his broken nose to be able to play
while Jonathan Greening returns after a two match ban. Tony Mowbray must
decide whether to bring back rested duo Jason Koumas and Kevin Phillips
Plymouth v Derby - 3pm
The Pilgrims welcome back Marcel Seip from suspension but Hasney Aljofree, Mat
Doumbe and Barry Hayles are banned.
Rory Fallon is cup-tied having played for Swansea in an earlier round, while
Akos Buzsaky (hamstring) and Tony Capaldi (groin) will not be risked.
Billy Davies is resigned to making three enforced changes for Derby. Matt
Oakley has been ruled out by a one-game suspension, while Craig Fagan will
serve the final game of a two-match ban.
Jay McEveley has been ruled out after featuring for Blackburn earlier in the
competition while Gary Teale is also cup-tied after playing for Wigan.
Watford v Ipswich - 3pm
Watford could be without Malky Mackay who is struggling with a calf injury and
is rated no better than 50-50.
Gareth Williams, Lee Williamson and Will Hoskins are cup-tied while Clarke
Carlisle (thigh) and James Chambers (ankle) played 90 minutes for the
reserves in midweek but are not yet considered ready for first-team action.
Watford (from): Foster, Lee, Mariappa, Mackay, DeMerit, Stewart,
Powell, Shittu, Doyley, Smith, Mahon, Francis, McNamee, Bangura, Bouazza,
Cavalli, Rinaldi, Henderson, Priskin, Kabba, Ashikodi.
Jason De Vos is desperate to prove his fitness after making a swift recovery
from a cracked metatarsal but Richard Naylor is definitely out. He is still
struggling with the toe injury that kept him out of last week's home defeat
by Leicester and has failed to recover in time.
Owen Garvan is suspended following his red card against the Foxes and, with
Gavin Williams (pelvis) still sidelined, Irishman George O'Callaghan is in
line for his full debut.
Alan Lee is also banned and Jonathan Walters is cup-tied, so Billy Clarke and
Danny Haynes could be partnered in attack, while Dean Bowditch comes into
contention ahead of his likely return to Brighton on loan.
SUNDAY
Fulham v Tottenham - 4pm
Fulham will be without suspended captain Michael Brown. Carlos Bocanegrais
back following a ban, and Ian Pearce could return despite a thigh strain.
Antti Niemi is still out, however, with a back problem and faces a fight to be
fit for the next home game against Manchester United. Wayne Routledge is
also ineligible to play this weekend, under the terms of his loan agreement
from Spurs.
For Spurs, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas are both suspended
Anthony Gardner (calf) and Ricardo Rocha (dead leg) both hope to be fit after
picking up knocks recently, while Aaron Lennon is set to play after
recovering from a stomach bug.
Tom Huddlestone has recovered from a throat infection but Ledley King (foot)
remains on the sidelines.
Fulham (from): Lastuvka, Rosenior, Christanval, Bocanegra, Queudrue,
Volz, Radzinski, McBride, Helguson, Knight, Davies, Smertin, Diop, Dempsey,
Montella, Pearce, Warner.
Spurs (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Lee, Assou-Ekotto, Gardner,
Dawson, Rocha, Zokora, Huddlestone, Lennon, Malbranque, Murphy, Ghaly,
Keane, Mido, Berbatov.
Preston v Man City - 1.10pm
Neil Mellor or Danny Dichio could start for Preston with Brett Ormerod out
with a fractured cheekbone. Kelvin Wilson is suspended with Sean St Ledger
and Seyfo Soley in line to replace him.
Darius Vassell seems certain to miss out as Stuart Pearce rates the former
England international as "very doubtful" with a hamstring injury.
And, while Emile Mpenza is unlikely to figure even if City tie up the
paperwork on a short-term contract, Georgios Samaras and Bernardo Corradi
seem certain to be paired up front at Deepdale.
Nicky Weaver (kidneys) is also a major doubt, so Andreas Isaksson should
continue in goal. Nedum Onuoha (hamstring) and Paul Dickov (broken foot) are
definitely out.
Manchester City (from): Isaksson, Weaver, Hart, Richards, Sun, Dunne,
Distin, Jordan, Ball, Barton, Dabo, Hamann, Ireland, Samaras, Corradi,
Sturridge, Vassell, Beasley, Trabelsi.
