Wednesday, January 30

Chelsea v Reading, 7.45pm

Chelsea are waiting on the fitness of Germany midfielder Michael Ballack, who has missed the club's last two games with a calf strain. Avram Grant is also without Salomon Kalou, Mikel John Obi, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba who are on international duty at the African Nations Cup. Captain John Terry (foot), Andriy Shevchenko (back) and Frank Lampard (thigh) will also miss out.

Reading will be without striker Shane Long (ban), midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson (groin) and defender Michael Duberry (knee) for Wednesday night's trip to Chelsea. New signing Jimmy Kebe will not feature either as he is struggling with a hamstring problem but fellow winger John Oster has recovered from an ankle injury. Newcomer Marek Matejovsky could make his first start but the Royals are still without Glen Little (heel) and Ibrahima Sonko, Andre Bikey and Emerse Fae (all international duty).

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, A Cole, Bridge, Carvalho, Ben-Haim, Alex, Sidwell, J Cole, Malouda, Pizarro, Anelka, Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Ballack.

Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Murty, Rosenior, de la Cruz, Ingimarsson, Cisse, Shorey, Oster, Matejovsky, Harper, Hunt, Convey, Doyle, Kitson, Lita, Pearce, Henry, Bennett, Cox.

Derby County v Manchester City, 7.45pm

Derby will be without defender Lewin Nyatanga after the Wales international was sent off late on in Saturday's 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Preston.

Craig Fagan returns after completing a suspension, however winger Eddie Lewis looks set to be sidelined for a month after suffering knee cartilage damage against the Lilywhites.

Tyrone Mears, Jay McEveley, David Jones, Danny Mills and Stephen Bywater remain long-term absentees.

Sven-Goran Eriksson is ready to welcome back Micah Richards after the City defender overcame a knee problem which forced him to miss Sunday's FA Cup defeat by Sheffield United. However City will be without influential midfielder Michael Johnson who remains sidelined with an abdominal strain.

Derby (from): Price, Edworthy, Johnson, Villa, Earnshaw, Fagan, Miller, Teale, Todd, Davis, Moore, Robert, Barnes, Pearson, Savage, Ghaly, Hinchliffe.

Manchester City (from): Hart, Onuoha, Dunne, Richards, Corluka, Ball, Hamann, Fernandes, Petrov, Vassell, Elano, Mpenza, Ireland, Sturridge, Geovanni, Schmeichel, Garrido, Jihai, Etuhu.

Everton v Tottenham Hotspur , 8pm

Everton have only the long-term injury to Leighton Baines to contend with ahead of their home clash with Tottenham on Wednesday.

David Moyes must decide whether to recall Tony Hibbert to full back allowing Phil Neville to return to midfield. Joseph Yobo, Ayegbeni Yakubu and Steven Pienaar are still on African Cup of Nations duty.

Tottenham look set to hand new signing Jonathan Woodgate his debut. Centre back Michael Dawson is suspended following his red card in the FA Cup defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, but Pascal Chimbonda is available again following his one-game suspension.

Darren Bent (knee), Gareth Bale (foot), Benoit-Assou Ekotto (knee) and Anthony Gardner (ankle) remain sidelined, while midfielder Didier Zokora is with Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.

Everton (from): Howard, Hibbert, Stubbs, Lescott, Jagielka, Valente, Arteta, Neville, Carsley, Cahill, Fernandes, Osman, Johnson, Vaughan, Anichebe, Wessels.

Tottenham (from): Cerny, Tainio, Woodgate, Huddlestone, Lee, Lennon, O'Hara, Jenas, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov, Robinson, Kaboul, Gunter, Defoe, Boateng, Chimbonda.

Manchester United v Portsmouth, 8pm

Nemanja Vidic remains doubtful because of a virus. The Serbia centre back was forced to miss the FA Cup victory over Tottenham on Sunday after being taken ill. Paul Scholes is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after a 25-minute appearance in the fourth round tie, three months after a knee operation. Louis Saha (knee) and Gary Neville (ankle) remain sidelined through injury as United aim to cement their place at the top.

Milan Baros is set for his Portsmouth debut after signing on loan from Lyons and skipper Sol Campbell should return following a back injury to bolster the defence.

Baros looks certain to start after David Nugent flew to Germany for a hernia operation later this week, leaving Pompey with just one other available forward in Benjani Mwaruwari, who is troubled by a neck and shoulder injury but is expected to play.

Sean Davis, who made his comeback as a substitute from a month-long absence with a foot injury last Saturday in the FA Cup win over Plymouth, is pressing for a starting role. Noe Pamarot and Lauren could miss out.

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, O'Shea, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Nani, Park, Scholes, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez.

Portsmouth (from): James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Davis, Diarra, Mendes, Kranjcar, Benjani, Baros, Pamarot, Lauren, Hughes, Aubey, Mvuemba, Songo'o, Begovic.

West Ham United v Liverpool, 7.45pm

Dean Ashton (back) and winger Matthew Etherington (knee) have been passed fit and return to the West Ham squad but winger Julian Faubert (calf) is doubtful.

Craig Bellamy (stomach), Bobby Zamora (knee), Nolberto Solano (hamstring) and Danny Gabbidon (groin) have resumed training but are unlikely to feature and James Collins (knee) appears to be out for the rest of the season, with Scott Parker (knee), Kieron Dyer (leg), Nigel Quashie (foot) and Calum Davenport (neck) also unavailable.

John Pantsil and Henri Camara are absent on international duty.

Liverpool will have all their star players back. Skipper Steven Gerrard, Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso were all out of the starting line-up for Saturday's FA Cup win over Havant & Waterlooville. Reina and Alonso were not even in the squad.

But with Andriy Voronin and Daniel Agger the only long-term absentees, boss Rafael Benitez will field a far stronger side than he did against the minnows from the Blue Square Southern Conference.

West Ham (from): Green, Wright, Neill, Spector, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Bowyer, Faubert, Ljungberg, Noble, Mullins, Etherington, Boa Morte, Reid, Ashton, Cole, Tomkins, Collison.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Pennant, Babel, Alonso, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kuyt, Torres, Crouch, Kewell, Itandje.