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Saturday, February 9

Barnsley (17) v West Brom (1)

Barnsley's Brazilian duo Anderson De Silva and Dennis Souza are expected to shake off knocks. Goalkeeper Heinz Muller has been ruled out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage, so Tony Warner, on loan from Fulham, will retain his place.

West Brom midfielder Robert Koren (calf - pictured) should be fit but Ishmael Miller (hamstring) is not near enough his return to fitness to feature. Miller resumed training after almost four weeks on the sidelines but this game will come too soon for the 10-goal striker.

Last season: West Brom 7 Barnsley 0, Barnsley 1 West Brom 1

Last five league matches: Barnsley D L L W L; West Brom L W D L W

Top scorers: Brian Howard (Barnsley) 10; Kevin Phillips (West Brom) 17

Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).

Bristol City (3) v Sheff Wed (21)

City captain Louis Carey is available after an Achilles injury. Manager Gary Johnson revealed there are players in his squad with 'little knocks' but he did not reveal their identities.

Jermaine Johnson and Leon Clarke are ruled out for Wednesday. Johnson is on compassionate leave following the death of his father while Clarke is to undergo knee surgery. Defender Tommy Spurr is banned and on-loan striker Enoch Showunmi is not eligible to play against his parent club. Akpo Sodje (ankle), Steve Watson (hamstring), Francis Jeffers (ankle), Etienne Esajas (foot) and Frank Simek (ankle) are sidelined.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Bristol City W D L W L; Sheff Wed W L W L L

Top scorers: Darren Byfield (Bristol City) 8; Leon Clarke (Sheff Wed) 9

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).

Burnley (10) v Colchester (24)

Clarke Carlisle (hamstring), Steve Jones (knee) and Alan Mahon (groin) are doubtful for Burnley. Kyle Lafferty returns after serving a four-match ban but fellow frontman Andrew Cole and midfielder Mark Randall are both in contention for their full debuts.

Colchester are without Mark Yeates (dislocated shoulder) but Dean Hammond is available after suspension. Kevin McLeod might come into contention after his struggle with sciatica. Pat Baldwin (knee) and Kevin Watson (Achilles) are available so goalkeeper Aidan Davison (shoulder) is the only long-term absentee.

Last season: Colchester 0 Burnley 0, Burnley 1 Colchester 2

Last five league matches: Burnley L W W W L; Colchester L W D L D

Top scorers: Ade Akinbiyi & Robbie Blake (Burnley) 7; Kevin Lisbie (Colchester) 10

Referee: Steve Bratt.

Cardiff (9) v Norwich (13)

Cardiff have Trevor Sinclair ready to return and Darren Purse, Aaron Ramsey and Darcy Blake may all come into contention. But Riccardo Scimeca (groin) is expected to be sidelined for at least another week. Steven Thompson hopes for a recall at the expense of Paul Parry or Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, while Robbie Fowler (hip) remains a long-term absentee.

Norwich will be without striker Jamie Cureton, who has had an appendix operation, so Ched Evans and Dion Dublin should continue up front. Darren Huckerby and Chris Martin could earn recalls. Loan signings Alex Pearce and Kieran Gibbs could make their debuts. Goalkeeper Matthew Gilks (ankle ligament) will be on the bench but Adam Drury (knee) and Luke Chadwick (shoulder) remain long-term absentees.

Last season: Cardiff 1 Norwich 0, Norwich 1 Cardiff 0

Last five league matches: Cardiff W W D W L; Norwich D W D W W

Top scorers: Paul Parry (Cardiff) 8; Jamie Cureton (Norwich) 8

Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire).

Hull (8) v Blackpool (15)

Hull are without winger Richard Garcia and have doubts over the fitness of defender Andy Dawson. Garcia has travelled back to his native Australia on compassionate grounds and Dawson has a groin problem, with Henrik Pedersen likely to stand in again. Both Caleb Folan and Nick Barmby are pushing to start.

Blackpool midfielder Keith Southern is back in contention after completing 90 minutes for the Seasiders' second-string following a long-term ankle injury. Four former Hull players - Stephen McPhee, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Ben Burgess and Stuart Green - could all play for the visitors.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Hull W D L W W; Blackpool W L D L W

Top scorers: Dean Windass (Hull) 11; Ben Burgess & Wes Hoolahan (Blackpool) 6

Referee: Jon Moss.

Ipswich (6) v Watford (2)

Ipswich manager Jim Magilton must decide whether to recall striker Alan Lee after his late winner as substitute against Sheffield Wednesday. Midfielder Alan Quinn should recover from an ankle injury but full-back Luis Castro Sito is banned.

Watford will be without suspended duo Lee Williamson and Jobi McAnuff. Defender Danny Shittu is back in contention after his return from the African Nations Cup. Jay DeMerit (groin) and Damien Francis (knee) are out and Collins John is not match fit.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Ipswich W D D D W; Watford W L D D W

Top scorers: Pablo Counago, Alan Lee & Jonathan Walters (Ipswich) 10; Darius Henderson (Watford) 10

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).

Leicester (20) v Plymouth (12) - 5.20pm

Leicester manager Ian Holloway will face his former club without the suspended Richard Stearman. Jamie Clapham could replace Joe Mattock at left-back and make his debut. Mattock featured for the England Under-21s against the Republic of Ireland in midweek

Plymouth duo Peter Halmosi and Jermaine Easter have returned from international duty with Hungary and Wales respectively without injury. Dutch defender Marcel Seip (virus) faces a late fitness test. Defender Jim Paterson could make his debut after signing from Motherwell for £250,000.

Last season: Plymouth 3 Leicester 0, Leicester 2 Plymouth 2

Last five league matches: Leicester L W D W L; Plymouth L L D D L

Top scorers: Iain Hume (Leicester) 7; Jamie Mackie (Plymouth) 13

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire).

Preston (22) v Coventry (19)

Preston hope to have Polish goalkeeper Grzegorz Szamotulski's international clearance through after he joined on a free transfer. Szamotulski will be on the bench as back-up to Andy Lonergan following a back injury to Wayne Henderson. Youl Mawene, Chris Brown and Chris Sedgwick return from suspension. Neal Trotman could make his North End debut.

Marcus Hall may return after Achilles trouble, keeper Andy Marshall has resumed full training following a back problem while midfielder Chris Birchall and striker Wayne Andrews are injury-free. Defenders Colin Hawkins (Achilles) and David McNamee (hamstring) and striker Leon McKenzie (thigh) are out.

Last season: Coventry 0 Preston 4, Preston 1 Coventry 1

Last five league matches: Preston L W L W L; Coventry L L L L W

Top scorers: Karl Hawley & Simon Whaley (Preston) 5; Michael Mifsud (Coventry) 16

Referee: Mike Pike (Cumbria).

Sheff Utd (16) v Scunthorpe (23)

Strikers James Beattie (knee ligament)and Rob Hulse (rested) could return to United's starting line-up. Fellow forward Jon Stead is struggling with a bout of tonsilitis. David Carney and Luton Shelton played for Australia and Jamaica respectively in midweek but could feature. Nick Montgomery is out with a broken bone in his foot, but Gary Speed (groin) is expected to be fit.

Scunthorpe will be without suspended pair Martin Paterson and Andy Butler. Geoff Horsfield is also out as his loan agreement prevents him facing his parent club. On-loan Liverpool defender Jack Hobbs could make the starting line-up. Goalkeeper Joe Murphy has returned unscathed from international duty with the Republic of Ireland after being an unused substitute against Brazil in midweek.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Sheff Utd D W L D D; Scunthorpe D L L L W

Top scorers: James Beattie (Sheff Utd) 13; Martin Paterson (Scunthorpe) 12

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

Southampton (14) v QPR (18)

Youssef Safri (groin) is fit to resume in the Southampton midfield. Alexander Ostlund is back in training following a thigh injury but is short of match fitness, and fellow full-back Gregory Vignal is recovering from a broken arm. Fellow defenders Claus Lundekvam (ankle) and Chris Makin (hip) are still out along with winger Nathan Dyer (ankle).

Centre-half Fitz Hall (groin) is QPR's only injury absentee. Matthew Connolly is fit after a knee injury and will challenge Zesh Rehman for a place in the back-four. Fellow defender Damion Stewart is expected back from international duty with Jamaica in time, while midfielder Akos Buzsaky has returned from Hungary without injury. Reserve goalkeeper Jake Cole should be on the bench after recovering from a bruised thumb.

Last season: QPR 0 Southampton 2, Southampton 1 QPR 2

Last five league matches: Southampton L W D L D; QPR W L W L W

Top scorers: Stern John (Southampton) 11; Patrick Agyemang (QPR) 9

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).

Wolves (11) v Stoke (4)

Wolves' new defender George Elokobi could make his debut and loan signing Kevin Kyle will be looking for his first start. Defender Gary Breen (knee) could return but Jody Craddock is not yet fit. Michael Kightly (ankle) is out but Freddy Eastwood is in the squad. Neill Collins (ankle) is out and Nigeria international Seyi Olofinjana was due back from African Nations Cup duty.

Stoke have Andy Griffin and Richard Cresswell both suspended. Gabriel Zakuani appears favourite to deputise for the absent Griffin, with new boys Paul Gallagher and Glenn Whelan pushing to replace Cresswell. Midfielder Salif Diao is expected to continue in the side after making his first start since rejoining the club against Cardiff last time out but defender Andy Wilkinson (hernia) remains sidelined.

Last season: Stoke 1 Wolves 1, Wolves 2 Stoke 0

Last five league matches: Wolves D L W W L; Stoke D D W L W

Top scorers: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolves) 15; Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 13

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Sporting Life / Eurosport