Burnley hope to welcome back veteran striker Andy Cole for the visit of Barnsley.

Burnley v Barnsley

Burnley could have on-loan Sunderland duo Andy Cole (calf) and Stanislav Varga (foot) available for the visit of Barnsley. Clarke Carlisle is suspended for three games, opening the door for Varga's return.

Strikers Brian Howard (knee) and Dennis Souza (facial cut) have not trained all week for Barnsley and face a race to be fit for the game at Turf Moor, with fellow forward Kayode Odejayi also a doubt with a sore ankle.

Bristol City v Norwich City

Jamie McCombe (hip) returns to Bristol City's squad after missing the last three matches with a hip problem but is fit again, while Lee Johnson's chances of being involved are rated at 50/50 as he battles back from an ankle injury. Manager Gary Johnson has hinted he could hand Steve Brooker his first City start for almost a year as he looks to reignite the misfiring Robins' promotion charge.

Norwich defender Gary Doherty is a doubt with a back complaint, on-loan Reading man Alex Pearce will step in if he misses out. Midfielder Darel Russell has struggled with illness over the past week but should retain his place, while left-back Adam Drury (knee) and Luke Chadwick (shoulder) are long-term absentees.

Cardiff City v Southampton

Cardiff boss Dave Jones will hand a late fitness test to Joe Ledley after he pulled out of Wales' friendly with Luxembourg with a hamstring injury. Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is still suspended and defender Kevin McNaughton (hamstring) could again miss out.

Chris Perry goes straight into the Southampton squad joining on loan from League One side Luton. Wayne Thomas and Darren Powell should start at the back with Perry providing cover on the bench after Andrew Davies was ruled out for the season with a fractured cheekbone. Ian Pearce has gone back to Fulham and a third centre-back, club captain Claus Lundekvam, was this week forced to retire.

Charlton v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Luke Varney and Madjid Bougherra could return to Charlton's squad after foot problems. Varney will vie with Andy Gray and Chris Iwelumo to start alongside Leroy Lita. Lee Cook is pushing for a start but Zheng Zhi may start on the bench after playing for China in midweek.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy should be able to call on goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey despite a hamstring problem. Rob Edwards (ankle strain) is expected to be missing for the next two weeks. Jody Craddock is the most likely candidate to fill in.

Coventry City v Plymouth Argyle

Coventry will add loanee Zavon Hines to their squad. Forward Leon Best begins a two-match ban but midfielders Michael Doyle (hernia) and Stephen Hughes (knee) will continue to play through the pain as City look to ease their relegation fears.

Promotion-chasing Plymouth will be without suspended Hungary winger Peter Halmosi. His place on the left wing is likely to go to Jim Paterson while forward Rory Fallon will undergo a late fitness test on an ankle problem.

Crystal Palace v Blackpool

Scott Sinclair, Kyel Reid and Nathan Ashton could all be added to the Palace squad after joining this week. Paul Ifill (ankle) is again a doubt and midfielder Neil Danns is still struggling with groin trouble. Full-back Danny Butterfield (thigh) and rookie striker Victor Moses (groin) could miss out again while Mark Kennedy (Achilles) remains a long-term absentee.Í

Blackpool have signed highly-rated Tottenham teenager Joe Martin on loan until the end of the season. Palace goalkeeper Scott Flinders was also signed but he will not be available for the trip to Selhurst Park due to an agreement between the clubs. Meanwhile, on-loan Manchester City striker Paul Dickov (hamstring) is set to return after missing seven of the last eight games.

Hull City v Watford

Midfielder Ian Ashbee (foot) is an injury doubt for Hull. Simon Walton may deputise, while defender Wayne Brown could also be available after overcoming a calf injury. Striker Craig Fagan may return after overcoming a ligament problem, but Nick Barmby (groin) remains sidelined and Neil Clement has been recalled from his loan spell by West Brom.

Watford top scorer Darius Henderson is suspended, meaning Nathan Ellington should return to the starting XI alongside Collins John in attack. Midfielders John Eustace (suspension) and Damien Francis (knee) also miss out while Gareth Williams is expected to miss the remainder of the season with knee ligament injury.

Ipswich Town v QPR

Ipswich manager Jim Magilton is hoping striker Shefki Kuqi can return as he is without joint top scorers Jon Walters (knee) and Pablo Counago (suspension). Youngster Jordan Rhodes will again be involved but midfielder David Norris remains sidelined with his heel injury and defender Richard Naylor is set to miss the rest of the season with a neck problem.

QPR midfielder Martin Rowlands has been passed fit despite a hip problem. Gavin Mahon, who replaced Rowlands at Molineux, is building up his match fitness following a knee injury and will be pushing for a start. Winger Hogan Ephraim returns to the squad following a three-match ban and should be on the bench.

Leicester City v Scunthorpe United

Iain Hume (ankle) and Jamie Clapham (groin) are injury doubts for Leicester. Defensive duo Patrick Kisnorbo and Gareth McAuley returned unscathed from international duty with Australia and Northern Ireland respectively and are set to be included in the squad.

Influential playmaker Jack Cork starts a three-match ban but striker Martin Paterson and defender Jack Hobbs are set to recover from illness as are injured midfielders Jim Goodwin and Ian Morris. Defender Cliff Byrne could also be available after ankle trouble.

Preston North End v Sheffield Utd

Preston defender Liam Chilvers remains a long-term absentee ahead of the visit of Sheffield United. The 26-year-old ruptured his Achilles tendon while warming up before the recent victory at Charlton and faces several months on the sidelines.

Midfielder Kevin Nicholls (knee) is still out but full-back Michael Hart is nearing full fitness after a hip injury. Striker James Beattie is pushing for a start in the Blades attack after recovering from a groin injury.

Defender Chris Armstrong is out after groin surgery, while Danny Webber (knee) and Nick Montgomery (broken metatarsal) are also long term absentees.

Sheffield Wednesday v Stoke City

Loanee Bartosz Slusarski could go straight into the Owls squad. Jermaine Johnson is

back from a four-game suspension while defender Steve Watson is also in contention after hamstring trouble. Striker Marcus Tudgay is out with a knee injury and defender Lee Bullen needs at least two weeks to recover from a hamstring injury. Frank Simek, Akpo Sodje and Francis Jeffers (all ankle) are still out.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis could hand a debut to striker Shola Ameobi while Liam Lawrence is returning from a two-match ban. Salif Diao (hamstring) could make way while central defender Leon Cort (calf) is also unlikely to make it, with Andy Wilkinson and Gabriel Zakuani poised to deputise if needed. Pulis is still without suspended duo Ryan Shawcross and Ricardo Fuller.

West Bromwich Albion v Colchester United

Midfielders Chris Brunt (hamstring) and James Morrison (ankle) are set to return to West Brom's squad, while Ishmael Miller is also expected to be involved despite withdrawing from the England Under-21 squad this week with a groin problem. Neil Clement will be added to the squad after being recalled from his loan spell at Hull.

Colchester's Kevin Lisbie will get as long as possible to prove his fitness after calf trouble. Skipper Karl Duguid has also resumed training and faces a late check on a knee ligament injury but defender Chris Coyne (hamstring) and Teddy Sheringham (foot) are unlikely to figure. Midfielders Kevin Watson (calf) and Mark Yeates (shoulder) and goalkeepers Aidan Davison (shoulder) and Mark Cousins (appendicitis) are out.

SportingLife / Eurosport