Saturday, August 15
Barnsley (5) v Coventry (2)
Barnsley defender Darren Moore is doubtful with a toe injury and although an X-ray has revealed nothing is broken, the centre-half has had an injection. Luke Potter is likely to continue at the heart of defence alongside Stephen Foster should Moore miss out.
Manager Simon Davey is hoping winger Mounir El Haimour and striker Iain Hume can prove their fitness in training following long lay-offs.
Coventry's Keiren Westwood, Sammy Clingan and Aron Gunnarsson are expected to return to first-team action after international duty but Leon Best (shin) is a doubt.
Striker Clinton Morrison is struggling with a badly bruised foot and is in a race against time along with youngster Jordon Clarke (ankle and cramp), but David Bell (ankle), James McPake (shoulder) and Danny Ireland (emergency bowel surgery) are out.
Last season: Coventry 1 Barnsley 1, Barnsley 1 Coventry 2
Last five league matches: Barnsley D D D W D; Coventry L D L L W
Top scorers: Daniel Bogdanovic, Jacob Butterfield & Jonathan Macken (Barnsley) 1; Clinton Morrison (Coventry) 2
Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).
Blackpool (9) v Cardiff (1)
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is boosted by the return of Neal Eardley, who missed the cup win at Crewe. Paul Rachubka is set to replace Matt Gilks in goal, and midfielder Charlie Adam should also come back into the starting line-up.
Mark Hudson and Adam Nowland were handed starts against Crewe but have now left the club. Striker Ben Burgess hopes to shake off a knee injury but defender Danny Coid (leg) is definitely sidelined.
Cardiff should have David Marshall, Ross McCormack, Joe Ledley and Gabor Gyepes back after international commitments.
Marshall should return in goal in place of Peter Enckelman while midfielder Ledley is expected to come in for Gavin Rae. Mark Kennedy (calf) is out for just over a week and Kevin McNaughton (ankle) is also sidelined for over a month.
Last season: Cardiff 2 Blackpool 0, Blackpool 1 Cardiff 1
Last five league matches: Blackpool D D D W D; Cardiff L D L L W
Top scorers: Ben Burgess, Daniel Nardiello & Adam Nowland (Blackpool) 1; Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra & Peter Whittingham (Cardiff) 2
Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).
Bristol City (6) v Crystal Palace (10)
City striker Danny Haynes is suspended so David Clarkson is likely to partner Nicky Maynard in attack. Clarkson, Jamie McAllister, Paul Hartley and Lewin Nyatanga returned from international duty without picking up any injuries, and all four should return to the starting line-up.
On-loan West Ham striker Freddie Sears and Nick Carle return from international duty for Crystal Palace but Stern John (elbow) is out.
Midfielder Darren Ambrose is playing through the pain of a shoulder injury and should figure again, while youngster Nathanial Clyne will challenge Danny Butterfield for the right-back slot.
Last season: Bristol City 1 Crystal Palace 0, Crystal Palace 4 Bristol City 2
Last five league matches: Bristol City D L D L D; Crystal Palace L W L D D
Top scorers: David Clarkson, Paul Hartley & Nicky Maynard (Bristol City) 1; Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace) 2
Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).
Doncaster (11) v Preston (7)
Summer signing Quinton Fortune is in Doncaster's squad, after he missed the first two games due to a delay with paperwork.
Central defenders Byron Webster (ankle) and Adam Lockwood (sore feet) and midfielder Brian Stock (back) are injury concerns but boss Sean O'Driscoll hopes to include all three of them in his squad.
Preston internationals Callum Davidson, Eddie Nolan, Sean St Ledger and Veliche Shumulikoski return, giving Alan Irvine a selection problem, considering the likes of Michael Hart, Liam Chilvers, Barry Nicholson, Chris Sedgwick and Darren Carter performed well in the Carling Cup win over Morecambe.
Last season: Doncaster 0 Preston 2, Preston 1 Doncaster 0
Last five league matches: Doncaster L W W L D; Preston W W W W D
Top scorers: James Coppinger & James Hayter (Doncaster) 1; Chris Brown, Callum Davidson, Stephen Elliott,
Neil Mellor, Barry Nicholson, Jon Parkin & Neal Trotman (Preston) 1
Referee: Mike Russell (Hertfordshire).
Ipswich (21) v Leicester (4)
Ipswich are without midfielder David Norris (knee) and manager Roy Keane is expected to name 16-year-old Connor Wickham on the bench after his double strike in the Carling Cup tie win over Shrewsbury.
Keane is set to restore Richard Wright, Pim Balkestein, Damien Delaney, Jonathan Walters, Lee Martin and Jon Stead to his starting XI. Ben Thatcher (knee), Pablo Counago (groin) and Luciano Civelli (knee) are out.
Right-back Robbie Neilson has completed a suspension and should make his Leicester debut. Wales Under-21 midfielder Andy King comes back into contention after international duty.
Bulgarian defender Aleksandar Tunchev was absent for the first-round Carling Cup tie against Macclesfield in midweek, but having only recently returned from a cruciate ligament injury he is still lacking fitness.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Ipswich D W W W L; Leicester W W D W W
Top scorers: Connor Wickham (Ipswich) 2; Dany N'Guessan (Leicester) 2
Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent).
Newcastle (12) v Reading (19)
Newcastle will again be without midfielders Nicky Butt (hand) and Danny Guthrie (hamstring).
Goalkeeper Steve Harper, though, will take his place in the line-up despite being forced off at half-time and taken to hospital for tests on a head injury against West Brom.
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers is set to recall Adam Federici, Ryan Bertrand, Jem Karacan, Hal Robson-Kanu and Simon Church.
Noel Hunt is pushing for a start as he continued his comeback from a foot injury with a substitute appearance in the Carling Cup in midweek. Defender Andre Bikey remains suspended so new signing Matt Mills may make his league debut for the Royals. Ivar Ingimarsson (knee) remains out.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Newcastle L W L L D; Reading D W W L D
Top scorers: Damien Duff (Newcastle) 1; Nicholas Bignall & David Mooney (Reading) 2
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Nottm Forest (18) v West Brom (16)
Forest striker Nathan Tyson is expected to be fit after being stretchered off with an ankle injury in the Carling Cup win over Bradford.
Fellow forward Robert Earnshaw and full-back Chris Gunter will be assessed after international duty but centre-half Luke Chambers is suspended and Julian Bennett (knee), Kelvin Wilson (ankle), James Perch (shin) and Guy Moussi (thigh) remain out.
West Brom head coach Roberto Di Matteo has no fresh injury concerns. Chris Brunt, Robert Koren, Marek Cech, Youssouf Mulumbu and Abdoulaye Meite are all expected to be back in the frame after their midweek international commitments saw them miss the Carling Cup victory at Bury.
Striker Ishmael Miller (knee), midfielder James Morrison (heel) and defender Neil Clement (knee) remain sidelined.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Nottm Forest D W D W D; West Brom L W L D D
Top scorers: Paul Anderson, Dexter Blackstock & Lewis McGugan (Nottm Forest) 1; Graham Dorrans & Shelton Martis (West Brom) 1
Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).
Peterborough (22) v Sheff Wed (8)
Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson is poised to recall defender Craig Morgan, who missed the 4-0 win at Wycombe as he was away with Wales. Paul Coutts is expected to return in midfield after a slight knee problem, meaning Ferguson's only injury concern remains winger Chris Whelpdale - who is recovering from a hernia operation.
Wednesday will still be without strikers Akpo Sodje (groin) and Leon Clarke (hamstring) but manager Brian Laws has several options. Jermaine Johnson, Francis Jeffers and Etienne Esajas are all in contention.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Peterborough L W W D L; Sheff Wed L W D W D
Top scorers: George Boyd (Peterborough) 2; Jermaine Johnson (Sheff Wed) 3
Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).
Plymouth (13) v QPR (14)
Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock is waiting on centre-back Krisztian Timar (ankle) and midfielder Carl Fletcher (thigh).
Benin central defender Reda Johnson returns after international duty and Iceland midfielder Kari Arnason could also feature, as could on-loan Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan.
Adel Taarabt and Heidar Helguson return to the QPR squad after national team duty with Morocco and Iceland respectively.
Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin (thigh) is back in training but may not be ready for first-team duty, however rookie striker Angelo Balanta is fit after a knock and Akos Buzsaky has fully recovered from a thigh problem. Midfielders Lee Cook (knee) and Martin Rowlands (ankle) are out.
Last season: QPR 0 Plymouth 0, Plymouth 1 QPR 1
Last five league matches: Plymouth D L D L D; QPR W L D L D
Top scorers: Luke Summerfield & Krisztian Timar (Plymouth) 1; Wayne Routledge (QPR) 3
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).
Scunthorpe (24) v Derby (3)
Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins will monitor defender David Mirfin (ankle). Joe Murphy replaces Josh Lillis in goal after international duty with Republic of Ireland this week and midfielder Grant McCann also returns after playing for Northern Ireland. Ian Morris is set to replace Marcus Williams in defence.
Derby boss Nigel Clough is refusing to rule striker Steven Davies out after a scan on his hamstring injury only show a minor tear.
Fellow forward Kris Commons has returned from Scotland international duty in good health, but midfielder Paul Green is still nursing a bruised foot.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Scunthorpe D D W D L; Derby L L W L W
Top scorers: Paul Hayes & Matthew Sparrow (Scunthorpe) 1; Gary Teale (Derby) 2
Referee: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).
Sheff Utd (20) v Watford (15)
Ched Evans is expected to make his first start for United - the 20-year-old has been nursing a slight hamstring strain in recent weeks. Blades manager Kevin Blackwell is ready to make changes after the midweek Carling Cup defeat to Port Vale with Mark Bunn, on loan from Blackburn, set to return in goal.
Striker Jamie Ward is available again after his two-game ban and will be vying with Darius Henderson and Billy Sharp to partner Evans up front, while David Cotterill, Kyle Walker and David Carney all return from international duty. Lee Williamson is missing with a back injury and Lee Hendrie is suspended.
Watford welcome Scott Loach, Jay Demerit and Ross Jenkins back into their squad. Loach is likely to replace Richard Lee, with DeMerit replacing Adrian Mariappa in central defence - Mariappa reverting to right-back and Lee Hodson, who made his first start in midweek, dropping back to the bench.
Last season: Watford 0 Sheff Utd 2, Sheff Utd 2 Watford 1
Last five league matches: Sheff Utd D L W D D; Watford L L W W D
Top scorers: Billy Sharp (Sheff Utd) 1; Danny Graham, Scott Severin & Mike Williamson (Watford) 1
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Swansea (23) v Middlesbrough (17)
Swansea midfielder Jordi Lopez is a doubt with a dead leg. Fellow midfielder Joe Allen definitely misses out due to a hamstring injury, while defender Albert Serran (ankle) is also sidelined.
Central defender Ashley Williams returns after international duty with Wales but midfielders Darren Pratley (shoulder), Ferrie Bodde (knee) and Thomas Butler (groin) will play no part.
Leroy Lita is set to start for Boro, for whom fellow striker Tuncay recovered from tonsilitis to feature for Turkey in midweek.
Brazilian striker Afonso Alves close to full fitness again having played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors game against Motherwell during the week, while Gary O'Neil has delayed his hernia operation until the end of the month with Didier Digard out for two weeks with a slight abductor strain.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Swansea W W L L L; Middlesbrough L L D L D
Top scorers: Stephen Dobbie (Swansea) 2; Match odds: H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire).
