Saturday, February 27

Barnsley (11) v Blackpool (7)

Rob Kozluk is set to be Barnsley's only absentee as Ryan Shotton returns from suspension. Defender Kozluk has a knee injury.

Experienced defender Darren Moore has missed training this week as he nurses a niggle. Homegrown defender Luke Potter should retain his place in the starting line-up.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway will again be without defender Rob Edwards who is banned so Andy Butler is again set to deputise at the heart of the defence.

Midfielder Gary Taylor-Fletcher could miss out again through injury but Danny Coid (hamstring), Daniel Nardiello (groin), and Billy Clarke (knee) all look set to remain sidelined. Steve McPhee (cruciate ligament) is out.

Last season: Barnsley 0 Blackpool 1, Blackpool 1 Barnsley 0

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Daniel Bogdanovic (Barnsley) 10; Charlie Adam (Blackpool) 13

Referee: Jarnail Singh (Middlesex).

Coventry (10) v Scunthorpe (17)

Coventry have doubts over David Bell (knee) and Richard Wood (hip). Goalkeeper Keiren Westwood has not trained all week due to a slight ankle niggle but he is expected to play.

Midfielder Carl Baker also sat out over the first half of the week but returned to join the rest of the squad on Thursday. Leon Barnett is also available again after completing his one-match suspension.

Midfielder Martyn Woolford has been passed fit for Scunthorpe following a calf injury.

Central defender Rob Jones trained on Thursday after missing the last two games with a broken nose but if he is not fit Michael Raynes is expected to partner David Mirfin at the heart of the defence once again. Midfielder Michael O'Connor serves the second of a three-match ban.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Coventry D W W L W; Scunthorpe L L W D D

Top scorers (all competitions): Carl Baker (Coventry) 13; Gary Hooper (Scunthorpe) 13

Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire).

Doncaster (13) v Crystal Palace (22)

Doncaster captain Brian Stock will miss out due to a back problem. Midfielder Martin Woods has a groin injury and defender Shelton Martis has a hamstring problem although both are on the verge of resuming full training. Jason Shackell is back with parent club Wolves as he nurses a hernia problem.

Striker Stern John, winger Kieron Cadogan and full-back Lee Hills are back for Palace after being cup-tied against Aston Villa in midweek.

Midfielder Neil Danns passed a fitness test on a back injury to play virtually the whole match against Villa and is set to keep his place in the side.

Last season: Doncaster 2 Crystal Palace 0, Crystal Palace 2 Doncaster 1

Last five league matches: Doncaster D W W L L; Crystal Palace W W L L L

Top scorers (all competitions): Billy Sharp (Doncaster) 13; Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace) 17

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Ipswich (19) v Bristol City (12)

Goalkeeper Richard Wright could be back in the Ipswich squad after recovering from a knee ligament injury. Brian Murphy is expected to keep his place in goal after two decent games since usurping Arran Lee-Barrett while David Healy could start.

Right-back Liam Rosenior will be available after illness but winger Luciano Civelli will not be back until September after a serious knee injury.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce is set to be back in City's squad following a calf injury. Patrick Agyemang has been troubled by a slight knock and the striker is a doubt, while Evander Sno is expected to return to parent club Ajax for treatment on a back injury.

Last season: Bristol City 1 Ipswich 1, Ipswich 3 Bristol City 1

Last five league matches: Ipswich D W L W D; Bristol City D L L D W

Top scorers (all competitions): Jonathan Walters (Ipswich) 6; Nicky Maynard (Bristol City) 11

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire).

Leicester (5) v Nottingham Forest (2)

Matt Oakley was left out of the Leicester squad for the midweek win at Doncaster but the experienced midfielder is expected to return. Dany N'Guessan and Nolberto Solano both played in midweek.

Nathan Tyson returns for Forest after missing the win over Middlesbrough through illness. Garath McCleary completes a three-match ban for his red card at Doncaster, while defender Joel Lynch remains sidelined with a thigh problem.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Leicester D W D D W; Nottm Forest W L L W W

Top scorers (all competitions): Matt Fryatt (Leicester) 12; Dexter Blackstock & Robert Earnshaw (Nottm Forest) 11

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Middlesbrough (9) v QPR (18)

Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald (hernia) is a major doubt. However, New Zealand international Chris Killen (hamstring and virus) is expected to return to the squad. Rhys Williams (pelvis) and Chris Riggott (hamstring) are back in training but defender Tony McMahon is out with a stress fracture of the foot.

QPR caretaker boss Mick Harford is boosted by the return of midfielder Mikele Leigertwood following a three-game ban.

Defender Matthew Connolly could miss out with an ankle injury. On-loan striker Tamas Priskin has returned to training following a groin problem.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough) 14; Jay Simpson (QPR) 12

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

Preston (16) v Cardiff (6)

Preston winger Paul Parry has suffered an injury setback. The summer signing from Cardiff has been sidelined since December with a tendinitis injury which now requires a long period of rehabilitation.

Skipper Callum Davidson has missed the last seven games through injury and looks set to remain sidelined, but midfielder Richard Chaplow is available again after missing the last five matches with a groin problem.

Cardiff midfielder Darcy Blake is struggling with a virus and is rated doubtful for the clash at Deepdale, while striker Warren Feeney may also miss out as his wife is due to give birth in the near future.

Aaron Wildig and Anthony Gerrard have recovered from the injuries they picked up in last weekend's defeat against Barnsley.

Last season: Preston 6 Cardiff 0, Cardiff 2 Preston 0

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Chris Brown & Jon Parkin (Preston) 10; Peter Whittingham (Cardiff) 19

Referee: Andy Hall.

Reading (20) v Sheffield Wednesday (21)

Reading manager Brian McDermott will be without winger Jobi McAnuff through suspension after he was sent off in the FA Cup fifth-round replay against West Brom.

Striker Shane Long serves the fourth and final game of his suspension. Midfielder Jem Karacan has had an operation on his broken hand and could be out for several weeks, while Brynjar Gunnarsson (dead leg) and Kalifa Cisse (groin) could be involved.

Wednesday duo Jermaine Johnson and Francis Jeffers have returned to training but neither are likely to be involved for Wednesday. Tommy Miller (hamstring) continues his rehabilitation and Darren Purse and Lewis Buxton are both ruled out by hamstring injuries.

Last season: Sheff Wed 1 Reading 2, Reading 6 Sheff Wed 0

Last five league matches: Reading W W W W L; Sheff Wed W L W L L

Top scorers (all competitions): Gylfi Sigurdsson (Reading) 10; Marcus Tudgay (Sheff Wed) 8

Match odds: H 8-11 A 3-1 D 12-5

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).

Sheffield United (8) v Plymouth (23)

Chris Morgan will return for United following a rib injury but fellow central defender Marcel Seip cannot play against his parent club under the terms of his loan deal.

There are fitness doubts over James Harper, Ryan France and Kyle Bartley, but Toni Kallio, Nick Montgomery, Lee Williamson and Jamie Ward could have all recovered from injury.

Plymouth centre-half Reda Johnson is a doubt after he suffered an injury to the top of his leg during training. Defender Gary Sawyer also faces a race to be fit after he suffered a knee injury, but David McNamee is back in contention after overcoming a groin problem.

Last season: Plymouth 2 Sheff Utd 2, Sheff Utd 2 Plymouth 0

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Darius Henderson (Sheff Utd) 12; Kenny Cooper (Plymouth) 8

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffordshire).

Swansea (4) v Peterborough (24)

Ferrie Bodde could make his first Swansea start since September after recovering from a serious knee injury as Joe Allen (knee) and Andrea Orlandi (hamstring) are ruled out.

Striker Gorka Pintado starts a four-match ban but Leon Britton is back in contention after a back injury, while Cedric van der Gun (hamstring) is available for the first time since January 2 and Craig Beattie (foot) is also back in the squad.

Gabriel Zakuani could make a long-awaited return to the Peterborough defence after recovering from a groin injury. Fellow central defender Ryan Bennett picked up an ankle injury before last weekend's postponed fixture with Sheffield United and could be out for a month.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Swansea W W D D W; Peterborough L W L L W

Top scorers (all competitions): Shefki Kuqi (Swansea) 9; George Boyd (Peterborough) 12

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

Watford (14) v Newcastle (1)

Watford manager Malky Mackay will be without on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley after he was sent off in the 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe. Winger Will Buckley will have to wait a little longer to make his debut as he is still struggling with a thigh strain.

Newcastle will be without in-form striker Peter Lovenkrands (hamstring) and winger Wayne Routledge (calf). The former is expected to return against Barnsley next week, as are Jose Enrique (hamstring) and Nicky Butt (thigh).

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Tom Cleverley (Watford) 10; Kevin Nolan (Newcastle) 12

Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).

West Brom (3) v Derby (15)

West Brom striker Roman Bednar will miss out with a groin injury. Midfielder James Morrison (heel) and Marek Cech (hamstring) will look to be involved.

Loan signing Ben Watson could make his debut having been cup-tied for the clash with Reading, along with fellow loanee Frank Nouble. Winger Jerome Thomas also returns after completing a five-match ban.

Derby will be without Kris Commons (hamstring) and Jay McEveley (suspension). McEveley's absence means former Exeter left-back Dean Moxey will return to the starting XI while manager Nigel Clough must choose one of Gilles Sunu, Chris Porter and David Martin to play in Commons' role off striker Rob Hulse.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

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

Top scorers (all competitions): Graham Dorrans (West Brom) 13; Rob Hulse (Derby) 10

Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent).