Rooney returns to Everton; Terry faces the Wolves

After the FA Cup last weekend the Premier League returns with a vengeance this week. The games are evenly split between Saturday and Sunday and, unusually, the top three all play on Saturday. Even more unusually Arsenal and Chelsea both have traditional 3pm kick-offs - hopefully that won't confuse their fans too much.

The first game of the weekend is the mouthwatering clash between Manchester United and Everton at Goodison Park. There is not a great deal of love lost between these two clubs, thanks in part to the presence of Everton prodigy Wayne Rooney in the United ranks. What the sides do share, though, is a common distain for Liverpool.

While United have Rooney, Everton have Old Trafford old-boys Phil Neville and Louis Saha in their side. However the Toffees will be without the dynamic Marouane Fellaini, out for the rest of the season, and his fellow midfield battler Tim Cahill is struggling for fitness.

United will be missing Rio Ferdinand, who is banned, and Ryan Giggs, who has a broken arm. Nemanja Vidic may finally return, if his calf has recovered sufficiently. A win would put United top, for a few hours at least.

Current leaders Chelsea visit Wolverhampton Wanderers hoping to continue their 100 per cent record against them in the Premier League. John Terry should return in defence after appearing to successfully saved his marriage in Dubai. It will be interesting to see what sort of a reception he is afforded by the Wolves faithful.

Ashley Cole, with who Terry has been sharing the front pages recently, is definitely out as he has a broken heart, sorry, ankle. Joe Cole, Deco and Juliano Belletti all face late fitness tests.

Whoever plays for Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti's side should have too much for Wolves, who are fifth from bottom of the table and one point off the relegation places.

Arsenal entertain Sunderland on Saturday praying that the teams above them will drop points and give them the chance to get back into the title race.

The Black Cats are just the sort of team that Arsenal don't like playing and they have not lost to the Gunners in their last three outings. But the omens are against them this time as they are without key personnel including Lee Cattermole, Kieron Richardson, Andy Reid and Anton Ferdinand through injury and suspension.

Arsenal are hardly in great form themselves, with one win in four in the league. After the horrendous loss to Porto on Wednesday Arsene Wenger should be able to welcome back the likes of Manuel Almunia, William Gallas, Alex Song, Eduardo and Andrei Arshavin.

West Ham entertain Hull in the other 3pm kick off and in the evening match cash-strapped Portsmouth, who have pleaded to be allowed to sell their players outside the transfer window to raise money to pay off their debts, play Stoke at Fratton Park.

On Sunday, the big game sees Liverpool travel to Eastlands to play Manchester City as the two favourites for fourth place go head to head. Roberto Mancini must be concerned about the form of his City team who have taken seven points from the last 18. Carlos Tevez is in Argentina for the birth of his second child and Craig Bellamy, who has reportedly had a bust up with the manager, and Vincent Kompany undergo tests.

Liverpool are without Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson, and Yossi Benayoun is still getting over a broken rib. The Reds will be hoping they can perform rather better than they did against Romanian outfit Unirea Urzinceni on Thursday night.

A win for either team would secure them fourth spot for the time being, and for City it would hand them a significant advantage, four points plus a game in hand, over their rivals.

The other matches on Sunday include the Lancashire derby between Blackburn and Bolton at Ewood Park, which is a six pointer for Bolton. Aston Villa welcome second from bottom Burnley to Villa Park and Birmingham travel to London to take on Fulham in a mid-table clash. The final match of the day sees Wigan play host to Spurs. ·