Arsenal and Chelsea both have the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League on Wednesday.
With leaders Manchester United on Carling Cup duty, it opens the door for the two London clubs who both sit two points behind the champions.
Arsenal just hold second place on goals scored and know that victory at Aston Villa should be enough for them to reclaim pole position.
Chelsea though will be aiming to capitalise on any slip-up or even to overhaul the Gunners on goal difference. However both capital clubs face tough matches against sides from the Second City.
Everton will aim to recover from their FA Cup exit as they host Sunderland while Blackburn Rovers take on Wigan Athletic in a Lancashire derby at Ewood Park
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Aston Villa have gone three without a win in the Barclays Premier League, taking just one point and failing to score while Arsenal are top of the current form table.
The Gunners are unbeaten in 10 league visits to Villa Park since losing 3-2 in December 1998.
Villa have only beaten Arsene Wenger’s men once in 22 meetings, a 2-0 win at the Emirates last season.
Arsene Wenger is chasing his 300th win as a Premier League manager. Victory at Villa would see him become only the second manager to reach this milestone after Sir Alex Ferguson who is currently on 438.
Chelsea v Birmingham
This is a meeting of two form teams. Chelsea are unbeaten in six Barclays Premier League matches and have scored 14 goals in their three fixtures without Didier Drogba on African Cup of Nations duty.
However Birmingham are on a club record run of 12 matches unbeaten in the top flight.
Birmingham have not beaten Chelsea in any of their last 16 meetings in all competition, drawing just five. However they did become the first team to stop the Londoners scoring in 34 matches when they drew 0-0 at St Andrew’s on Boxing Day.
Chelsea have the best home record in the Barclays Premier League, dropping just two points in 11 matches.
Blackburn v Wigan
Blackburn aim to bounce back from the disappointment of their remarkable 6-4 defeat by Aston Villa in the Carling Cup semi-final while Wigan had to come from two down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Notts County in the FA Cup.
The sides have so far met nine times in the league with Blackburn winning five and Wigan two.
Rovers have won only one of their last 14 league and cup matches, a run which has brought six draws. But they have lost only one Barclays Premier League fixture at Ewood Park since the opening day of the season.
Wigan’s win at Wolverhampton Wanderers was their first victory in six league matches.
Everton v Sunderland
Everton have a good record against Sunderland who have not beaten the Toffees in 11 attempts, losing nine.
The Merseysiders may have lost at home to Birmingham in the FA Cup but they are unbeaten in eight Barclays Premier League matches.
By contrast Sunderland have won just one in 12 league outings and have taken just three points from a possible 24, leaking 16 goals in their last five league matches.
Barclays Premier League fixtures
Click on the fixtures below to view the match previews
Aston Villa v Arsenal (Referee: Lee Probert)
Chelsea v Birmingham City (Steve Bennett)
Blackburn Rovers v Wigan Athletic (Lee Mason)
Everton v Sunderland (Phil Dowd)
“Arsene Wenger is chasing his 300th win as a Premier League manager”.
Credits: PremierLeague.com
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