Chelsea will again be without Germany captain Michael Ballack, who completes a three-match ban for last month's red card against Liverpool. Chelsea's England midfielder Joe Cole could finally return after a knee injury that has kept him out all season, barring a few minutes against Werder Bremen last month. United, who lead Chelsea on goal difference at the top of the table, are away to a Wigan Athletic side who are struggling to reproduce their fine debut season in the Premier League.
Without a win since August, manager Paul Jewell has yet to get the best from strike pairing Emile Heskey and Henri Camara. For their part, United look to have recovered from the wobble experienced in that draw with Reading and a home defeat by Arsenal, beating Newcastle United 2-0 with two goals from fit-again Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Avoid mistakes:They now need to make their superior team sheet count at the JJB Stadium and avoid past mistakes, as United's Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is well aware.
"Last season we lost too many games against smaller teams. We have to make sure it doesn't happen often," he told the club's Web site. Arsenal, in eighth place with a game in hand on the leaders, have been building momentum after a slow start to the season, winning their last five games in all competitions.
Second from bottom on their return to the top-flight, Watford will face a buoyant Arsenal side who have conceded only two goals in their winning run and scored 10. Third-placed Bolton Wanderers are away to Newcastle on Sunday while Portsmouth, in fourth, will look to add to a dismal start to the season by West Ham United.
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