Tottenham Hotspur can go level on points with leaders Manchester City if they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home on Saturday and they could have midfield dynamo Scott Parker back after three games out with a knee injury.
Defenders William Gallas (calf) and Ledley King (hamstring) are out along with midfielder Sandro (calf).
Manager Harry Redknapp is not getting carried away by the title talk surrounding his side.
"The players know how hard it is to win a single game in the Premier League, we do not look beyond Wolves because of that," he said in The Sun.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping Phil Jones and Chris Smalling recover from knocks for the home game against struggling Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Midfielder Anderson is also a doubt for the match which would appear a comfortable three points for United but which Ferguson says is a dangerous fixture.
"We need a good performance against a team that will battle for everything," Ferguson told United's website. "Any team near the bottom of the table will do that, as we experienced at home to Blackburn."
Manchester City hope to have David Silva back for their trip to Wigan Athletic on Monday.
The Spaniard was badly missed in the 1-0 defeat by Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday but is recovering well from his ankle injury, according to assistant manager David Platt on Friday.
Fourth-placed Chelsea face in-form Sunderland on Saturday without Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou who are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast.
Florent Malouda is doubtful with injury but striker Daniel Sturridge has recovered from a hip injury that kept him out of the last two games.
Sunderland, who won 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last season, have been resurgent under new manager Martin O'Neill, taking 13 points from a possible 18 since he took charge.
Fifth-placed Arsenal are missing defenders Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Andre Santos, Thomas Vermaelen and Francis Coquelin for Sunday's trip to Swansea City.
"At the moment we are exploring potential situations we can take advantage of but there is nothing concrete," manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has funds to spend in the transfer window but said he is happy with his present squad.
"We've got an option to be active if we want to be active, but we said at the outset that we'd be quiet," he said. "It's work in progress for us.
"We'll just keep doing what we're doing, and the boys will keep working as hard as they can, and we'll see where we go."
Stoke City have concerns at the back f
