The highlight on this BPL weekend is the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenam at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

It is not often the north London derby can be eclipsed by one man, but Robbie Keane’s second Tottenham debut is likely to be the talk of White Hart Lane prior to kick-off .

The Republic of Ireland international completed his drawn-out transfer back to Spurs from Liverpool in a dramatic deadline day deal on Monday and could now be thrown back in at the deep end against arch rivals Arsenal.

The 28-year-old scored 107 goals in 254 appearances for Tottenham before making his ill-fated £20million move to Anfield in the summer and is determined
to help Harry Redknapp’s side away from relegation danger.

“It's been an up-and-down season for the club and there's been a lot of change, including a change of manager, but now it's up to us as players to start getting the team up the table,” he said.

“I'm coming back to a fantastic club with fantastic players. I am extremely excited about this new chapter in my career, even though it doesn't feel as if the previous chapter really ended.”

It will take something special from Keane and co as Spurs have not beaten their bitterest rivals since November 1999.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is not taking anything for granted, however, as he knows his side must improve on the recent form that has seen them take just two points from their last two games.

“The team is improving,” said Wenger. “We lack still a little bit of creativity and a little bit of invention but overall we are are consistent, we are fighting.”

Blackburn, who are hosting Aston Villa at Ewood Park, are on an unbeaten run of six games in the Barclays Premier League, but four of those have ended in a draw.

However, Rovers are still struggling in the relegation zone, having won just five of their 23 league matches so far this season.

The Ewood Park outfit, yet to lose under Sam Allardyce, will have to find a way past former Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel if they are to pick up three points.

Aston Villa have lost just four of their 24 Barclays Premier League matches and are one of the most feared sides in the top-flight.

The prospect of Champions League football is in their own hands and this could be the ideal fixture for Villa, who have only lost two of their last 10 meetings with Blackburn.

New signing Emile Heskey will hope to continue his scoring form against Rovers, having netted in Wigan’s 3-0 win in December.

Chelsea will attempt to go back on winning ways with the visit of newly-promoted Hull City at Stamford Bridge. 

The Blues' season has recently taken a turn for the worst after last weekend’s 2-0 at Liverpool severely dented their title hopes.

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men desperately need three points to get their Barclays Premier League campaign back on track and 17-goal Nicolas Anelka could be the player to do just that at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are, in fact, the league’s leading scorers with 44 goals to their name, while the Tigers have the worst defence having conceded 46.

If the last three meetings are anything to go by Hull can expect goals aplenty this weekend - but at the wrong end.

In those games, all in different competitions (Barclays Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup), the Tigers have shipped in 13 goals and only managed one goal in response.

But Hull have managed to beat their opponents before - a 3-0 win over the Blues back in 1988 in the old Second Division.

Everton have won four of their five Barclays Premier League meetings with Bolton since Wanderers’ 4-0 victory at Goodison Park in December 2005.

Their chances of beating the Trotters were boosted by the arrival of Jo, who is on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season and will benefit the Toffees during their striker crisis.

Everton have lost less than half, 249 of 644, of their Barclays Premier League encounters so far.

Bolton boss Gary Megson will be returning to one of his former clubs after making 25 appearances for Everton following his move from Plymouth in 1979.

The Trotters will be hoping to avenge October’s 1-0 defeat at the Reebok Stadium, where Marouane Fellaini scored a stoppage-time winner.

Bolton are unbeaten in their last two Barclays Premier League matches and will be hoping Kevin Davies can continue his scoring form of three goals during that run.

Manchester City go into the game against Middlesbrough with the best home scoring record of any Barclays Premier League club.

They have notched 27 goals in 12 games at the City of Manchester Stadium this term.

Mark Hughes’ side will be looking to make up for a 1-0 defeat against strugglers Stoke last Saturday.

The result has left them 10th in the table but just five points clear of the relegation zone in a tight bottom half.

Middlesbrough will be hoping to arrest a record which has seen them concede more second-half goals than any other Barclays Premier League club.

Boro have shipped 27 goals in the second 45 minutes of matches so far this term. But stopping this run could prove tough as Boro have lost on their last two Eastlands appearances in the league.

Gareth Southgate’s side are joint-bottom having gone 12 league games without a win.

Portsmouth goalkeeper David James should equal Gary Speed's all-time Barclays Premier League appearances record of 535 games when Pompey host Liverpool.
He made his debut for opponents Liverpool in a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Sunday August 16 1992. The visitors have the historical edge as they have won six of the last 11 league meetings.

Pompey are in the midst of a dismal run, which has seen them claim just two points from eight matches.

Liverpool go into the game in an indifferent mood.

A 2-0 victory over title rivals Chelsea last Sunday saw them arrest a run of three Barclays Premier League draws against Stoke, Everton and Wigan.

The Chelsea triumph also heralded a return to the scoresheet for Fernando Torres. The Spaniard had failed to net in the league since October 5 and his brace against the Blues means he has notched seven in the league this term.

But their positive mood was spoilt by the midweek FA Cup defeat to Everton and it was made worse by the hamstring injury suffered by Steven Gerrard.

The Reds captain will be out for three weeks and will miss crucial matches in Liverpool's bid for their first Premier League title

Sunderland who host Stoke on Saturday have enjoyed a much-improved run at the Stadium of Light in recent weeks.

The Black Cats have won their last four Barclays Premier League home games but they lost three straight matches there before this stint and are 13th in the table following a patchy run of form.

They have won one, drawn two and lost one in the league since the turn of the year. But Ricky Sbragia’s side will be boosted by the fact Stoke have failed to win on Wearside in their last six visits.

The Potters’ last triumph at Sunderland came when a Mark Walters goal completed an old First Division double at Roker Park in April 1994.

Stoke are not enjoying a good run on their travels and have lost their last four matches on trot and are one of two teams – Fulham the other – still to break their away duck this season.

This has resulted in Stoke being left just a point above the relegation zone in 17th place.

Bottom-of-the-table West Brom will hope their home form can again come to their aid in the game against Newcastle United in their battle to avoid relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

They have picked up 17 of their 22 points at The Hawthorns and have won three of their last four games on home turf.

But the Baggies have never beaten Newcastle at home in the Barclays Premier League and last beat them in the West Midlands on Boxing Day 1984.

Newcastle sit just one point clear of safety following a six-game winless run in the Barclays Premier League.

The Magpies have not been victorious in 2009 so far and last tasted success in the 2-1 home triumph over Tottenham on December 21.

They have also won just one of their 12 games on the road in the league this season. However, the Magpies have won five and drawn two of their seven Barclays Premier League meetings with West Brom.

Wigan, who play Fulham at the JJB, remain seventh in the Barclays Premier League despite not winning any of their last four games.

The Latics followed up back-to-back defeats at Manchester United and Manchester City by drawing 1-1 with Liverpool at the JJB Stadium before a goalless draw at title-chasing Aston Villa.

But they are unbeaten at home to the Cottagers since 1992 although they have failed to win their last four meetings, three of them ending in draws.

Fulham ended a four-game winless streak in the Barclays Premier League with a 3-1 home victory over Portsmouth at Craven Cottage. But their away form makes miserable reading and are still searching for their first success.

They are also the lowest scorers on the road in the top flight this season, scoring just three goals in 11 outings.

The Cottagers have failed to win in 10 league and cup visits to Wigan since securing a 3-1 in September 1992.

Gianfranco Zola has led West Ham to a six-game unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League – but he now faces his toughest test since taking charge.

The Hammers have won their last three league games at Upton Park and are bidding for a third successive home win over Macnhester United.

Zola’s side have proved to be a tough nut to crack and have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league and cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half penalty against Everton earned Manchester United a seventh successive Barclays Premier League win.

It also stretched their unbeaten top-flight run to 12 games during which they have failed to be breached.

It allowed goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar to break the English league football record for most minutes without conceding a goal.

His tally now stands at 1,122 minutes having not conceded since 8th November.