The major talking point is, of course, the Premiership debut of Denny Solomona. 

Sale's only change from their European Champions Cup defeat by Saracens sees Mike Phillips replace James Mitchell, while Kieran Longbottom is named in Steve Diamond's squad for the first time since 1 October.

Away from the George North saga, prop Alex Waller will play his 200th game for Saints, while there is a first Premiership appearance for Argentina wing Juan Pablo Estelles.

Louis Picamoles, Christian Day, Courtney Lawes and skipper Tom Wood all return to the Northampton side.

England captain Dylan Hartley remains out as he continues to serve his six-week suspension. 

Image source, Rex Features

Denny Solomona made a controversial cross-code switch from Super League side Castleford to Sale earlier this month and makes his Premiership debut tonight after playing in the Champions Cup defeat by Saracens at the weekend. 

Despite having two years left on his contract with the Super League club, the 23-year-old retired from rugby league and signed a three-year deal with Sale. 

Castleford are now taking legal action but Sale's director of rugby Steve Diamond says Solomona was fired by the Tigers, despite earlier saying the Auckland-born winger had resigned.

Image source, Getty Images

For a match involving the ninth and 10th-placed teams in the Premiership, there are plenty of sub plots this evening...

One of the sport's biggest talking points recently has been the head injury sustained by Northampton's George North after he was knocked out following a mid-air tackle against Leicester Tigers on 3 December. 

The Saints will face no sanction following an investigation into their treatment of North, but the report did conclude the 24-year-old should not have returned to the field of play.

Earlier in the week, Saints boss Jim Mallinder said North would feature in tonight's game, but he has been left out of the squad and will take no part this evening. 

A feast of rugby awaits you for this festive season. There is rugby on four of the next five days in the Premiership, with the only break coming on Christmas Day. We get under way this evening with Northampton Saints against Sale Sharks as two of the clubs at the wrong end of the table meet at Franklin's Gardens. 

There are bound to be Santa hats and Christmas jumpers in the crowd - maybe even some miseltoe - as everyone gets into the festive spirit with Christmas Day just around the corner. 

So why not put on your Christmas jumper - maybe pour a glass of sherry - and sit back and enjoy some live rugby with us. We'll have it all covered for the next couple of hours or so.