Tom Youngs has returned from a shoulder injury a month ahead of schedule to make the Leicester starting XV in their Premiership match with Wasps on Saturday.

The England hooker was ruled out of action until Christmas by Richard Cockerill, the Leicester director of rugby, after dislocating his shoulder against Bath in September. However, the 27-year-old who underwent surgery, has battled back to fitness far earlier than anticipated.

Youngs’ England team-mate Tom Croft is also ready to return after knee trouble and is roughly in line with the six-week schedule predicted by Cockerill.

“Tom [Youngs] will certainly be fresh and he will give impetus from a scrum, ball-carrying and aggression view,” Cockerill said. “That is exactly what we need.”

Marcos Ayerza, Vereniki Goneva and Leonardo Ghiraldini all return for Leicester following autumn Test duty, boosting Leicester’s options against Wasps, the league’s highest try-scorers this season.

Dai Young’s Wasps welcome back Alapati Leiua and Andrea Masi from international action but Elliot Daly starts his three-week ban for abusing the referee, Ian Tempest, in last weekend’s defeat at Exeter.

Tom Varndell, Guy Thompson, Ed Jackson and Kearnan Myall will all start, with Young admitting Wasps must bounce back after last week’s defeat. “This is a great opportunity to right some of the wrongs,” he said. “I am looking at us to produce a much better performance, which reflects what we are capable of as a side.”

The Exeter coach, Rob Baxter, has admitted his team will have their work cut out to extend their flying start to the season.

The Chiefs entertain the 2013 Premiership finalists Saracens on Saturday, with Baxter expecting one of the most physical battles of the campaign. Exeter are second in the table after six wins and two defeats so far this season.

“This game has become even bigger because we’re second in the table and we want to stay there,” said Baxter, who has signed a three-year contract with Exeter. “What we have to make sure we do now is use that positive bit of pressure to bring the best out of us.

“As a group we have to say we like being in second place and around the top and that we’ll fight tooth and nail to stay there. We have talked a lot about that this week but we will see which way we go ultimately on Saturday.”

The England and British and Irish Lions prop Mako Vunipola is fit for the first time this season after knee surgery in May and will be on Saracens’ bench. Jacques Burger will start in the back-row, with Mouritz Botha partnering Alistair Hargreaves at lock.

Duncan Taylor starts at centre, with Chris Ashton, David Strettle and Alex Goode completing a settled back three.