City of Manchester Stadium: Home of Manchester City(credit:
Wikipedia)
Manchester City are without Jerome Boateng and Micah Richards for the visit of Sunderland. (kick-off 16.00 GMT)
Boateng is poised to undergo knee surgery after sustaining an injury while away with the German national team, while Richards suffered a hamstring injury while with England’s U21s.
However, City manager Roberto Mancini can call on Pablo Zabaleta who has now returned to Eastlands having been on compassionate leave in his native Argentina.
Sunderland, meanwhile, are without on-loan defender Nedum Onuoha who is unable to face his parent club at Eastlands.
Michael Turner and Fraizer Campbell have returned from their respective knee injuries but neither are expected to feature for the Black Cats, but Phil Bardsley and Sulley Muntari are expected to be fit.
John Mensah is available after his red card against Liverpool was overturned, but Kieran Richardson (hamstring) is doubtful.
Last Premier League games:
Chelsea 2 MANCHESTER CITY 0: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Y Toure (Balotelli 80), Barry, Milner (A Johnson 81), Dzeko, Silva. Not used: Taylor, Wright-Phillips, Boateng, Vieira, Boyata.
SUNDERLAND 0 Liverpool 2: Mignolet, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah, Bardsley, Sessegnon, Henderson, Muntari (Cattermole 19), Richardson (Malbranque 22), Welbeck (Elmohamady 60), Gyan. Not used: Gordon, Zenden, Colback, Onuoha.