Central defender Eliaquim Mangala is available for Manchester City after serving a one-match ban in midweek.

Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Dzeko could return after overcoming calf injuries, but Stevan Jovetic will be rested.

Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz returns after missing six games in all competitions with a shoulder problem.

Arouna Kone and Bryan Oviedo may feature as they near full fitness, but Steven Naismith and James McCarthy (both hamstring) are unlikely to play.

The real Manchester City seem to have stood up.

Prior to that dramatic last five minutes against Bayern Munich, the prospect of City exerting any real pressure on Chelsea in the domestic title race seemed fairly slim. Results were not catastrophic by any means, but performance levels were below what we've come to expect.

That Sergio Aguero-engineered explosion against the German defence seems to have had the dual effect of keeping City in contention for a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League and of injecting new confidence in the little Argentine's team-mates.

City were relatively untroubled by the challenge of Southampton at St Mary's last Sunday, and on Wednesday night they were on a different level to Sunderland.

Collectively, City look the part again, and individually Aguero looks sensational. Their big European test of that new-found belief follows four days later in Rome.

n contrast to Manchester City, Everton have breezed through their European commitments so far, dominating a potentially difficult Europa League group.

In the Premier League, Everton have found life a bit tougher, winning just one of their last five matches and sitting in mid-table.

I wonder whether the fact that this season's Europa League winners are guaranteed, at worst, a place in the Champions League play-offs and possible direct entry to the group stage of the competition, has had an impact here.

After all, what's more likely, Everton finish in the top four or Everton win the Europa League?

It may be that the club has decided that cracking the top four again - as they did in 2005 - is just too expensive and too difficult, and that Europa League success offers a more realistic route to the Champions League and the opportunities to invest in better players that comes as a result.

Whether that's the case or not, Everton will want to ensure that they are regulars in one of the European competitions and, like City, need to juggle both jobs more effectively.

mesoade:
I hope man city wins . . Let them close the gap on chelsea . . . #GGMU

Dannyguy900:

Hey come on dia, why are u supporting our rivals? No let me vex 4 u OK?

mukina2:
kun injured

worisj:
Following cisse build castle for Chelsea bojan give arsenal stroke SASSUOLO dey romance roma who knows maybe everton go commot the city for Manchester city lol hala madrid

natureblack:
.naaa,Aguero would demolish Everton.

Dannyguy900:
Man city pls you set drop points 2day so DAT united go benefit.
#GGMU

mukina2:
Kun out

FPL sweeet

mukina2:
clichy deserved that

Plus234:


kun out

natureblack:
nope,am a sturdy Man utd fan,but I want Man city to carry the day.





Chelsea needs to feel the heat of the Manchester twins.



GGMU tho'