Saturday 26 December 2015 15:07, UK
Manchester City could welcome back Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Fernando when they take on Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
Kompany has been out with a calf problem but manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that he is ready to return to the matchday squad after resuming full training.
The Blues are looking to bounce back from defeat to fellow title contenders Arsenal on Monday against a Sunderland side who have lost their last three.
Sam Allardyce's men appeared to have turned a corner after back-to-back wins at the end of November but have since lost at Arsenal and Chelsea as well as suffering a home defeat to Watford.
Team news
Kompany (calf), Zabaleta (knee ligament) and Fernando (hamstring) are all fit to return to the City squad following lay-offs.
That leaves Samir Nasri (hamstring) as the only unavailable player after Sergio Aguero came through unscathed on his return against Arsenal.
Sunderland have Jeremain Lens available after he served his club suspension but will be without Younes Kaboul (hamstring), Seb Larsson (knee) and Adam Matthews (ankle).
Lee Cattermole is also a doubt with a back injury.
Opta stats
City have won four and lost four of the last 10 Premier League matches against Sunderland, though they won both meetings last season.
The Black Cats have won only two of their last 10 Boxing Day matches (D4 L4), whereas City have only lost one of their last eight league fixtures on Boxing Day (W6 D1 L1).
Jermain Defoe has scored six goals in 10 league appearances on Boxing Day.
City have won 15 of their 19 home league games in 2015 so far (D1 L3).
If Man City concede a goal in this game, it'll be their longest run without a clean sheet at home in league competition (eight games) since October 1991 (13 games).
Sunderland have lost their last three league games - they haven't lost four in a row in the competition since April 2014 (five defeats in a row).
The Black Cats have conceded the most goals (33) and allowed their opponents the most shots on target (106) in the league this season.
Merson's predictions
City aren't convincing at the moment but they need to keep going. I thought they played well in patches against Arsenal, but they didn't really hurt the Gunners. You can't say Petr Cech was making saves left, right and centre, and I think City have to win this one after that result.
Sunderland just keep on having hard game after hard game. I can't remember the last time they had an easy one! It's just the way it has worked out, and they are going to come around eventually.
I know Sunderland need a win as well, but City just have to get the three points here.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Betting
City are considered the bankers of the weekend at just 2/9 with Sky Bet as Sunderland go up against odds of 12/1 to inflict an upset. Pellegrini's men drifted out from 5/4 to 15/8 to win the Premier League following their Monday Night Football defeat at new favourites Arsenal, while the Black Cats were cut to just 1/6 to go down after their 3-1 loss at Chelsea.
Aguero heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/2 while Steven Fletcher and Jermain Defoe share favouritism from the visitors' side of the market at 12/1 apiece.
