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Defenders Phil Bardsley and Titus Bramble are major doubts for Sunderland in their match against league leaders Manchester City.
Full-back Bardsley and centre-half Bramble both suffered injuries in the 1-1 Boxing Day draw with Everton, and with Michael Turner lso on the casualty list, manager Martin O'Neill is short of defensive options. Midfielder Kieran Richardson has not trained all week because of illness, but O'Neill is keeping his fingers crossed, while Connor Wickham, Fraizer Campbell and Craig Gordon and Simon Mignolet remain on the sidelines.
Manchester City full-backs Micah Richards and Aleksandar Kolarov are back in contention for the New Year's Day trip to Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League. Right-back Richards was not risked in the Boxing Day draw at West Brom after a calf problem while left-back Kolarov has missed six games with a groin injury.
The pair's possible return means manager Roberto Mancini has a full-strength squad, aside from the absent Carlos Tevez, for the first of two games in just over two days. For that reason, Sergio Aguero could be rested.
Sunderland could not have picked a worse time for an injury crisis with Matt Kilgallon, told to train with the youth team by Steve Bruce, expected to start against the league leaders, his first appearance since May 2010.
Martin O'Neill has argued the crowded Christmas fixture list gives an unfair disadvantage to clubs like Manchester City, who have several players competing for every position. Having drawn at WBA on Boxing Day, City will be confident of exposing Sunderland's makeshift backline.
Sunderland (Probable, 4-4-2): Westwood; Elmohamady, O'Shea, Brown, Kilgallon; Larsson, Cattermole, Vaughan, Richardson; Sessegnon, Bendtner.
Out: Turner (knee), Wickham, Campbell, Gordon (all knee), Mignolet (fractured nose and eye socket).
Tests: Bardsley (thigh), Bramble (Achilles), Richardson (illness).
Manchester City (Probable, 4-2-3-1): Hart; Richards, Lescott, Kompany, Clichy; Barry, Y Toure; Silva, Nasri, Milner; Balotelli.
Out: Tevez (club dispute).
Manchester City full-backs Micah Richards and Aleksandar Kolarov are back in contention for the New Year's Day trip to Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League. Right-back Richards was not risked in the Boxing Day draw at West Brom after a calf problem while left-back Kolarov has missed six games with a groin injury.
The pair's possible return means manager Roberto Mancini has a full-strength squad, aside from the absent Carlos Tevez, for the first of two games in just over two days. For that reason, Sergio Aguero could be rested.
Sunderland could not have picked a worse time for an injury crisis with Matt Kilgallon, told to train with the youth team by Steve Bruce, expected to start against the league leaders, his first appearance since May 2010.
Martin O'Neill has argued the crowded Christmas fixture list gives an unfair disadvantage to clubs like Manchester City, who have several players competing for every position. Having drawn at WBA on Boxing Day, City will be confident of exposing Sunderland's makeshift backline.
Sunderland (Probable, 4-4-2): Westwood; Elmohamady, O'Shea, Brown, Kilgallon; Larsson, Cattermole, Vaughan, Richardson; Sessegnon, Bendtner.
Out: Turner (knee), Wickham, Campbell, Gordon (all knee), Mignolet (fractured nose and eye socket).
Tests: Bardsley (thigh), Bramble (Achilles), Richardson (illness).
Manchester City (Probable, 4-2-3-1): Hart; Richards, Lescott, Kompany, Clichy; Barry, Y Toure; Silva, Nasri, Milner; Balotelli.
Out: Tevez (club dispute).
