MANCHESTER City boss Mark Hughes expects Kolo Toure and Martin Petrov to be back in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Birmingham, having missed the midweek Carling Cup win over Scunthorpe with minor injuries.
Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy, both rested to the bench for that fourth round tie, are also likely to be back in the side.
Hughes has virtually a fully fit squad to chose from, with only Nedum Onuoha and Robinho still recovering from injuries. Both are close to returning.
One City player definitely sitting out Sunday's game is goalkeeper Joe Hart - who is on a season's loan at Birmingham.
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Hart cannot face City under the terms of his loan deal, and so Maik Taylor takes over in goal.
But the 22-year-old believes Birmingham can give Hughes' men a tough time.
"Definitely, we could," said Hart. "City are a good-looking side. They have spent a lot of money.
"They have had a couple of draws recently so hopefully we can really get stuck into them and see what happens. We have the belief that we could do it. They feel the same about anyone they play - that they could win. So we've got to impose our game.
"We've got to go for it."
Birmingham defender Gregory Vignal is back in the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury, although he may have to be content with a substitute’s role because of the form of Liam Ridgewell.
Winger Keith Fahey is again doubtful with an ankle injury as the home side look to build on their 2-1 victory over Sunderland last weekend.
Birmingham City (from): Taylor, Carr, R Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Parnaby, Queudrue, Vignal, Larsson, Tainio, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden, Carsley, Doyle, Jerome, O’Connor, Phillips, Benitez, D Johnson.
Manchester City (from): Given, Richard, Zabaleta, Lescott, Toure, Bridge, Kompany, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Bellamy, De Jong, Barry, Sylvinho, Santa Cruz, Adebayor, Tevez, Taylor, Weiss, Johnson.
Birmingham league form: WLLLW
City league form: LWDDD
Key opponent: James McFadden - Scottish star always capable of a spectacular goal
Prediction: Birmingham 0 City 1 - it's about time City kept a clean sheet and if they do, they should pick up three points
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Twilight Zone, Inbetween reality and a 5th dimension (30/10/2009 at 12:14)
Barnham Blue, Timperley Born (30/10/2009 at 12:18)
bluedefence (30/10/2009 at 12:23)
"we, them, get stuck in" very odd, I always assumed Joe would come back at some stage and take over the number one spot but using such language makes me wonder if he is.
When he went to Blackpool I dont recall him using such provocative words when talking about “his” parent club.
Its a funny old world.
gerry crainey is a legend!!! (30/10/2009 at 12:27)
clean sheet is number one priority surely i'll take a 1-0 with them scoring an own goal
CTID
Bertie McGrew , Northern Countryside (30/10/2009 at 12:27)
His problem, like so many good youngsters at City, is that we were forced to give them a taste of life in the limelight and they dont like going back to being 2nd choice. But they are young and should realise, like Nedum does, that they will be the stars of the next few years. Joe Hart, if he stays with City, will become another Joe Corrigan and even better as there is no real star English keeper out there.
Do your apprenticeship Joe, and then strike out for the very top with City.
AlexC83, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 12:42)
AlexC83, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 12:52)
No wonder he's talking about them as "we" seeing as they're making him feel wanted. I'm fine with it so long as we make sure he doesn't get TOO cosy - his time will eventually come. It's just a matter of whether he can wait that long...
Wolf Wolf (30/10/2009 at 12:55)
SwampDonkey, London (30/10/2009 at 13:17)
Mr B. (30/10/2009 at 13:40)
Phil Neal's Laxative, Half asleep somewhere (30/10/2009 at 13:46)
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (30/10/2009 at 14:26)
tony mac manus (30/10/2009 at 15:23)
Twilight Zone, Inbetween reality and a 5th dimension (30/10/2009 at 15:26)
30/10/2009 at 14:26
You are so funny I nearly smiled.
Twilight Zone, Inbetween reality and a 5th dimension (30/10/2009 at 15:32)
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles
30/10/2009 at 14:26
Algernon,
You are so funny, you should be on the stage, preferably one with Wells Fargo written on the side.
Goatman, Bolton (30/10/2009 at 16:21)
The Riddler??, Prestwich (30/10/2009 at 16:51)
Good job you went else where to keep on learning Joe,you were starting to command your area a bit better and comming more for crosses before you left,so you wouldn't have learn much from your replacement here!
johnson6 - ireland7 (30/10/2009 at 18:13)
28Rosler, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 18:47)
Hmmmm... wonder how long it will be before we use your petrol money to buy our ground and turn it and the surrounding area into the best sporting complex in the country? Won't be laughing then will you?
Especially as you'll be having to sell your crumbling decrepit hole to pay off your debt!!
Sam Haggar-Feed the Goat and he will score (30/10/2009 at 19:57)
GK Given
RB Zabeleta CB Toure CB Lescott LB Bridge
RM Bellemy CM Ireland CM Barry LM Petrov
CF Tevez CF Adebayor
subs Taylor Kompany Syvinhio De Jong SWP Weiss Johnson Santa Cruz
2-0 City
StretfordBLUE in America, Born a BLUE and Forever (30/10/2009 at 22:27)
MBLUED, UK (30/10/2009 at 23:52)
dejong barry irland petrov
tevez rocky
bellamy and adebayor to come over 60 minutes if still 0-0 and swp for barry or dejong
Uncle Buck, Manchester, home of MCFC - the Manchester team, noisier than Taggart's telly. (31/10/2009 at 04:14)
You mean the 'council house' that we lease for next to nothing? Better than having our stadium owned by a bank! You really are a first class pillock!!
Blue Balls, Napier, NZ (31/10/2009 at 08:40)
Sam Haggar-Feed the Goat and he will score (31/10/2009 at 12:46)
30/10/2009 at 23:52
i disagree with your line up i would have zabeleta in for richards.Lescott goes in the centre Bridge goes on the left.Then Bellemy and Adebayor will play.