Manchester City v Fulham - Match preview and team news
Champions Manchester City will look to build on their impressive victory at Arsenal last weekend and close the gap on leaders Manchester United to four points before the Red Devils take on high-flying Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon.
The Citizens will surely be confident of doing just that, particularly against a Fulham side that have perennially struggled away from home in the Premier League and have been on a particularly poor run of form of late that has seen their manager Martin Jol come under pressure.
Roberto Mancini is hopeful of having Sergio Aguero available on the substitutes bench after the Argentina international made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a hamstring issue, while Samir Nasri is available again after serving his three-match suspension. Captain Vincent Kompany is also free to take his place in the starting XI after seeing the red card he picked up at Arsenal overturned on appeal. However, City remain without both Yaya and Kolo Toure (African Cup of Nation), while Maicon, Jack Rodwell and Micah Richards remain on the treatment table.
The visitors may look to shuffle their pack after the exertions of their after extra-time FA Cup win over Blackpool in midweek. However, Dimitar Berbatov is expected to start after being rested for the clash with Championship opposition. Elsewhere, there are doubts over mladen Petric, Bryan Ruiz and Steve Sidwell but Kerim Frei and Mahamadou Diarra will definitely miss out with groin and knee injuries respectively.
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