Man City v Sunderland

Barclays Premier League
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium Date: Sunday, 3 April Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Manchester City have defensive worries after both Micah Richards and Jerome Boateng picked up injuries on international duty.

But Pablo Zabaleta has returned from compassionate leave and should feature.

Sunderland’s Frazier Campbell has recovered from a knee injury but Sunday is likely to come too soon for fellow long-term absentee Michael Turner.

On-loan defender Nedum Onuoha is ineligible because City are his parent club.

Man City

Doubtful: Tevez (groin)

Injured/unavailable: Given (shoulder), Richards (knee), K Toure (suspended)

Sunderland

Doubtful: Richardson (hamstring), Turner (knee)

Injured: Meyler (knee), Onuoha (ineligible)

MATCH PREVIEW

Sunderland and Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan scored for the Black Stars against England in midweek; now he will be looking to do the same for the Black Cats, who have failed to find the net in their last three games.

If we are reaching the stage where I can finally look at picking close to what I consider my best team, then I would fancy us to give anyone a game on the day Sunderland manager Steve Bruce

Gyan gave City defender Joleon Lescott a tough time on Tuesday and putting the ball past England goalkeeper Joe Hart again on Sunday could stop the recent rot for Sunderland, who have lost five of their last six league matches.

While the Wearsiders’ hopes of Europe are fading, Manchester City are still on course for the Champions League.

Their fate is still in their own hands – but one win in their last four is not the form of a team hoping to battle it out with the continent’s elite next season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The last two matches have both featured decisive injury-time goals. At the Stadium of Light in August, Darren Bent’s penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time claimed victory for Sunderland. Last March, Adam Johnson’s sublime curler rescued a point for City in a 1-1 draw on Wearside.

• City won this corresponding fixture last season 4-3 but it was not enough to save then-manager Mark Hughes, whose sacking was announced just two hours after the game.

• City have won all six times they have hosted Sunderland in the Premier League.

Man City

• City have taken 16 out of 18 points from their last six home matches. However, they have won just one of their last four league games.

• They have 53 points from 30 games, just as they did at this stage last season.

• This is Man City’s 50th fixture of the season (all competitions). Only Arsenal match that.

• City have kept 13 clean sheets, the joint-highest in the team.

Sunderland

• The Black Cats are winless in six league matches, losing five and drawing one.

• Just seven different players have scored a league goal for Sunderland this season, the fewest in the Premier League.

• Sunderland have not scored in any of their last three league matches. They have only managed 37 goals in their 33 league and cup games, fewer than any other Premier League club.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Man City

Tevez: 21 goals (18 league); Balotelli: 10 goals (6 league)

Sunderland

Gyan: 10 goals (9 league); Welbeck: 6 goals (6 league)

NB. Darren Bent scored 11 goals (8 league) for Sunderland before moving to Aston Villa.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Howard Webb

Assistant referees: John Flynn & Trevor Massey

Fourth official: Mark Halsey

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Man City (L0-2 v Chelsea, a): Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Toure Yaya (Balotelli 80), Barry, Milner (A Johnson 81), Dzeko, Silva. Subs not used: Taylor, Wright-Phillips, Boateng, Vieira, Boyata.

Sunderland (L0-2 v Liverpool, h): Mignolet, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah, Bardsley, Sessegnon, Henderson, Muntari (Cattermole 19), Richardson (Malbranque 22), Welbeck (Elmohamady 60), Gyan. Subs not used: Gordon, Zenden, Colback, Onuoha.