TEAM NEWS: Tevez, Balotelli and Adam Johnson return to Manchester City starting line-up against Sunderland

Mario Balotelli – Manchester City (Getty Images)

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Manchester City faces Sunderland on a winning spell in a bid to close the gap on Chelsea who are in third place with two points more.

City boss Roberto Mancini has called for  Carlos Tevez and Balotelli back at the head of the offensive line to take on Sunderland’s back five while Edin Dzeko starts on the bench.

The Black Cats will count on Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck to try and net the ball to pick up all three points and be propelled into eight place just behind Everton on goal average.

Here is the line-up in full:

City: Hart; Boyata, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Y Toure, De Jong, Johnson, Silva, Tevez, Balotelli.
Subs: Taylor, McGivern, Barry, Viera, Milner, Wright-Philips, Dzeko

Sunderland: Mignolet; Bardsley, Turner, Mensah, Ferdinand; Sessegnon, Cattermole, Henderson, Muntari, Welbeck; Gyan
subs: Gordon, Zenden, Malbranque, Colback, Al Muhammadi, Adams, Lynch