Defensive headache for City

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has problems in central defence for the trip to Sunderland after Nedum Onuoha was ruled out for the rest of the season with a dislocated shoulder.

The 21-year-old has been Richard Dunne’s regular partner in the last month after injury to Micah Richards but his absence means Vedran Corluka is likely to move inside with Sun Jihai coming in at right-back.

Richards is set to return to training next week after a knee injury but is still a fortnight or more away from match fitness.

Provisional squad: Hart, Corluka, Dunne, Garrido, Jihai, Ireland, Fernandes, Hamann, Petrov, Johnson, Castillo, Elano, Benjani, Vassell, Caicedo, Geovanni, Sturridge, Isaksson.