Tevez starts for City

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has been heartened by the news that Carlos Tevez had recovered from a calf injury, enabling the striker to take his place in the side against Blackburn today.

Tevez was doubtful after suffering the strain in Argentina’s victory over Spain in a friendly in midweek.

Mancini has made two changes to the side that lost to Sunderland with Patrick Vieira and Shaun Wright-Phillips replacing Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry.

Despite the 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal in their last outing, Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has named the same team. David Dunn has to settle for a place on the bench.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Toure, Kompany, Lescott, Wright-Phillips, Toure Yaya, Milner, Vieira, Adam Johnson, Tevez.

Subs: Given, Zabaleta, Santa Cruz, Barry, Silva, Jo, Boyata.

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Mame Diouf, Jones, Grella, Pedersen, El-Hadji Diouf, Kalinic.

Subs: Bunn, Olsson, Emerton, Dunn, Nzonzi, Mwaruwari, Chimbonda.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg.