Mancini rings changes for Sunderland

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini rang the changes at Sunderland as his side attempted to establish a three-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Mario Balotelli was rested, while David Silva and Sergio Aguero were named only among the substitutes with Joleon Lescott, Aleksander Kolarov, Nigel de Jong, Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson and Edin Dzeko returning to the starting line-up.

Martin O’Neill was forced to put together a makeshift defence with Phil Bardsley, Titus Bramble and potential left-back Kieran Richardson all missing. Jack Colback, Craig Gardner and James McClean all came in along with keeper Simon Mignolet, who made his first appearance since fracturing his nose and an eye socket on October 29.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Gardner, O’Shea, Brown, Colback, McClean, Cattermole, Vaughan, Larsson, Bendtner, Sessegnon. Subs: Carson, Kilgallon, Elmohamady, Ji, Meyler, Noble, Laing.

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Kolarov, Johnson, De Jong, Toure Yaya, Barry, Nasri, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Clichy, Savic, Milner, Silva, Aguero.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)