City welcome back Kompany

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany should return for the Premier League leaders’ trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Midfielder Samir Nasri is also in contention after leaving the field with a groin injury in last week’s defeat of Fulham.

Striker Mario Balotelli is again missing as he completes a four-match suspension while midfielder Yaya Toure and defender Kolo Toure are still at the African Nations Cup.

Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Savic, Clichy, Kolarov, Rekik, Milner, Nasri, Johnson, Barry, De Jong, Hargreaves, Pizarro, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero, Razak, Suarez.