Sunderland - Manchester City Preview: Roberto Mancini's side look to end three-game winless run on Wearside

The Black Cats' are hoping to improve on their dismal Boxing Day form against the Premier League champions who have the best away record in the top flight this season

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Sunderland MignoletGardner, O'Shea, Cuellar, Rose Johnson, Colback, Larsson, McClean Sessegnon Fletcher

Manchester City   HartZabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy Barry, Garcia Silva, Toure, Tevez Aguero

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill may stick with the same side that beat Southampton 1-0 on Saturday. The 60-year-old has no new injury worries ahead of the visit of the Premier League champions as only long-term absentees Wes Brown and Lee Cattermole (both knee) are out.

Phil Bardsley may be brought back into the team with Adam Johnson (ankle) facing a late fitness test which would allow Craig Gardner to move back into midfield and Sebastian Larsson to start out wide. Manchester City could be boosted by the return of captain Vincent Kompany (groin) for the trip to the Stadium Light. The defender has spent the past two games on the sidelines but is expected to be fit to face the Black Cats.
Mario Balotelli may also come into contention after recovering from an illness while Aleksander Kolarov and Gael Clichy are expected to overcome the knocks which kept them out of the clash against Reading, with the Frenchman set to start. Samir Nasri (groin), Jack Rodwell (hamstring) and Micah Richards (knee) will all miss out.

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  Sunderland have won just one of their last eight games played on Boxing Day, drawing four times and losing three.
  

• Manchester City haven’t won at the Stadium of Light since the 2008-09 season. In their last three trips to Wearside they’ve lost twice and drawn once.
  

• The Black Cats were the only team that City didn’t beat last season when they won the Premier League title.
  

• Steven Fletcher (pictured right) has opened the scoring six matches this season, which is more than any other player in the Premier League.
  

• Martin O’Neill’s side have won just twice at home this season against Wigan and Reading.
  

• Roberto Mancini’s men are unbeaten in their eight games away from the Etihad Stadium this campaign, the only team in the Premier League still to be so.
  

• In the 14 games in which Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero have started together City have won every match.
  

• Mancini’s side have scored the 21 goals in the last 30 minutes of matches this season and have scored 11 in the last 15.
  

• The last player to score for City at the Stadium of Light was Adam Johnson who is expected line-up for the Black Cats on Wednesday.