Man City v Stoke preview

In-form Potters hoping to end City's 100 per cent home record

League leaders Manchester City welcome in-form Stoke City to the Etihad Stadium for their final home fixture of 2011 on Wednesday night.

Roberto Mancini's men have only dropped two Premier League points in front of their home fans all year, however the Potters will fancy their chances of upsetting the applecart having reeled off four straight victories to claim eighth place.

City head into the fixture - a repeat of last year's FA Cup final - two points clear of city neighbours United having claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Arsenal three days previous.

David Silva's second-half strike separated the sides that afternoon, while at the other end of the pitch another superb display from Joe Hart earned him and his team a fifth clean sheet of the season.

Four of those clean sheets have come at home and the Citizens will fancy their chances of recording a sixth shut-out against a Stoke side who have scored only six goals away from the Britannia Stadium so far this season.

But Tony Pulis' men will arrive in Manchester on a high having dragged themselves away from the relegation places with consecutive league victories over Blackburn, Everton, Tottenham and Wolves.

The Potters showed all their battling qualities to come from behind at Molineux on Saturday and they are going to have to show plenty of self-belief if they are to come away with at least a point at the Etihad Stadium.

Team news

Vincent Kompany is poised to make his 150th appearance for City, who have an almost fully-fit squad to choose from for the visit of Stoke.

Left-back Gael Clichy is available after serving a one-game suspension, however Aleksandar Kolarov (groin) is still out.

Striker Edin Dzeko is expected to be fit to feature despite suffering a knock in training and Mancini has said he could make three or four changes so the likes of Joleon Lescott, Nigel de Jong and James Milner may return.

Stoke could be without both Ryan Shawcross and Glenn Whelan for the trip to Manchester City.

Defender Shawcross is definitely out of Stoke's bid to make it five Premier League wins in a row as he is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card in the 2-1 win at Wolves.

Midfielder Whelan is a doubt with a calf muscle injury suffered at Molineux and full-back Andy Wilkinson is likely to miss out again with a back problem.

Possible starting XIs:

Man City: Hart, Richards, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Milner, Y Toure, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko.

Stoke: Sorensen, Shotton, Woodgate, Huth, Wilson, Pennant, Palacios, Whitehead, Etherington, Walters, Crouch.