Squad sheets: Manchester City v Stoke City

A win will guarantee Manchester City top the league at Christmas for the first time since 1929 and, after that amount of time, it would be impudent to point out they finished 13 points behind the champions, Sheffield Wednesday, that year. Roberto Mancini's team have dropped only two points at home throughout 2011 but Stoke could be tricky opponents, on a club-record run of four successive Premier League wins. The rewards, though, for the home side could well be significant: the team in first place at Christmas has gone on to win the league in five out of the last seven seasons. Daniel Taylor Venue Etihad Stadium, Wednesday 7.45pm Last season Man City 3 Stoke 0 Referee Mike Dean This season's matches 13 Y 44 R 1 Man City Subs from Taylor, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Savic, Johnson, Onuoha, De Jong, Hargreaves, Nasri, K Touré, Dzeko Doubtful Hargreaves Injured Kolarov (groin) Suspended None Stoke Subs from Begovic, Higginbotham, Diao, Whelan, Upson, Delap, Fuller, Jerome, Jones, Pennant Doubtful Whelan Injured Wilkinson (back), Sidibe (knee) Suspended Shawcross