Everton remain without the injured Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Seamus Coleman, Jack Rodwell and Leon Osman.

Ross Barkley played for the under-18s at the weekend but is still recovering from a knee problem.

Manchester City welcome back captain Vincent Kompany from suspension, but Mario Balotelli still has three games of a four-match ban to serve.

Brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure remain on international duty with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Another matchday, another Merseyside v Manchester encounter. Would it be too much to ask for more of the drama that the cup battles of the last week served up?

The only sure thing is that we'll get the same big-match atmosphere, with the Goodison public just as keen as their red neighbours to see visitors from the rival city sent back east with nothing.

The picture has changed dramatically for Manchester City in the first month of 2012. With respect to the Europa League, they've now only got one all consuming goal for the season - winning the Premier League that they've led for so long.

On that front, business is still good for City as they chase a fourth successive league victory. The third, against Spurs, was just the sort of late win that champions somehow come up with when the pressure's on. Thinking about Jermaine Defoe's miss moments before Mario Balotelli's penalty that won it, and the "did he or didn't he?" 'stamp' from the matchwinner himself, you could also argue that it carried an element of luck - something else champions need.

Everton need to improve their league form, having won just one of the last six they've played in the top flight. Strangely for David Moyes' side, winning at home has proved especially difficult this season, with only three Goodison Park successes (against Wigan, Wolves and Swansea).

But the cup win over Fulham sees them go into the game in good heart and their record against City is better than most in recent years. Moyes has got the better of Mancini in four of five pr