Preview: Manchester City vs. Hull City

It is title chasers against relegation scrappers at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday as Manchester City host Hull City.

The champions kept themselves firmly in the title race by drawing 1-1 at Chelsea last weekend, although Manuel Pellegrini may not have been content with a point.

After David Silva had cancelled out Loic Remy's opener, the Citizens appeared the most likely to score in Stamford Bridge's battle of the top two.

Chelsea held out to maintain their five-point advantage at the summit, with Pellegrini quick to point out that City overturned a bigger deficit when they first won the Premier League in the 2011-12 season.

Despite their relatively rosy position in the standings, City are on the same four-match winless run that their struggling opponents are experiencing, although Hull have lost all of those matches.

Steve Bruce's injury list is shortening week by week, with Mohamed Diame, Robert Snodgrass, Liam Rosenior and James Chester now his only absentees for their visit to City, whom Hull have not beaten away since 1930.

The Tigers boss, however, will know that there were no excuses for his side's weak capitulation in losing 3-0 at home to Newcastle United last time out - a result which kept them occupying the final spot in the drop zone.

Bruce tried his best to strengthen his squad on deadline day and, while he could not nail down targets such as now Everton winger Aaron Lennon and Watford striker Odion Ighalo, he did make one signing.

Senegalese international striker Dame N'Doye eventually joined in a £3m deal from Lokomotiv Moscow, where he scored 27 goals in 66 appearances, and will go straight into the squad for the trip to Manchester.

The visitors are expected to revert to their 5-3-2 formation, with Alex Bruce returning as the extra defender. Stephen Quinn may also be recalled in midfield as David Meyler and Abel Hernandez drop out of the side.

Pellegrini is still without Ivory Coast pair Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure, who have helped their country reach the Africa Cup of Nations final, and therefore could make just one change - Pablo Zabaleta replacing Bacary Sagna.

With Stevan Jovetic, dropped from the Champions League squad to accommodate Bony, out of favour and Edin Dzeko in no sort of form, the City boss may wait until Bony's return to give Sergio Aguero a strike partner.

French duo Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala are nearing returns and could be in contention for the midweek game at Stoke City. In the meantime, James Milner and Martin Demichelis will keep their places.

Hull came from two down to draw level with City before losing the rollercoaster reverse fixture 4-2 in September.

Man City:

Form in Premier League: WDWDLD Form in all competitions: WWDLLD

Possible starting lineup: Hart; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Kompany, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho; Navas, Silva, Milner; Aguero

Hull:

Form in Premier League: WLWLLL Form in all competitions: LWLLLL

Possible starting lineup: McGregor; Elmohamady, Bruce, Dawson, Davies, Robertson; Livermore, Huddlestone, Quinn; Ramirez, Jelavic

Sports Mole says: 3-0