• FA Cup

Mancini struggling to name full squad against Utd

ESPN staff
January 5, 2012
Roberto Mancini is desperate to have Yaya Toure involved against Manchester United © Getty Images
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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has warned he may be unable to fill the substitutes' bench when the club face Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup.

Having revealed that City will sell before they can buy in January earlier on Thursday, Mancini is now concerned that he will not be able to name a complete squad for the derby game at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Mario Balotelli, who scored the opener in City's 6-1 hammering of United at Old Trafford in October, is one of a number of players unavailable for the clash through injury - while Mancini is still waiting to find out if Yaya and Kolo Toure will be available for selection, as they prepare to head off for the African Cup of Nations.

"For Sunday I think we have 17 players. I won't have 18 because [Gareth] Barry is suspended and then Yaya and Kolo may go," Mancini said. "Mario is injured and Samir [Nasri] was better yesterday, but I don't know [if he will be fit]."

The Italian is hoping to persuade Ivory Coast to allow the Toure brothers to play in one final game before they join up with the rest of the squad, admitting that Yaya in particular is vital to his side's chances.

"We have asked the Ivory Coast manager because they have a meeting in Paris on Saturday," said Mancini. "We have asked whether Kolo and Yaya can stay with us and then they can go to Abu Dhabi.

"We are waiting for an answer and I expect to know either today or tomorrow.

"We always want to have Yaya available to play. I hope that he can be ready to play that game for us."

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