PREVIEW
Both teams will be keen to bounce back from defeats on Boxing Day as they bring the curtain down on 2012 at Carrow Road.
Norwich were one of the Premier League's form sides until a week ago, but two consecutive defeats have taken the gloss off a good run that had pushed them close to the European places.
Carrow Road had become something of a fortress for Chris Hughton's side with six straight wins in the league, and they will need to rediscover that kind of form if they want to hit back from the defeat to Chelsea when they take on the Premier League champions.
They will not want to study footage of last season's two meetings with Man City too closely, when the Canaries shipped 11 goals in the course of two chastening defeats.
Javier Garrido may have more to prove than most of his team-mates in yellow. The Spanish left-back was sold by Roberto Mancini in 2010 but has enjoyed a decent return to the Premier League, starting all but one league games since his arrival on loan from Lazio in August.
Manchester City fans hit the road for their second lengthy trek of the festive season in the hope of seeing an improvement on the performance that saw their side slip to defeat at Sunderland.
Christmas cheer would have been in short supply on the return from the Stadium of Light, when former Blue Adam Johnson's shot slipped under Joe Hart to put City seven points behind Man United at the top of the table.
The visit to East Anglia now takes on added significance as the champions could end the year 10 points behind their deadly rivals if results go against them.
Roberto Mancini may juggle his options once again to come up with his strongest possible eleven with so much at stake.
TEAM NEWS
Norwich
Talismanic striker Grant Holt returned to action against Chelsea following his hamstring injury and lasted the full 90 minutes.
Andrew Surman (knee), Ryan Bennett (knee) and John Ruddy (thigh) are all likely to be missing.
Manchester City
Mario Balotelli could still be absent due to a virus, but Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy could return, while a cut to the head will not force the redoubtable Pablo Zabaleta out of contention.
Aleksandar Kolarov and Maicon (both knee) are still out along with the long-term casualties of Micah Richards (knee) and Jack Rodwell (hamstring).
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Source: SkySports
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