Patrick Vieira is expected to make his long-awaited debut for Manchester City – or should that be Team Bridge? – at the KC Stadium tomorrow following a ringing endorsement from his manager, Roberto Mancini. “He is a big player, both on the pitch and in the mind,” Mancini said. “We lost two games recently, but maybe we would not have if he had been in the team.” Wayne Bridge may also draw his share of attention against an increasingly robust Hull side, who should be buoyed by consecutive draws with Wolves and Chelsea. James Callow

Venue KC Stadium

Tickets Sold out

Last season Hull 2 Manchester City 2

Referee P Dowd

This season’s matches 20 Y61, R4, 3.25 cards per game

Odds Hull 9-2 Manchester City 3-4 Draw 11-4

Hull

Subs from Duke, Sonko, Zayatte, Mendy, Kilbane, Olofinjana, Garcia, Marney, Barmby, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ghilas, Folan

Doubtful McShane (eye), Marney (calf)

Injured Geovanni (knee, 13 Feb), Bullard (knee, 27 Feb), Ashbee (knee, May)

Suspended None

Form guide DDLDDL

Disciplinary record Y44 R2

Leading scorer Hunt 6

Manchester City

Subs from Taylor, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Wright-Phillips, Santa Cruz, Garrido, Sylvinho, Petrov, Barry, Kompany, Bellamy

Doubtful Bridge (knee), Kompany (groin), Lescott (knee), Richards (calf), Santa Cruz (calf), Vieira (calf)

Injured M Johnson (knee, May), Ball (foot, Mar)

Suspended None

Form guide WLWWWW

Disciplinary record Y28 R2

Leading scorer Tevez 12

Match pointers

• Hull have not lost a home league encounter with City since 1909, although they only played each other in Hull seven times during that period

• Only Birmingham (223) have committed fewer fouls than City (239)

• Boaz Myhill has conceded an average of 2.06 goals per game this season, more than any other regular goalkeeper

• Seven of City’s Premier League goals have been scored by a defender, only Arsenal (nine) have had more

• Hull have avoided defeat in all but one of their last nine home league matches

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• Players tussled during London club’s 3-0 victory last Saturday
• Clubs have until 13 January to respond

The Football Association has charged Arsenal and Hull City with failing to control their players following the Premier League meeting last Saturday.

A bad-tempered match at the Emirates Stadium erupted shortly before half-time when Samir Nasri appeared to tread on the ankle of Hull’s Richard Garcia.

Stephen Hunt then clashed with Nasri and a mass confrontation took place in front of the referee Steve Bennett, with the Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia sprinting 100 yards to get involved.

Bennett booked Hunt and Nasri before Arsenal went on to win the game 3-0.

The clubs have until 13 January to respond.

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