Andreas Isaksson has been promised the keeper's berth by manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, while Richard Dunne should be fit to play in central defence.
Reading will be without defender Michael Duberry (cracked ribs), and Glen Little (Achilles) remains out.
But defender Ibrahima Sonko has been passed fit to play following treatment for a groin problem.
Man City (from): Isaksson, Hart, Corluka, Sun, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ball, Ireland, Hamann, Fernandes, Geovanni, Petrov, Elano, Vassell, Mpenza, Samaras.
Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Murty, Rosenior, de la Cruz, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Oster, Gunnarsson, Harper, Fae, Hunt, Convey, Doyle, Kitson, Long, Lita, Cisse.
"We have a lot of games coming up. It is an important few games for us now with no more international breaks, which is a good thing.
"If we can keep the team fit and keep doing well then I will be thinking very positively.
"I will be very happy if we can stay where we are."
"You have to say it's unlikely they will go the full season being unbeaten at home, so why shouldn't we be the ones to break the record?
"We need to be more of a unit away from home, obviously not to concede so many goals, but also be effective going forward.
"As a team we have to be more together and not so stretched."