Manchester City will welcome Wayne Bridge back from injury against Manchester United in Saturday's derby showdown.

Bridge has missed the last five games following hernia surgery, but has returned to training this week and is in consideration for the visit of the champions to Eastlands.

City boss Roberto Mancini has also revealed that midfield duo Stephen Ireland and Patrick Vieira will also return from injury, while full-back Pablo Zabaleta is available again following a two-match ban.

"We will have Pablo Zabaleta available again following his two-match ban and possibly Stephen Ireland, Patrick Vieira and Wayne Bridge, too which is very good news for us," he told the club's official website.

"I am very pleased they are back in training and we will see how things go this week, but we won't be naming our team until Saturday morning, of course.

"It is good that we are getting everybody fit at such a crucial time of the season with so many important matches to come.

"We know that it is vital that we have a good goal difference, too, because that could possibly decide who finishes in fourth place.

"We have been scoring a few goals in recent weeks, which is good and there is no reason we cannot continue to keep scoring if we continue to play in the manner we have been of late, not matter who we are playing."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email