Samir Nasri will return to Emirates Stadium on Sunday after being brought back into Manchester City’s squad for the match with Arsenal.
Nasri left the Gunners after a transfer saga last summer which was only resolved a week before the transfer window closed when Arsene Wenger reluctantly sold the midfielder for £25million.
The France international missed last week’s 3-3 draw with Sunderland, although there was confusion over his absence with Roberto Mancini saying it was down to family reasons while the player tweeted he was injured.
But the City boss today confirmed that Nasri is available to face the Gunners as are Sergio Aguero and Joleon Lescott.
Aguero, City’s top scorer, sat out the Sunderland match after suffering an allergic reaction to a spray he used on an ankle problem.
Lescott has missed City’s last five games after injuring his groin in the Europa League defeat at Sporting Lisbon last month.
Without the England centre-half, City have lost at Swansea and drawn with Stoke and Sunderland.
They are now five points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United but that gap could be eight points by the time City kick-off as the lunchtime match on Sunday sees the champions host Queens Park Rangers.
City captain Vincent Kompany: “The reality is it’s not in our hands any more. For us to get back in the race for the title we’ll need other teams to take points off United and then we’ll have to finish the job when we play them at the Etihad at the end of the month.”
