John Mikel Obi returns to the starting line-up after injury and there is a place for Didier Drogba on the bench.

Florent Malouda is handed a place on the left of midfield with Joe Cole, fresh from England goals and head injury, on the right.

Nicolas Anelka will lead the attack against his former club.

There is one ex-Chelsea player in the City starting line-up - Shaun Wright-Phillips. Tal Ben-Haim has to make do with a place on the bench as Mark Hughes makes two changes.

One is a starting place for Robinho in the centre of the midfield behind his fellow Brazilian Jo. Michael Johnson drops out. The other is at right-back where new signing Pablo Zabaleta replaces Vedran Corluka.

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-1-4-1 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech
2 José Bosingwa
6 Ricardo Carvalho
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
12 John Mikel Obi
10 Joe Cole
20 Deco
8 Frank Lampard
15 Florent Malouda
39 Nicolas Anelka

Substitutes: 40 Hilario, 2 Branislav Ivanovic, 35 Juliano Belletti, 33 Alex, 18 Wayne Bridge, 21 Salomon Kalou, 11 Didier Drogba.

Man City are expected to line-up in the following 4-2-3-1 formation:

Hart; Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne (c), Ball; Hamman, Kompany; Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Ireland; Jo.

Sub: Schmeichel, Ben-Haim, Garrido, Fernandes, Evans, Elano, Sturridge.

The referee is Mark Halsey.