TONY PULIS has welcomed Andy Wilkinson back into his starting eleven at the expense of Robert Huth, who misses out as he begins a three match suspension.
The inclusion of the 25-year old was initially the only change from the starting eleven which defeated Spurs' rivals West Ham United at the Britannia Stadium seven days ago. However, in the pre-match warm up Thomas Sorensen was forced to pull out after feeling the affects of an overnight stomach virus. His place went to Steve Simonsen, who came in for his first league start of the season.
Skipper Abdoulaye Faye shrugged off a minor injury which could have prevented him from playing, meaning he again lines up alongside England Under 21 star Ryan Shawcross with Danny Collins and Wilkinson takign the full back spots.
In midfield, Salif Diao retains his spot at the heart of midfield alongside summer recruit Dean Whitehead with Rory Delap and Matthew Etherington occupying flanks.
Up front, last weekend's goalscoring hero James Beattie is partnered by Jamaican international Ricardo Fuller, with the likes of Tuncay, Liam Lawrence and Glenn Whelan all having to settle for a spot on the bench.
CITY: Simonsen; Wilkinson, Faye (C), Shawcross, Collins; Delap, Diao, Whitehead, Etherington; Beattie, Fuller. Subs: Higginbotham, Cort, Whelan, Lawrence, Pugh, Kitson, Tuncay.
SPURS: Gomes; Corluka, Woodgate, Bassong, Essou-Ekotto; Lennon, Palacios, Huddlestone, Kranjkar; Keane, Crouch. Subs: Cudicini, Hutton, Bale, Jenas, Naughton, Dawson, Pavlyuchenko.
