Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is expected to return to the starting line-up for the FA Cup clash with Watford on Saturday.
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Balotelli has been missing from the City side for their festive season fixtures due to illness, but has also been linked with a move away from the club, with AC Milan said to be interested.
The league champions will be without striker Sergio Aguero for the next few weeks after he picked up a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 3-0 win over Stoke City.
Yaya Toure will also be absent for at least a month as he heads off to South Africa to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Balotelli's return to fitness is, therefore, welcome news for the defending Premier League champions.
Assistant manager David Platt confirmed that the controversial Italian could be in contention for a return to action.
Platt said: "Mario's been back on the training pitch for the past two or three days, it looks as if he's shifted the illness off. He trained this morning.
"The problem Mario had was he was ill, came back, trained, had a relapse with his illness and went back down again.
"It looks as though he's got past that now and he's had three days on the training pitch and he'll have another three days before the game at the weekend so there's every chance that he'll be available for selection come the weekend."
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