Owen Hargreaves is edging closer to a Manchester City debut.

Mancini indicated that both Hargreaves and Kolo Toure will be given a run-out in Wednesday's Carling Cup tie at home to Birmingham City.

Toure has been on the bench for City's last two games after returning from a drugs ban and Hargreaves, signed on a free transfer from Manchester United this summer, played an hour of a practice game on Thursday.

"If everything's okay with Hargreaves, he can play in the Carling Cup next week," said Mancini. "Now is the time for Kolo to start to play. We need a player of Kolo's experience in the Champions League."