Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany should return for the Premier League leaders’ trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Midfielder Samir Nasri is also in contention after leaving the field with a groin injury in last week’s defeat of Fulham.
Striker Mario Balotelli is again missing as he completes a four-match suspension while midfielder Yaya Toure and defender Kolo Toure are still at the African Nations Cup.
Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Savic, Clichy, Kolarov, Rekik, Milner, Nasri, Johnson, Barry, De Jong, Hargreaves, Pizarro, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero, Razak, Suarez.