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David Silva is fit for the Manchester derby after a dramatic recovery from a hamstring injury.

Manchester City's Spanish playmaker has responded well to special training sessions arranged by the champions' medical staff over the past three days.

He has come through them well enough to make himself available for Sunday lunchtime's second vs first showdown with neighbours United at Eastlands.

It is the news that Blues manager Roberto Mancini was desperate to hear for a game he knows becomes an almost must-win shoot out, both in terms of the title race and his own job security.

Silva did not even travel to Germany for the Champions League humiliation in Dortmund, as fears grew about his fitness.

Mancini explained his star's hamstring injury was related to issues with his back, leading to fears Silva could be sidelined for some time while specialists attempted to get to the root of the problem.

The Italian manager has been left under some pressure following City's dismal showing in the Champions League - defeat on Tuesday meant they not only crashed out of Europe, but collected the lowest points total ever by an English club in the group stage of the competition.

While City's Premier League form has been far more consistent, there have been signs of late that they are beginning to struggle - they were lucky to take a point against Everton last weekend, for example.

Beating United at the weekend would take a massive weight off Mancini's shoulders, as it would not only give the Blues the edge in the title race but would show they are mentally unaffected by their European woes.

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