MANCHESTER City powerhouse defender Richard Dunne could be fit enough to face Spurs at Eastlands on Sunday.

The 28-year-old was stretched off against Reading last weekend with a cut to his shin that required nine stitches.

But City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson believes the hulking defender still has a chance of facing Tottenham on Sunday.

"Richard is a tough guy, and if there is any chance he can play against Spurs then he will do," Eriksson told the club's official website.

"Not only have we not scored recently, we have conceded some easy goals and we need him, and the others, to be fully fit.

"We were not conceding soft goals in the first half of the season, which is why we had so many good results.

"It is up to us to make it right and start to win, because otherwise there is no meaning in talking about Europe.

"As long as it is still a mathematical possibility, we have to believe it and fight for it."

City winger Martin Petrov sits out the final game of his three-match suspension while defender Michael Ball looks certain to be absent after twisting his knee at Reading.

Young defender Nedum Onuoha could come into contention after being sidelined with a hamstring injury.