Mario Balotelli heads an extensive list of players aged under 21 who are also available for selection and due to their age did not have to take a place in the 25-man squad (below). Other players with first team experience aged under 21 are Dedryck Boyata, Greg Cunningham, Abdi Ibrahim and Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely.
A dozen of the 25 are classed as home-grown under Premier League rules, having spent at least three seasons with a club affiliated to the FA prior to their 21st birthdays, irrespective of their nationalities. The minimum number of home-grown players to achieve a 25-man squad had to be eight.
Roque Santa Cruz is in the 25, as is Michael Johnson, currently battling back from a cruciate knee ligament injury. There are no restrictions for selection for games in either the Carling Cup or the FA Cup.
The 25:
Keepers: Shay Given, Joe Hart, Stuart Taylor.
Defenders: Jerome Boateng, Wayne Bridge, Aleksander Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Shaleum Logan, Micah Richards, Kolo Toure, Pablo Zabaleta.
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong, Adam Johnson, Michael Johnson, James Milner, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Patrick Vieira, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Forwards: Emmanuel Adebayor, Jo, Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez.
