Winger Jeremy Doku, out for nearly three weeks with a leg injury, may also feature as City seek their ninth straight win in all competitions, Guardiola told reporters on Wednesday.
"Rodri has come back. Maybe he can play a few minutes. We need it desperately. Doku, maybe," said Guardiola, whose team trail Arsenal by five points.
John Stones and Oscar Bobb are not yet fit to return.
"We had seven or eight injured players and two at the Africa Cup of Nations.
"Five players injured are coming back a little bit, so in terms of squad, we are not at our best right now, but in terms of points, we are better than last season," Guardiola said.
City beat Sunderland 3-0 at home this month, but the manager warned against taking the seventh-placed side lightly.
"They are tough. The crowd is always, I remember my first season going there, unbelievable," Guardiola said.
"They have beaten Newcastle United. Arsenal, Aston Villa could not win there, so they are tough, but we, at the same time, are ready.”
