"The return of Joey is a big boost for us there is no doubt about that," Kevin Keegan admitted on the City website.
"At another time we might be saying to sit it out for another week as he has been out for over a month but we are short of midfielders.
"Sometimes you have to be really careful with players and even if you are - like we were with Claudio Reyna - it doesn't work out."
Reyna suffered a recurrance of his thigh injury after coming on in the 1-1 draw with Blackburn last week, making Barton's comeback all the more timely.
"He wanted to be back last week which was too quick but he has youth on his side," added Keegan.
"He was playing really well before he was injured and his confidence should be sky high."
Steve McManaman will drop to the bench to make way for Barton after being troubled by a niggling Achilles problem this week.
Meanwhile, David Sommeil is likley to return at right-back for the suspended Danny Mills, though Keegan does have other options.
"It depends what formation we decide to use as I could go with wing-backs," he said.
"I will probably stick with four at the back and so it would be between Nedum Onuoha, Paddy McCarthy and David Sommeil.
"David has the experience though the other two have caught him up as he has been injured."
The 33-year-old French defender injured a calf muscle in the pre-season friendly with Wolves and his only first-team action this term came in the Carling Cup against Barnsley.
Sommeil's last start for the Blues was in the FA Cup third round replay with Leicester back in January, before a loan swap with Marseille's Daniel van Buyten, who is now at German side Hamburg.