Manchester City are gearing up for Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Tottenham, and Pep Guardiola is receiving a much-needed boost as several key players have returned to training.
Before the international break, Guardiola’s squad was hit hard by a growing injury crisis, which contributed to a tough four-game losing streak. However, as the squad reconvenes at the CFA, there is newfound optimism with several stars making their return.
John Stones was back in action after missing the last three matches due to plantar fasciitis, while Manuel Akanji also participated in the session. Akanji had been sidelined during the international break, despite initially being on the bench against Brighton. The return of both players provides a significant lift to City’s defense, especially after the 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey had been forced to step in during the previous games.
While Ruben Dias has been absent due to a calf injury since October 30, he was not seen in Wednesday’s training session. Matheus Nunes, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish also took part in the training, suggesting they are recovering well from their own issues. Nunes and Foden both played 90 minutes against Brighton before withdrawing from their respective international squads, indicating that their problems were relatively minor.
Grealish, who hasn’t played since October 20 and has missed six matchday squads, is now back in training after withdrawing from the England squad. His return to fitness comes as a welcome opportunity for Guardiola, who will be looking to reintegrate him into the squad.
Also spotted in the session were Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Nico O’Reilly, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, and Erling Haaland. Guardiola is expected to provide a full update on the squad’s fitness at his pre-Tottenham press conference on Friday.
