Manchester City get double injury boost as Pep Guardiola gives updates on trio

Pep Guardiola confirmed during his pre-game press conference that John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are back in full training with the squad

Stones was initially feared to be out for a long time when he suffered a recurrence of his hip issue in the Champions League in early November, yet was back on the bench against Liverpool a few weeks later.

However, Guardiola stressed after that game that while he was available and in training the England international still needed time to build his fitness levels with the club keen to avoid another injury.

Speaking before City’s game on Sunday against Tottenham Guardiola confirmed that Stones and Kovacic, who picked up an issue in the Chelsea game before the November international break, had resumed training.

Guardiola said: “Mateo is already back, I think. He trained well yes, but Matheus is still maybe days or weeks away.”

Guardiola also added when asked about Stones: “Much better, close to coming back. He’ll be with us, I don’t know if he’ll play but he’ll be there.”

The return of John Stones and Mateo Kovacic will add reinforcements to the City squad. City’s squad was hit by injuries over the previous international break.

The majority of the players affected by injury have either played since or are back in training. Ederson, Nathan Ake and Erling Haaland all recovered from their injury issues to play in Manchester City’s last two games.

That leaves Matheus Nunes and Kevin De Bruyne as the only sidelined players, with Nunes not far off a return and De Bruyne set to come back in January.