The Premier League has entered its last stretch and every match counts just like the injuries and everyone is plying safe, the race for the title hots up too as the two top horses show each other how to do it.
Man City centre-back Aymeric Laporte has returned to first-team training ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Watford.
The Frenchman was withdrawn through injury at half-time in City’s Carabao Cup final victory after pulling up with a hamstring injury following a chase with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.
The match at Wembley would transpire to be a costly affair as Fernandinho was also withdrawn just before the end of the 90 minutes with a muscle problem.
In the build-up to last Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Bournemouth, Blues boss Pep Guardiola gave an injury update on the pair: “I don’t know. I think after international break for Fernandinho, maybe Aymeric a few days later.”
The international break is still two weeks away so perhaps Laporte remains a while off from returning to first team action, with Saturday’s game against Watford maybe coming too soon.
Yet the 24-year-old’s return to training seemingly ahead of schedule must come as a welcomed relief for Guardiola.
City have suffered lots of injuries in recent weeks and as this week – if City are to go all the way in the Champions League and FA Cup – will be the last time City don’t have a mid-week fixture for the rest of the season, he needs all the players back he can get.
John Stones returned from injury against Bournemouth and was then substituted at half-time as a precaution but Kevin de Bruyne, whose campaign has been plagued by injury, was substituted in the first half clutching his hamstring.
Fernandinho, Fabian Delph and long-term absentee Claudio Bravo all still remain on the casualty list.
So Laporte’s return to training, even if he remains some time off a return to action, will come as a big boost to City as they continue their hunt for the quadruple.