Manchester City injury news for Leeds United clash after Pep Guardiola update on Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is back for Manchester City in time to face Leeds United as Sam Allardyce’s first task got tougher following an update from Pep Guardiola.
The Belgian star has missed the previous two Premier League games for the reigning champions, but has trained well and looks likely to be in the team at the Etihad on Saturday (6 May).
Allardyce has four games to save the Whites from relegation and a trip to face City is about as tricky a start as there is, and now the 18-assist midfielder looks set to make that harder.
Injury analyst Ben Dinnery shared via Twitter the update from Guardiola, writing: “Pep on De Bruyne. ‘He trained yesterday, he trained good… If he’s fit, he can play.'”
Over on his Premier Injuries website he has now updated the 31-year-old’s availability to 100%.
Great
In keeping with most of what has gone before this season at Elland Road, Guardiola has been handed a major injury boost just as important players are dropping like flies in West Yorkshire.
In a squad where Kalvin Phillips is little more than an afterthought the Catalan coach can afford to be missing a few stars and still field a daunting line-up, but he has one back just in time.
Allardyce would love to have the midfielder back at Elland Road to fill the gaping hole left by Tyler Adams, with Luis Sinisterra also since ruled out for the rest of the season and Liam Cooper not fit to travel to Manchester either.
It would be a massive shock if the new Whites boss can pull off an upset at the Etihad, but he has certainly been talking up his credentials to go head-to-head with Guardiola since his arrival.
The season has become such a chaotic farce it would probably be in keeping if a man who has been out of football for two years rocked up and won against the title-chasers, but it can hardly be banked on.
Given the form in the final weeks of Javi Gracia’s reign anything other than a hefty thrashing has to be considered an improvement, but with De Bruyne back in the mix the chances of one have just increased.
In other Leeds United news, the club have come crashing into a transfer race without a director of football with £14million on offer to sign a talented international.