Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland return to Manchester City training (1 Viewer)

[Adamsonoja1]

Good news for Manchester City as Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku have returned to first-team training, providing a significant boost to the team. Haaland had been sidelined for the past seven matches due to a "bone stress reaction" in his foot, while Doku had been recovering from a muscle problem sustained in a match against Tottenham Hotspur on December 3.

Despite both players traveling with the squad to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, they weren't fit to play in the semi-final or final matches. The duo, along with Kevin De Bruyne, also missed the recent 2-0 win against Sheffield United in the Premier League. However, they were spotted back in training at City Football Academy ahead of the FA Cup third-round tie against Huddersfield Town on Sunday.

Haaland and Doku had initially returned to individual training over the weekend but joined group sessions on Wednesday, indicating that they are on track for a comeback.

De Bruyne, who made a surprise appearance on the substitutes' bench in the last game, was also seen in team training on Wednesday. Guardiola had mentioned earlier that De Bruyne is the closest of the three to making a comeback after being sidelined since August 11 due to a hamstring injury suffered against Burnley.

While De Bruyne's return is a welcome boost, Guardiola hinted that he might not feature on Sunday, with a potential target return against Newcastle United in the Premier League on January 13.

Unfortunately, defender John Stones, who picked up an ankle injury in the win against Everton, was not spotted in first-team training. Guardiola had expressed concern about the severity of Stones's injury, indicating that he might face an extended period on the sidelines.

After the FA Cup match against Huddersfield, Manchester City will refocus on the Premier League, where they currently stand third in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool, who have played one more game.