Kevin De Bruyne believes he has a chance of being fit for Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
De Bruyne missed Manchester City ’s midweek FA Cup win at Sheffield Wednesday with a shoulder injury and manager Pep Guardiola is unsure if he will return in time to face Manchester United .
It is understood the damage to De Bruyne’s shoulder, which he sustained towards the end of Sunday’s League Cup win over Aston Villa, is not serious and the Belgium playmaker feels he could be available.
It is believed De Bruyne has suffered a slight tear or sprain of his shoulder ligament and City’s medical staff are monitoring him closely.
City may make a late decision on De Bruyne to give him the best possible chance of being fit.
De Bruyne, 28, is key to City and he has registered nine goals and 18 assists this season.
City eased past Wednesday without him and John Stones feels they have generated some momentum at a key moment in the campaign.
The Blues have reeled off five straight wins in four different competitions heading into their showdown with United.
“I think we are building momentum,” said the England defender. “We’ve got to be confident within ourselves and know what we’re capable of.
“But we’re also humble about it, which is a great way to go about yourself.
“It was a tough night against Sheffield Wednesday and to keep the momentum going against difficult opposition is a very positive sign for us, so yeah.
“We’ve had great results out of our last few games, but we can’t rest on that. We have to keep going and try and continue this against United.”
