Manchester City have been boosted by the return of Nathan Ake to training.
The season is only two months old but it's already been a gruelling ordeal with the same amount, if not more due to extra international fixtures, of games are being played in a smaller timeframe than usual. It's claimed that the schedule has led to a significant increase in injuries throughout the Premier League.
City have felt the brunt of that the most with only a handful of stars not missing at least one game due to injury or the coronavirus.
Pep Guardiola has so far not had a fully-fit squad to pick from this season but that could soon change as the return of Ake means all of City's players are in training for the first time in months.
The versatile defender picked up a hamstring injury after just six minutes while playing for the Netherlands in a friendly against Spain during the last international break.
It ruled Ake out of his country's last two Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland, as well as the Blues' 2-0 defeat to Tottenham and their narrow victory over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Thankfully, the injury wasn't serious and the 25-year-old has now returned to training with his teammates. It's not yet clear if he will be involved against Burnley on Saturday, so soon after returning to the fold, with Guardiola no doubt cautious of reaggravating the strain.
The City boss has given Sergio Aguero just 12 minutes of action over the last two games since his return from injury and has spoken of the importance of managing him properly.
"We want Aguero to come back," he said ahead of the Olympiacos match. "Today he's training again, we want him to recover a good feeling in his knee.
"This is the most important thing. One step at a time, we have many games this season and we will need him. We want to recover his best condition."
