Liverpool title rivals Man City handed major injury boosts ahead of crucial Christmas period

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola will be buoyed by the return of Kevin De Bruyne with the Belgian playmaker pictured in training this week.

Guardiola's squad was stretched heading into the recent international break and a four-game losing streak has coincided with a torrid run of luck with injuries. However, there were some notable key players back in training ahead of their return to Premier League action this weekend.

De Bruyne was named on the substitutes bench at the Amex Stadium before coming on for the final 15 minutes of the defeat to Brighton. The Belgian international had missed the last ten games with a hamstring injury prior to that game and the extra time on the training ground will be a major title boost for City.

Guardiola is yet to give an update on his injured players, with that expected to come at his pre-match press conference later in the week.

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John Stones was also back in training having missed the last three games with plantar fasciitis. Fellow centre-back, Manuel Akanji was also involved having been on the bench for City's defeat to Brighton before pulling out of Switzerland's squad for the recent international break.

Stones and Akanji's return will boost City's defensive numbers, after 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey started the two games before the international break. Guardiola will likely still be without Ruben Dias, who hasn't featured since October 30 as he recovers from a calf problem.

Matheus Nunes, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish were all pictured in training and look set to be involved against Tottenham this weekend, despite pulling out of their respective international squads for the recent break.

Nunes and Foden played 90 minutes for City in the defeat to Brighton before withdrawing from the Portugal and England squads. Their inclusion in training suggests their issues were minor ones.

Grealish has not featured for City since October 20 and was not included in any of the last six matchday squads, but was a surprise inclusion in Lee Carsley's England squad before pulling out. He's now returned to training and will be looking to force his way back into the side.

Liverpool are currently five points ahead of City in second with Arne Slot's side set to take on Southampton at St. Mary's on Sunday.