'Sooner than expected' – Man City boss Pep Guardiola delivers promising Kevin De Bruyne injury update ahead of Arsenal clash

The talismanic Belgium international picked up an unfortunate knock that forced him off in the 2023 Champions League final – as City completed the final leg of their historic Treble triumph. A niggling hamstring problem has proved difficult to shake since then.

De Bruyne did figure in the Community Shield for City, and their opening game of the 2023-24 Premier League season against Burnley. He lasted just 23 minutes in that contest and has not been seen since, with a long road to full recovery mapped out in front of the 32-year-old.

De Bruyne is, however, making impressive progress in his rehabilitation – offering Guardiola hope that it may not be too much longer before he's back in contention for selection. City’s boss has said: “Different timings because he comes in for treatment but I see him every day and he's getting better, his mood is good. Hopefully sooner than expected he will be back.”

City have enough options at their disposal to cope without De Bruyne, with big money invested in the transfer market, but they have not been firing on all cylinders of late – slipping out of the Carabao Cup and suffering a Premier League defeat at Wolves. They will be hoping that the momentum established in a midweek Champions League win over RB Leipzig is carried into a crunch clash with fellow title hopefuls Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.