Man City get Kevin De Bruyne boost as Pep Guardiola sends warning to squad

Manchester City's preparations for their inaugural appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup are in full swing ahead of their semi-final clash with Urawa Red Diamonds.

City head into the tournament looking to make history while also in need of an escape from their problems at home. The Blues' uncharacteristic 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend saw them slip five points behind leaders Arsenal who beat Brighton and Hove Albion.

Pep Guardiola's side have won just twice in the Premier League since the start of November and while it is too soon to call it a crisis, City will want to arrest their slump sooner rather than later. Ahead of City's opener tomorrow, MEN Sport has taken a look at the headlines below.

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Kevin De Bruyne has provided City with a timely boost by returning to training in Jeddah at the Club World Cup, having missed four months with a hamstring injury.

The Belgian took part in training at the King Abdullah Sports City complex on Monday night with the rest of his City teammates as he steps up his return from surgery, having suffered the injury at Burnley on the opening day of the season.

But Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland were absent from training and will miss City's semi-final against Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday, a game that is also likely to come too soon for De Bruyne.

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Guardiola has warned his City players to take the "unpredictable" threat of Urawa Red Diamonds seriously in Tuesday's Club World Cup semi-final.

City are in the competition for the first time and are overwhelming favourites to win a fifth trophy in 2023, but Guardiola is guarding against complacency and uncertainty in