Man City stance on Kevin De Bruyne injury return gives three players a final chance to impress

Despite the clamour from fans, Pep Guardiola says he will resist the temptation to throw Kevin De Bruyne into his Manchester City starting XI against Huddersfield on Sunday.

The logic from the manager is that giving De Bruyne too much game time, too soon, will see his hamstring injury re-occur. "What Kevin needs, or every player with long injuries, is to accumulate weeks of training and minutes," said the boss on Friday. "Not make a setback, a setback would be the worst."

That suggests that De Bruyne won't start in the FA Cup this weekend, and will be slowly eased back into action over City's lighter January schedule, which will include a winter training break to Abu Dhabi, assuming a replay against Huddersfield isn't needed.

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola issues injury update on four players as Man City hit by sickness bug before FA Cup

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola offers update on Kalvin Phillips transfer exit in January

"If [he] can train four or five or six training sessions in a row, play minutes in a game, after five more training sessions, minutes again, one day 90 minutes," Guardiola said. "If not, play 15, then train good in Abu Dhabi. That is the best that can happen from Kevin.

"It's a question of accumulating time in the training sessions, this is more important than 90 mins, 80 mins. If we do that right now, he will get injured again."

That's a clear indication of how Guardiola will reintegrate De Bruyne, and the likes of Phil Foden can therefore be encouraged that they can continue in the team for two or three more games without De Bruyne returning and taking their place. By the same logic, if City are being careful with Erling Haaland, as Guardiola also suggested on Friday, then Julian Alvarez should continue in