Manchester City could welcome Kyle Walker and Nicolas Otamendi back when they entertain Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
City’s injury issues in the heart of the defence have been well documented and they had to field a makeshift paring of Fernandinho and Rodri against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
It made no difference as they kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over the Eagles but Pep Guardiola looks set to have more options this evening.
Nicolas Otamendi missed the Palace game after returning from international duty with Argentina with a niggle, but has since returned to training and could take his place in the side.
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Fellow central defender John Stones has also recovered from a thigh injury and is another option to make his first appearance in a while. Walker was forced to sit out the trip to Selhurst Park through illness but has recovered and is knocking on the first-team door once again.
Elsewhere City have no other issues as they look to take another step towards the knockout stages of the competition by defeating the Italian Serie A side. Atalanta are making their debut in the competition this year, but have not started life in Group C the way they would have wanted.
They sit bottom of the pile following a 4-0 away defeat at Dinamo Zagreb, before Shakhtar Donetsk scored a late winner last time out on matchday 2.
However, they are a dangerous side and sit third in Serie A just behind Juventus and Inter Milan. They played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Lazio at the weekend and City would be foolish to underestimate Gian Piero Gasperini’s men.
Atalanta may have to do without leading scorer Duvan Zapata, who is a doubt with a thigh injury he picked up over the international break. If Zapata fails a late fitness test, Luis Muriel is expected to lead the line, while Marten de Roon is pushing for a recall having been named in the squad.
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