Manchester City welcome two first-team stars back to training following illness and injury | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has received a fitness boost ahead of Manchester City’s opening home game of the brand new Premier League season this weekend.

City made a strong start to their 2025-26 Premier League campaign as a brace from Erling Haaland and a strike each from Premier League debutants Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki secured a statement 4-0 triumph away at Wolves.

Manchester City welcome Tottenham to the Etihad Stadium this weekend in their opening home fixture of the league campaign, with games against Arsenal and Manchester City on the horizon as well.

Guardiola is waiting on Ballon d’Or holder Rodri and Mateo Kovacic to return to full fitness in the coming months, with Manchester City yet to recall some key figures back to the pitch after a pre-season that was largely comprised of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Savinho and Ederson were also unavailable for the weekend trip to Wolves, with Guardiola citing fitness reasons to explain the absence of the Brazilian pair – who have been linked with departures in the final weeks of the transfer window.

Phil Foden travelled with the squad to face Wolves but did not make the matchday squad, with the England international expected to be available sooner rather than later, with Guardiola expected to issue an update on the England international’s fitness on Friday.

Josko Gvardiol was also excluded from the travelling group for Wolves, though the extent of the Croatian defender’s injury remains unknown. John Stones is expected to retain his starting place against Tottenham after starring against Wolves last week, should Gvardiol be deemed unfit to start.

As revealed by new photos from the club on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola welcomed two of his Manchester City stars back into the first-team training picture following both illness and injury respectively.

Ederson – ruled out of the Premier League opener against Wolves due to “vomiting” – returned to work alongside the likes of James Trafford, while Gvardiol has seemingly recovered from his own fitness issues to prepare for the weekend’s clash with Tottenham.

It remains to be seen what coming weeks look like for Savinho, who is understood to be keen on joining Tottenham amid interest from north London. The 21-year-old attacker has shared Instagram stories of a self-rehabilitation programme in the last week as he steps up recovery from a fitness setback.

Elsewhere, third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, who joined Manchester City from Chelsea this summer following the departure of Scott Carson, also suffered an injury in the buildup to the 4-0 win over Wolves.

Guardiola will not be getting carried away after his side’s dominant showing over Wolves and will be using the upcoming run of games against Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United as a litmus test for how prepared his side are for a potential title charge following a busy transfer window.