Oscar Bobb in line for Manchester City return this week reveals Pep Guardiola ahead of Club Brugge and Arsenal meetings | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that long-term absentee Oscar Bobb is on the verge of a return to matchday action.

Premier League champions Manchester City welcome Belgian side Club Brugge to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night in the final matchday of the brand new reformatted league phase in the competition.

After three defeats away from home and a draw to Feyenoord despite taking a three-goal lead in the contest across the last four matchdays, City find themselves at serious risk of elimination from the competition.

The scenario is very simple for Pep Guardiola and his players, in a message that has been reiterated by numerous first-team stars in recent days: Win, and Manchester City will qualify for a play-off place for the last-16 of the UEFA Champions League.

But while the weekend saw a number of debuts for Manchester City as Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov started against Chelsea, all three of the club’s new signings are ineligible for this phase of the Champions League, meaning the squad remains depleted.

However, there has been some very positive news in the lead-up to the game, with one of the team’s long-term absentees potentially returning to the matchday picture at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of a mammoth night for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, with the result deciding their fate in the competition, Pep Guardiola issued the latest on his squad’s availability and fitness situation.

“The guys who were able to [play] in the last game against Chelsea, they are available,” the 54-year-old told reporters from the City Football Academy.

Guardiola also confirmed that there is a chance that Oscar Bobb could finally make his long-awaited return to the Manchester City matchday squad having spent five months on the sidelines recovering from a leg bone break sustained last summer.

The return of the Norwegian forward will be timely boost for Pep Guardiola and the wider Manchester City squad as they look to bounce back from a torrid run of form across November and December, largely derailing their season.

However, there is a common belief within the group that there is still plenty to play for this season, and the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup titles remain a key focus within those lofty ambitions.

Manchester City’s supporters are also aware of their role within this run, as Guardiola told reporters of the fans on Tuesday afternoon, “As much as they come, we will be fine. We’ll do the rest.

“But of course, if we perform well, and we are in a good rhythm, they will be there like they were last game against Chelsea, that we felt more than ever this season that they were with us.”