Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is hopeful that Kevin De Bruyne will be available to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.
De Bruyne was struck down with a bout of illness earlier this week and subsequently missed City's 1-1 draw away against RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.
Aymeric Laporte was also absent from the Citizens' trip to Germany due to illness, while John Stones has missed the last five games in all competitions after sustaining a hamstring injury at the end of last month.
Guardiola has since provided a mixed update on the trio ahead of their trip to Bournemouth, with De Bruyne the most likely to return to the matchday squad.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Guardiola said: "We have training this afternoon. I think Kevin is back for training, [Aymeric] I don't think so.
"John maybe will do partial training. This is the information I had from the doctors this morning. I will know within the next hours.
"We will see (if they can face Bournemouth). Maybe Kevin, but the other two, I don't think so."
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Guardiola was also questioned about striker Erling Braut Haaland and his 'frustrations' in front of goal over the past few weeks.
The Norwegian has excelled in the Premier League following his summer move from Borussia Dortmund, and is the division's top scorer with 26 goals in just 23 matches.
However, Haaland has only scored once in his last six games across all competitions and has looked increasingly frustrated in recent weeks, venting his anger on the pitch at the lack of opportunities provided to him in the final third.
Many have questioned the lack of touches the 22-year-old is having in each City game, but Guardiola has defended the striker and believes the number of touches should not be used as a 'metric' to analyse his performances.
Guardiola has instead suggested that it is City's "fault" as a collective for not providing regular service to their leading marksman.
Asked about Haaland's lack of touches, Guardiola said: "It's our fault. Erling has been good all season. It's not metrics, I don't need metrics to know.
"When I finish the game one second later I know if he has been involved or not and who should be more involved or not. I don't need numbers or metrics. It depends on us. We need to look for him a little more.
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"In the last game (against Leipzig), you are right [he didn't touch the ball enough] but against [Forest] no, and Arsenal no. Don't make one game a big theory. He had the chances in the first and second half.
"We talked about that many times it's going to happen. Striker is the most difficult position, one man has two defender and with Erling it's more.
"Lately in the last game I would agree, I said more control, more passes. Really intense in the first half, in the second we dropped a little bit and that's why we struggled. Against Leipzig you're going to struggle. In that game we should have looked for him more.
"It's fine [if he's frustrated], I'm frustrated too, you get frustrated in your life too sometimes I'm sure. Happiness is overestimated!"
Haaland, who failed to score in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth back in August, will be hoping to see De Bruyne back in the starting lineup on Saturday, as they Belgian playmaker has assisted him on six occasions so far this season, more than any other City player.
The Citizens could find themselves five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal before they have even kicked a ball on Saturday if the Gunners beat Leicester City in a 3.00pm kickoff, but Guardiola and co could reduce the gap back to two points with victory over Bournemouth.
Oliver Thomas
