Share By Joe Bray 06:00, 19 FEB 2020 Sport Leroy Sane has been training this week The majority of Manchester City fans want to see Leroy Sane make his long-awaited return from injury against West Ham but many have urged caution about rushing him back.
Sane has been out since City's Community Shield win over Liverpool last August due to a knee injury. He returned to training last month and could be ready for a return in the rearranged game against West Ham.
The German winger continued training with his City teammates this week and now the question is whether he is ready to make his return on Wednesday.
In his press conference before the fixture was originally scheduled to take place on February 9, Pep Guardiola suggested Sane was still 'weeks' away from playing.
"He’s started to train with us, he is still not there," Guardiola said.
Read More Related Articles Man City fans choose six players to sell in summer transfer window Read More Related Articles Man City could find Sergio Aguero situation tougher than most in UEFA fallout "When you have an injury, especially this one for six months, you don’t train for one week and then you immediately you are there. you need to recover, tempo, rhythm, confidence in your knee, don’t think about the injury.
"He needs time, it’s not a case of him training and he will then immediately be there, it’s not like an ankle or a muscular injury. This injury it needs time.
"He needs weeks, what’s important is the surgery was perfect and he’s recovering incredibly well, he’ll come back stronger than before but now he needs a little bit time.”
Read More Related Articles How Man City can embarrass UEFA in Financial Fair Play dispute Read More Related Articles West Ham boss David Moyes provides fitness update on three players for Man City fixture Guardiola's warning could be informed by Aymeric Laporte's setback after he returned against Sheffield United last month. The Frenchman then missed the next three fixtures through fatigue.
On the other hand, Guardiola could view the West Ham game as a bonus fixture to generate some rhythm before City face Real Madrid in the Champions League next week. If Sane is in his plans for the showdown at the Bernabeu, he might benefit from some game time against West Ham.
When MEN Sport asked fans whether Sane should start on Wednesday, most supporters indicated that they wanted him to be included in the starting XI (58.1 per cent).
However, with 41.9 per cent saying he should be eased back in to action, it is clear there are plenty of fans who would rather see Guardiola ease Sane back in after such a lengthy spell out.
