Training Gallery: Manchester City return to training ahead of Manchester United and Community Shield showdown

Manchester City have returned to training at the City Football Academy this week, turning their attentions to their first competitive fixture of the new season.

Pep Guardiola and his players returned from their four-game schedule in the United States on Sunday morning, having recorded three defeats and one victory alongside some hugely encouraging individual performances across a young first-team group.

With the large share of Pep Guardiola’s first-team players remaining on holiday and excluded from duties following the European Championships, the Catalan coach granted opportunities to a wide range of youth talents.

As such, Manchester City supporters and club coaching staff witnessed first-hand a strong development of the likes of Nico O’Reilly in a defensive midfield role, James McAtee following two seasons at Sheffield United, and Oscar Bobb building upon a breakthrough season.

Contests against Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea also granted opportunities to young players whilst potential suitors negotiated with Manchester City for their services, with a number of deals completed upon touchdown in the UK.

Callum Doyle and Mahamadou Susoho have already completed season-long loan moves to Norwich City and Peterborough United respectively, whilst there is understood to be widespread interest in Jacob Wright and Micah Hamilton.

The latter is believed to be on the verge of a switch to Middlesbrough on a permanent agreement, with Manchester City retaining a favourable buy-back clause in the deal with the Championship club.

But while many changes are imminent from the Manchester City squad that starred in the United States, plenty of arrivals have strengthened the squad even further this week, as the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva return from their summer breaks.

With Pep Guardiola and Manchester City welcoming back nine familiar first-team faces to his squad in training this week, here is a comprehensive photo gallery from the first training session back at the City Football Academy post-United States pre-season tour!