Kevin De Bruyne fitness update as Pep Guardiola offers major selection headache to FPL managers

Pep Guardiola has likely handed FPL managers across the globe a major selection headache with his latest fitness update on Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian midfielder has completed two appearances since returning to Manchester City duties following major hamstring surgery undertaken last summer, ruling him out for the entirety of the first-half of the ongoing season.

After a cameo appearance in the FA Cup third round, in which he provided an assist for Jeremy Doku, and a second substitute appearance in the Premier League against Newcastle, providing a further goal and assist, there is one major question on the lips of Manchester City fans.

When will Kevin De Bruyne be ready to start a contest for the club again?

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup fourth round trip to face Tottenham on Friday night, manager Pep Guardiola was quizzed by the media on whether Kevin De Bruyne is finally ready to start a game for his club post-injury and perhaps even complete 90 minutes.

“Yeah. He’s ready,” Pep Guardiola confirmed to journalists on Thursday afternoon. “He was ready at Newcastle as well. But always with these processes, the same with Erling (Haaland) when he comes back, I don’t think it’s for 90 minutes.”

The City manager continued, “But of course it’s really, really soon to play from the beginning but the most important is he trained really, really well in Abu Dhabi and every training session here as well.

“This is the most important thing, accumulating training sessions, recovery sessions, and his leg is behaving well. He has to continue to work on and off the pitch in what he has to do to prevent (injury) more, but he’s good.”

De Bruyne’s return to starting line-ups in the coming matchdays could present a major headache for players of Fantasy Football across the globe, who are continuously aiming to fulfil the almost-impossible task of reading Pep Guardiola’s thinking ahead of games.

Phil Foden has largely operated in an attacking midfield role in the absence of the Belgium international, however a more consistent return of the legendary playmaker could see the Englishman fielded elsewhere in Manchester City’s attacking system.

Kevin De Bruyne and his Manchester City teammates are scheduled to arrive in London shortly before midday on Friday afternoon, with kick-off in the capital against Ange Postecoglou’s side scheduled for 20:00 in the UK.

City will be looking to not only score their first goal away to Tottenham in all competitions in over five years, but also take a major stride towards retaining an FA Cup title for the first time under Pep Guardiola – in what would be their third trophy in the competition since 2018.