Manchester City hopeful of Jack Grealish's return from injury

Champions host Nottingham Forest with Bernardo Silva latest to join injury list

Manchester City's Jack Grealish is close to making a return following knee injury. Getty

Manchester City received some much needed boost with Jack Grealish expected to return to the team when the champions host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

The England midfielder has missed City's last three games with a knee injury and was also unavailable for international duty.

Grealish, 28, has returned to training, easing manager Pep Guardiola's injury concerns after Bernardo Silva this week joined a casualty list that also includes Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic.

"We need the injured players back because we have a lot of games and we cannot play with the same players," Guardiola said.

"Jack is coming back. He has trained well and maybe he will be ready for some minutes. Kova is almost there, he's in the last part of the recovery but now we've lost Bernardo. John and Kevin are still out."

Silva could miss City's next few games after injuring himself in their Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade.

Silva was forced off before halftime of City's 3-1 home win over the Serbian side in their Champions League group opener on Tuesday.

The treble winners are already without De Bruyne, Kovacic, and Stones. Guardiola had said they were "in trouble" after Silva came off.

"It's a little injury, a week to 10 days he will be out," Guardiola said ahead of Saturday's home game against Nottingham Forest.

"They are playing a lot of games. Less games, less injuries. We've had a lot of games in a row with not much rest, it's just that. We demand a lot of effort and sometimes they can't sustain it."

Silva could miss the Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle, a Premier League game at Wolves and the Champions League clash at RB Leipzig. City then travel to Arsenal on October 8.

Guardiola also praised Julian Alvarez after the 23-year-old started the season with four goals and two assists in his last five games.

"He always has good behaviour, when he's playing or not playing, being a world champion or not. It's always the same," Guardiola said.

"The perfect dose of disappointment when he doesn't play but always ready for the opportunity. Right now with the injuries, he's had minutes and he gives us a lot of good things. That's why he's playing, but he has to continue."

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