John Stones and Kyle Walker have both trained ahead of Manchester City’s decisive final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The defensive duo had been expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering injuries in recent weeks but were both pictured at a training session on Thursday.
The news is a lift for City and manager Pep Guardiola as they look to close out their fourth league crown in five seasons.
City head into the Villa clash at the Etihad Stadium leading Liverpool by one point. Victory will guarantee the title regardless of the result in Liverpool’s home game against Wolves.
City have been badly hit by defensive injuries in the run-in with centre-back Ruben Dias currently out with a thigh injury and Nathan Ake playing lately in spite of an ankle problem.
Aymeric Laporte and midfielder Fernandinho, who has been pressed into emergency action in the back four, were also doubts prior to last week’s game at West Ham but did eventually play.
Stones has not played since hobbling out of the first leg of City’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on April 26 with a thigh injury. Walker has missed eight of the last nine games with an ankle problem.
