CITY PLAYERS CUT SHORT CUP BREAK: PEP

Miami Beach ( US), July 28: Manchester City’s World Cup players have decided to return to training early and help aid manager Pep Guardiola’s attempt to defend the Premier League title.

The English champions had 16 players playing in Russia with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Fabian Delph, Raheem Sterling not due back until next weekend.

All players were given three weeks off from the moment their involvement in the tournament ended.

But Guardiola revealed on Friday that only two of his squad will not be available for the Community Shield season opener against Chelsea on August 5.

Guardiola said: “Most of them are coming back. We have just four or five days to prepare for the first final ( Community Shield) so we have to adapt.

“Some of them are coming back before, some are coming back after the final.

“We need players for the final but if they are not coming back we’ll play with the guys who are here.

“It is not an ideal situation, we prefer to be together but it is the same for Niko Kovac ( Bayern manager) or for the other managers — the calendar is the calendar so we have to adapt.”

Guardiola stressed there will no major moves to improve his squad before the transfer window closes with the summer arrival of Riyad Mahrez from Leicester his only piece of business so far.

Most of them ( players) are coming back from break. We have just four or five days to prepare for the first final ( Community Shield) so we have to adapt. Some of them are coming back before, some are coming back after the final.

— PEP GUARDIOLA Man City boss