Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, commends the highly regarded Kevin de Bruyne for his remarkable comeback from injury, emphasizing his affection for the player.

Pep Guardiola expressed his immense delight as Kevin de Bruyne made his long-awaited return from injury. The Manchester City midfielder had been sidelined for five months but made a cameo appearance in City’s 5-0 victory against Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round.

De Bruyne, who took on the captain’s armband upon his introduction in the 57th minute, played a pivotal role in setting up Jeremy Doku for City’s fifth goal. Guardiola couldn’t help but shower praise on the Belgian maestro, stating, “Kevin must know how much the people love him. He’s incredible. Kevin, until he decides to leave or retires, will forever be one of the most beloved players. We are really pleased for him.”

The 32-year-old had already faced a hamstring injury during the UEFA Champions League final in May, which led to him undergoing surgery. Guardiola emphasized the need for caution in De Bruyne’s return, suggesting that he may not immediately be able to play the full 90 minutes. “I said before that he needs to accumulate training sessions more than games. At Newcastle, we have another chance and then two weeks to have some good training in Abu Dhabi.”

Manchester City’s upcoming match against Newcastle in the Premier League on January 13 will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1. Following this fixture, the team will have a break before their FA Cup fourth round encounter on January 27 or 28.

To watch the Newcastle v Manchester City match, viewers can tune in to TNT Sports 1, available on major TV platforms. TNT Sports offers a range of channels, including digital or red-button channels, providing comprehensive coverage of the game. Subscriptions to TNT Sports can be obtained through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.