Mendy’s on comeback trail after knee injury

BENJAMIN Mendy has stepped up his recovery as the City left back nears his return from knee ligament damage.

The French international is set to resume full training next month – but is already moving his knee with almost complete freedom.

That has offered encouragement to Pep Guardiola’s medical staff that he will be available to play a key role in the closing stages of the campaign.

Mendy has been out of action since rupturing his cruciate against Crystal Palace in September.

He had made an outstanding start to his City career after his £49m move from Monaco in the summer.

Fabian Delph has impressed as a makeshift understudy – but Guardiola has been desperate to get Mendy back.

He has continued his recovery in Manchester after undergoing treatment from knee specialist Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona.

The 23-year-old is due to rejoin his team-mates in full training next month, when City’s medical staff will assess how soon he can return to the first team.

Guardiola is eager to have him available for the latter stages of the Champions League, and he could be back involved in time for the quarter final stage, if City progress past Basel in the last 16.

Mendy’s recovery is major boost for Guardiola, who has seen Delph join the defender in the treatment room with his own knee injury.

It has left Guardiola with just Danilo and Oleks Zinchenko as options on the left as the Premier League leaders continue their pursuit of the quadruple.