Sergio Agüero is still "a few weeks" away from a Manchester City return despite resuming training this week, manager Pep Guardiola has said.
City’s record goalscorer had been self-isolating, first as a close contact of someone to have tested positive for coronavirus, then after falling ill with Covid-19 himself.
It was the latest setback in what has been a frustrating season for the Argentinian, with injury problems also restricting him to just three starts this campaign.
The 32-year-old has now come out of quarantine after testing negative for the virus but he has not yet restarted full training.
Guardiola said at a press conference: “He is still not training on the field. He started to move a little yesterday but he will need a few weeks to come back.
“He is negative, this is the most important thing. He is healthy again and now he will come back again. As the top scorer it is important for us to have him back.”
Guardiola's side will also be without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and defender Nathan Aké for Wednesday's trip to Burnley through injury.
City will travel to Turf Moor high in confidence after a club record 12 successive wins. Eight of those victories have come in the Premier League, lifting the team to the top of the table and establishing them as title favourites.
That represents a considerable turnaround after an indifferent start to the campaign in which City dropped points in five of their opening eight games.
Guardiola refuses to read too much into the overall picture and is focusing only on the Clarets.
He said: “Six weeks ago we were not contenders for anything, six weeks later we are contenders. Everything can change so quickly.
"We can drop five points in two games in three days. It has happened to other teams so it can happen to you. So, all I am concerned about is Burnley, not the runs we have achieved, only Burnley."
