Manchester City expects Gundogan's return to training 'in the coming days'

A day after Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola characterised Ilkay Gundogan's latest injury as a "small issue," the club's medical staff confirmed as much.

City released a statement Thursday, saying Gundogan suffered a mild knee sprain, and that the German international should return to training shortly.

On the heels of missing nine months through a serious knee injury sustained last December against Watford, concerns were again heightened when Gundogan was the victim of a daft tackle from West Brom's Claudio Yacob during Wednesday's League Cup tilt.

Tests on Thursday showed that Gundogan avoided the same fate with his other knee, while the team added: "It is too early at this stage to give an exact time frame on his absence but he is expected to be back on the training field in the coming days."

Gundogan, 26, has made just 17 appearances in all competitions after moving to Lancashire last summer from Borussia Dortmund for a £20-million fee as Guardiola's first recruit.

With the Bundesliga lot, Gundogan has become the poster boy for careers sidelined by injury, missing out on Euro 2016 festivities due to another knee ailment.