Oscar Bobb targeting January return after freak injury before the start of the campaign – as he looks to return to pre-season form that was set to earn him starting chance at Man City

Oscar Bobb is targeting a comeback for Manchester City at the end of January after fracturing his leg in a freak training ground incident.

The 21-year-old was set to be handed the right wing berth by Pep Guardiola at the start of the season following an impressive pre-season in the United States.

But the injury sustained just before the Premier League kicked off has kept him out for five months – and his absence has been felt by the defending champions as they fell nine points behind leaders Liverpool.

Bobb has been intensifying his rehabilitation and is expected to make a return to first-team training over the next fortnight, hoping to make up for lost time.

‘I think hopefully the end of January or the start of February I can be in and around the squad,’ Bobb said. ‘I am getting back to fitness now, slowly but surely starting to run again. I saw it as more of a pause than a setback.

‘I can definitely take inspiration from my pre-season. I was really pleased with the summer that I had and I felt really strong during the US tour and in the Community Shield.

He had been set to be given a starting chance on the right wing by Pep Guardiola this term

‘I am determined to work even harder now to get back to that form to help the team.’

Bobb was this week a central figure in City’s festive campaign, ‘0161 Christmas Calling’, which has seen more than £175,000 of fundraising support community programmes – including at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.

The Norwegian was among the players – including Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and John Stones – to visit children over the last week. Over 1,760 gifts have been distributed to patients.

Bobb’s return will offer Guardiola more options in attacking areas after also being earmarked as a potential false nine in order to offer Haaland rest.

‘It isn’t about getting back as soon as possible, but as strong as possible,’ he added. ‘I am obviously excited to be back on the grass to try and help the team but right now my focus is on getting back even stronger than I was before.

‘I was in really good form and felt ready to help the team, so my aim is to get back to that feeling.’

Meanwhile, Manuel Akanji echoed Phil Foden’s endorsement for Guardiola earlier in the week as City go to Aston Villa on the back of just one win in their last 11 in all competitions.

‘Us as players need to change and minimise some things and mistakes that we are doing at the moment,’ Akanji said. ‘We need to be better on the ball like we used to before and we all know that we can do that.

‘Pep trusts us, we trust him, so it’s going to be good. We still believe in each other. I have a good feeling about this and I think we are going to turn it around.’