Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph Return to Give Manchester City a Huge Boost

Manchester City are unlikely to get much sympathy given the huge sums of money spent to construct their squad, but there can be little doubt injuries have affected them this season.

So far, 15 players have spent time on the sidelines because of either injury or illness. Currently, both David Silva and Sergio Aguero—City's two best and most important players—are inactive after suffering setbacks on international duty.

Perhaps Manuel Pellegrini deserves more credit for negotiating the early part of this season against a damaging backdrop of injury layoffs. City are top of the Premier League table, into the last eight of the Capital One Cup and have everything to play for in their UEFA Champions League group. With the debilitating injury list they have had to deal with, it's an excellent return. 

And now it seems as though the situation may be clearing up somewhat. Both Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph, who between them have played just 15 minutes of first-team football this season, were involved in training on Monday morning ahead of the club’s trip to Seville—a significant boost to a side whose schedule in recent weeks has been demanding.

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View exclusive, behind-the-scenes images from the training session. Picture special: https://t.co/MPL73JRvIf #mcfc pic.twitter.com/kLe9dcEZk7

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) November 2, 2015"

Clichy will provide some much-needed competition for Aleksandar Kolarov, whose defensive capabilities remain an obvious concern.

The Serbian left-back often looks good going forward, with an ability to deliver the ball from wide areas that is perhaps unparalleled by any other Premier League defender, but a full-back’s primary concern is defending, and Kolarov is too often beaten easily and caught out of position.

Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Clichy, whose own form was turbulent last season, provides a more balanced game. His pace means he gets forward well despite not providing the same quality of delivery as Kolarov, with the Frenchman capable of offering more solidity in his own defensive third.

It’s a position many feel is in need of surgery, but City have failed to sign a new top-quality left-back. That may well be addressed this summer. 

Clichy’s ankle problem has meant Kolarov has been overused so far this season, and when the Serb returned from the last round of international matches with an injury of his own, Bacary Sagna, a right-back by trade, was forced into emergency action.

Pellegrini will be hugely relieved to have some competition at left-back, with Angelino also available again after his loan spell with New York City FC came to an end.

Delph is a boost to Pellegrini’s midfield options, too. Fernandinho, the player in City’s squad Delph would most naturally replace, has been the Blues’ most used player this term, starting all 11 league games and playing 969 Premier League minutes in total.

Tony Marshall/Getty Images

His stamina and energy are vital to the City side, and ensuring he can maintain his wonderful form will be high on Pellegrini’s list of priorities.

Delph, formerly of Aston Villa, has been out since early September after suffering a hamstring injury during England’s UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier with Switzerland at Wembley. 

In his absence, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho have looked back to their best, and Fernando, who returned to action in September after groin surgery, has also looked much improved on last season. 

Delph, it seems, has a fight on his hands forcing his way into the starting XI, but given the form he showed in his last two seasons at Villa Park, he is a potentially excellent squad player City need available. 

He can run with the ball and take players on, bringing dynamism and energy to central areas. He will be desperate to prove himself after some questioned the wisdom of leaving Villa in the summer. 

Meanwhile, Silva is also nearing a return, according to Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, but Aguero, Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta remain out.

City have shown plenty of character and quality in dealing with such an extensive set of injury concerns, but Pellegrini is getting players back right when he needs them—with a packed schedule between now and Christmas set to play a crucial role in determining their trophy ambitions. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.