Sergio Aguero, the Manchester City striker, has returned to training as he continues his rehabilitation following a knee injury. But he is still doubtful as to whether he will recover in time for the trip to Stoke City on Saturday.

City yesterday published a series of photographs on their official website of the 24-year-old doing work at their Carrington training ground. City had been optimistic, following the results of a scan on the injury, that he would be back by mid-September, although a caption with the pictures said: "Whether Stoke is too soon for a return or not remains to be seen."