Kompany back on training track

Vincent Kompany returned to full training with Manchester City on Thursday as he stepped up his recovery from a knee injury.

The City captain missed the Premier League leaders’ win over Fulham last weekend but manager Roberto Mancini is increasingly confident he will be fit for the trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Goal.com understands that Kompany took part in some light exercises with the City medical staff away from the main group on Wednesday, and was given the all clear to resume full training on Thursday.

Although he is understood to have taken it quite easy, City’s medics are far more optimistic about his condition than they were a day earlier, when they rated him only ’50-50′ to be fit for Villa Park.

Kompany picked up the injury in training after returning for the defeat at Everton last week, following a four-game ban for his dismissal against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, James Milner has been wearing a light cast on his wrist after it was discovered that he broke a small bone in his hand during the Everton match.

Milner played 35 minutes of last weekend’s 3-0 win over Fulham with the injury, which is not believed to be causing him much pain.

The England international trained on Thursday and is expected to be in contention for selection against Villa.