MANCHESTER -- Vincent Kompany is back in the Manchester City squad for Sunday's trip to Everton after missing the last eight weeks with a knee ligament injury.
Kompany, 30, has not played a full match this season and picked up his latest injury in just his second Premier League start this term -- when he collided with City keeper Claudio Bravo in the 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Nov. 19.
City boss Pep Guardiola is delighted to have the Belgium international back but told a news conference that he does not want him to be under too much pressure with the club captain plagued by persistent injuries for the past two-and-a-half seasons.
"He trained the last two or three days and played a full part in the training session. So he's back, yeah," Guardiola said. "It's the second or third time we are talking about that [Kompany's recovery].
"Hopefully he can stay for long and after I will see his level. We cannot deny how good he is at his top level. But everyone needs time when they have been injured for a long time. He has strong mentality and he knows what he has to do.
"He can concentrate on simple things, playing as a central defender, then game-by-game, week-by-week, he will achieve his level. Sometimes you need time, in this business we don't have time, but he has to feel that he has time to come back, the way he has to come back."
Kompany was included in Guardiola's Champions League squad in the first half of the season, while Yaya Toure and Aleix Garcia were left out, but he did not play in any of City's eight games in Europe.
Guardiola, who has suggested he may consider making a signing in the January transfer window, said he has not made a decision on his Champions League squad ahead of next month's round-of-16 clash with Monaco.
Ilkay Gundogan, who is due to miss the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury, is set to drop out while young striker Kelechi Iheanacho will move onto the "B" list for homegrown players under 21 after being registered with the club for two years.
"I haven't thought about the Champions League squad yet, he [Kompany] was on the list for the first half of the season, but unfortunately he was injured and could not play," Guardiola said.
"We are going to see which players are going to be involved, everybody has a chance. Hopefully, he is able to play [in the Champions League] in the second half of the season."
City will be without the ineligible Gabriel Jesus for the trip to Goodison Park on Sunday while fellow Brazilian Fernando faces a race to be fully fit.
Kevin De Bruyne will be OK to play after missing training with flu, while John Stones will be in contention for a return to the club he left in August in a £47.4 million deal.
Guardiola says he has his full confidence in Stones, who can expect a hostile reception on his first game back.
"He is strong enough. In those terms, I don't have doubts about that," he said. "He's strong. In terms of when he misses some action, he's strong enough to play again. I would like when some players come back here, the fans of Manchester City respect the players playing for that club. I would like to feel that.
"But I'm not concerned about what Everton decide to do. Hopefully they can respect him because I know how John respects the club because they helped him to develop his performance and play in the Premier League. After what happened in the past with other players, I cannot expect absolutely everything, so I would not be surprised in those terms."