Quartet set to boost Vincent Kompany's options in Portugal

Kompany’s squad will spend the week in Portugal, at a state-of-the-art training complex, with a friendly against Newcastle United on Saturday.

He was without new signings Scott Twine and Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Shrewsbury, while Dwight McNeil and Johann Berg Gudmundsson were also missing, with all four set to return to fitness.

And Ian Maatsen will link up with the squad after signing on a season-long loan from Chelsea on Friday.

Kompany said after Friday’s victory: "No injuries, and another game to see the lads, so yes, nice things to take from that of course.”

And of those missing, he added: "Nothing too serious, Taylor twisted his ankle a little bit, so hope to recover around Portugal, so we'll see next week.

"Twiney felt a little bit the load this week, so we decided to protect him a little bit.

"Dwight got a knock on his ankle that took him out of a couple of sessions this week, so, again, we can't afford to lose these players for a longer period.

"We do give them the load, so they work hard, but we had to keep them off the pitch today.

"Johann was the same, you arrive at the end of a tough week and don't want to lose anyone, so we're managing them.

"But they'll be there in Portugal with us.”

He is particularly being careful with Twine and Gudmundsson, who hasn't featured since January when he suffered appendicitis and then a big tear in his calf during his first training session back.

Kompany said: "We're being even more careful with Johann.

"Twiney comes from League One and has to adapt to the load that we have in training, he's doing fine, really well, but every now and then we get these little moments when you want to make sure you don't go over it, and Johann has been out for a long time, so more important for us to have him long term than just now.

"It's not ideal, but you have to have the bigger picture in mind, or you might lose him for longer.”