The premier league is scheduled to return to action on July 17 with Man city taking on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, though games will be played without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview, Pep Guardiola has stated that ‘I’m excited to see (Mikel) again – one of the nicest people I have ever met. The game belongs to the players. We know each other and he knows everything of us. He is an incredibly important part of our recent success. He helped us be who we are.’