Manchester City forward Kevin De Bruyne has put his support behind injured skipper Vincent Kompany, insisting the defender's teammates 'will be there to help him' through his recovery.

Kompany was forced from the field just nine minutes into City's Boxing Day clash with Sunderland following a recurrence of a troublesome calf injury.

"It's difficult to say because obviously we don't know yet what he has, hopefully it's not too bad.' De Bruyne told Press Association Sport.

"For him personally it's the hardest thing for the moment, I think.

"When you work so hard to come back and everything seems fine in the week and then you come on and you go quickly back again - it must be hard for him.

"We will be there to help him if he wants it."