Jean-Claude Van Damme muscles in on Manchester City training to the delight of Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Co

• Jean-Claude Van Damme turned up at Manchester City training ground
• The Belgian action movie star is in town to give a black tie dinner talk
• City stars including Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne and boss Manuel Pellegrini posed for pictures
• The Premier League leaders host Liverpool at the Etihad on Saturday 

By Richard Arrowsmith for MailOnline

Published: 14:20 EST, 19 November 2015 | Updated: 05:39 EST, 20 November 2015

Hollywood star Jean-Claude Van Damme pitched up at Manchester City training on Thursday where he posed for pictures with players, including Belgium compatriots Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne.

The so-called 'Muscles from Brussels', who made his name starring in action movies including Bloodsport, Hard Target and Universal Soldier, is in Manchester for a black-tie dinner event where he will be sharing anecdotes from his film and martial arts career.

The 55-year-old kickboxer may be more famed for making amusing beer adverts than box office smashes in recent years, but that didn't stop players like Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and even manager Manuel Pellegrini from grabbing a photo opportunity with the 80s legend.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (centre) shows Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov one of his trademark kicks

The 80s action movie hero poses for a picture with Belgian compatriot Vincent Kompany (left)

Sergio Aguero, is is desperate to return against Liverpool at the weekend, is all smiles meeting the actor

The 55-year-old actor shakes hand with another Belgian on City's books, £54m signing Kevin De Bruyne

Even Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini couldn't resist a photo opportunity with Van Damme

Following the international break, Manchester City welcome Liverpool to the Etihad on Saturday as they bid to maintain their lead in the Premier League race this season.

Talisman striker Sergio Aguero is desperate to return to action after a six-week spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury picked up in Argentina's game with Ecuador on October 9.

The 27-year-old, who has not played for City since scoring five goals in 20 minutes against Newcastle at the beginning of October, has returned to training and claims he is 'doing everything in my power' to feature against Liverpool.

The so-called 'Muscles from Brussels' shakes hands with England goalkeeper Joe Hart (right)

Van Damme is in Manchester to share anecdotes from his career at a black-tie dinner speaking event

The action movie star even managed to provoke a smile from City's usually sombre defender Kolarov (right)

Belgian compatriots Kompany and Van Damme embrace as the actor arrives at the City Football Academy

Van Damme and Kompany speak ahead of City's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Saturday

'I do hope I can play in this game,' Aguero told the club's website.

'I'm doing everything in my power to get to the match in top condition.

'It's been a frustrating time. Obviously the game against Newcastle was special because it's not every week you get to score five goals in one game.

'The only other occasion I remember scoring five in a single match was when I was 12.

'I was playing in the pre-youth divisions for Independiente (in Argentina) and it was the first important tournament that I'd participated in. We played against a local team and won 7-0 and I scored five times but it doesn't happen too often, does it?

Van Damme, sporting a classic mullet haircut, bites the tail off a rattlesnake in his film Hard Target

Arguably Van Damme's most famous film was 1992's Universal Soldier, starring alongside Dolph Lundgren

In recent times, Van Damme has been more recognisable for his comic turns in adverts for Coors Light

'I managed to score four against Tottenham last season, which was the most I'd scored as a professional up to that point.'

Liverpool have also been boosted by the return of their injury plagued striker Daniel Sturridge to training this week.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has not ruled out Sturridge for Saturday's trip to Manchester - but insists the striker will have to work to improve his long-term fitness.

'He is as fit as he can be after a long break. Of course he is not at 100 per cent and of course we have to see,' said Klopp. 

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge could make his long-awaited comeback to face City at the weekend

'For four-and-a-half weeks he has not trained; not cycling, running, not, not, not. But because he is that skilled a guy maybe we should.....(include him at the weekend).

'As a striker sometimes five minutes is enough and I have to decide this tomorrow. I don't know what I will do when I build the squad, I have to think about it.

'Everyone wants to see more of him on the pitch so you have to train but we have to find the right balance.'

An Experience With Jean Claude Van Damme will be staged at Event City on Saturday November 21 with tickets ranging in price from £100 to £1,000. 

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