Joe Hart was back at Manchester City on Thursday for a small ceremony ahead of a first return since his summer departure.

The goalkeeper will be in a Burnley shirt on Saturday afternoon but was invited to his former club's training ground on Thursday afternoon for a celebration of his 12-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.

City have named a training pitch after the 31-year-old and presented Hart with a mosaic to commemorate his service and five major trophies, including the club's first league title since 1968.

Joe Hart was back at Manchester City on Thursday for a ceremony marking his achievements

The piece will stand at the entrance of a specific area reserved for goalkeepers at the City Football Academy and is similar to the one received by Yaya Toure when he left at the end of last season.

Toure was given a replica of the mosaic to keep and Hart is expected to be offered similar.

Hart is mindful his loyalties now lie elsewhere and is keen for his return to be a relatively low-key affair, a view mirrored by City.

'I've got a few years here (at Burnley) and want to go deep with it,' Hart told Sportsmail in August. 'My whole life is this club. I needed to cut ties with City and I feel like I've been set free.'

Given a loan spell at West Ham and with his future in limbo, Hart was denied a big emotional send-off at the Etihad akin to those seen for Toure and Pablo Zabaleta in both of the previous two years.

City have named a training pitch after the 31-year-old, who won five major trophies for the club

Hart's impressive form has been one highlight of Burnley's turbulent start to the season

City wanted to mark his achievements, however, and created the lasting monument to his legacy, while defender Aymeric Laporte believes he will receive a huge reception on Saturday.

'It will be nice to see him again and I am sure he will get a fantastic reception when he walks out on Saturday,' Laporte said.

'He's a very good goalkeeper and a very good person, too. He was well liked by all the players and I think the supporters of Manchester City love him because of his achievements over the years.'

Hart's form has been one highlight of Burnley's turbulent start to the season. Tom Heaton is assessing his options and could leave in January after failing to dislodge the No 1.