Football News

Haaland was a notable absentee from the Citizens team that secured a slender 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend after he failed to recover in time from a niggling muscle injury.

The 23-year-old sustained his problem in City's Champions League quarter-final encounter with Real Madrid last week and Guardiola revealed after the match that the striker requested to be taken off before his side lost on penalties.

Haaland was absent from an open training session at City Football Academy on Tuesday along with Phil Foden, raising concerns over their availability for Thursday's trip to the American Express Stadium.

Guardiola has since issued a mixed update on the fitness of his first-team squad, confirming that he is unable to call upon his leading marksman.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Guardiola said: «Erling is not ready for tomorrow. The other two (Foden and John Stones) are ready.»

«It's not a big issue but he's not available,» the Catalan added with regards to Haaland.

Amidst City's hectic fixture schedule, City have only had a few days to rest and recover from their FA Cup semi-final win last Saturday, and two Premier League games in the space of just three days against Brighton and Nottingham Forest are up next.

Guardiola has refused to rule out the possibility of rotating his squad, where possible, in the final few weeks of the campaign and has insisted that every member of his squad has a role to play as the Citizens endeavour to win a domestic double.

«Every player deserves to

Erling Haaland Phil Foden Pep Guardiola Julian Alvarez John Stones