In his pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League match against Crustal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Pep Guardiola all but confirmed that the league’s top goal scorer, Erling Braut Haaland, will be unavailable due to injury.
The 23-year-old Leeds-born Norway international missed both of City’s recent victories against Luton Town and Red Star Belgrade with Guardiola also seeming certain he will miss their game against a struggling and out of form Palace side.
Read our other football news stories here:
Mbeumo blow for Brentford and Cameroon
‘Last month I was Ferguson, now I might be sacked’ – Xavi hits out at Barcelona critics
Manchester City Learn Their FIFA Club World Cup Opponents
Guardiola said that he was ‘not worried’ about any long-term issues with Haaland but did almost brush aside any involvement this weekend:
“He arrived today, he will see the doctors and then we will see. The doctors say we have to take it day by day or week by week and see how he feels. Hopefully, he can travel to Saudi, whether he can play the first game or the second, I don’t know.”
Manchester City are due to travel to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA Club World Cup next week after that aforementioned league game with Palace on Saturday.
They will face Japanese J1 League side Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday in the semi-final of the competition before playing again on the Friday in either the third-place playoff or the final of the competition.
Pep on Erling Haaland. ‘Arrived today – and we will see – the doctors.’
On Haaland playing against Palace. ‘I don’t think so…’
‘Day by day, week by week, we will see.’ #MCFC
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) December 15, 2023
City have never won the competition but are aiming to earn a seventh different title since 2011, having won the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Community Shield on multiple occasions, as well as the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup.
Haaland has not been at his scintillating and efficient best this season but the striker has still managed to score 14 goals, and earn four assists, in just 15 matches in England’s top-flight so far this season.
Manchester City will return back to domestic action as soon as Wednesday 27th December when they take on Everton at Goodison Park.
