Erling Haaland injury update ahead Nottingham Forest encounter
It remains uncertain whether Erling Haaland will join Manchester City‘s squad for their Premier League game against Nottingham Forest on Sunday in the East Midlands.
The 23-year-old was absent from City’s 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday due to an unspecified injury. Phil Foden scored twice, while Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez also contributed goals in the match on the south coast.
Pep Guardiola’s team is now just one point behind league leaders Arsenal, who secured a stunning 5-0 victory against Chelsea earlier this week. Arsenal will face Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.
Haaland’s injury has raised concerns for Guardiola. He missed City’s FA Cup win over Chelsea and was taken off during the Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid last week.
When asked about Haaland’s availability for Sunday, Guardiola commented after Thursday’s win: “I spoke with him, and he says he feels better. I don’t know.”
Injury analyst Ben Dinnery suggested it would be ‘sensible’ to carefully manage Haaland’s recovery for the rest of the season. Speaking to MEN Sport on behalf of Crypto Casino, Dinnery said: “It’s a risk and reward situation. I heard Pep talk about the injury crisis and the demands, but it’s hard to sympathize when they could field two competitive starting lineups in the Premier League.
“Man City is in a fortunate position where they can make decisions about players like Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland without risking them unnecessarily. They have significant upcoming games and may need to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season, but players like De Bruyne, Foden, and Alvarez can fill in.”
“In this scenario, Guardiola should avoid taking risks. For soft tissue injuries, if a player’s status is uncertain, it might be wiser to rest them for 7-10 days rather than risking a severe tear or strain that could sideline them for four to six weeks. This decision not only impacts the current season but may also affect the player’s preparation for the upcoming season.”
Dinnery added, “It’s prudent to manage Haaland’s recovery carefully considering the importance of upcoming games.”
Meanwhile, Fantasy Premier League currently lists Haaland as having a 50% chance of returning from injury this weekend.
Erling Haaland injury update ahead Nottingham Forest encounter
