Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said they will find out on Friday afternoon if Erling Braut Haaland will make it to Saturday’s game against Leicester.
– He’s feeling better, but we’ll be training this afternoon, so we’ll assess him in a couple of hours. We’ll see how he feels, and then we’ll make a decision,” City manager Pep Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday.
The Norwegian superstar was substituted at halftime during the Champions League match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. After the match, a video went viral on social media where you can see Haaland limp allegedly on his way to a medical exam.
Watch all of Haaland’s goals in the English Premier League.
– There were three reasons: First, he was tired. The second reason is that he suffers from a high temperature, and the last reason is that he injured his foot. And Pep Guardiola, City coach, explained in the press conference after the Dortmund match, that therefore, he could not play in the second half.
Manchester City visit Leicester on Saturday at 1.30pm, which is in less than a day. For Haaland, it seems like a battle against time to get into the game. Guardiola confirmed that if the Norwegian player is not ready, Argentine Julian Alvarez (22) will be the natural alternative.
– When Erling is not available, Julian is the first choice. If he plays 90 minutes per match, he will score goals. “Maybe not like Erling, but he wants to score,” Guardiola says of the Argentine.
Guardiola believes the blind will see Haaland’s talent. See the full interview here.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is also hoping the Norwegian Premier League’s top scorer will make it to tomorrow’s game.
– You’ve followed him since he was young and always wanted to see the best players play. “We have a chance to see a world-class player show off his talent at home,” Rodgers says.
Haaland scored 17 goals in 11 league matches. With another goal, it would equal 18 goals for Alfie Haaland in the Premier League. It took the father 181 matches.
If Haaland scores two goals, he will not only surpass his father, but also the Norwegian goal record of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 1996-1997 season. No Norwegian has scored more than 18 goals in a single season.
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