Pep Guardiola Provides Three-word Update On Erling Haaland Fitness Scare

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When quizzed connected Erling Haaland’s readiness for Manchester City’s daunting Premier League gathering pinch Bournemouth connected Sunday, each Pep Guardiola could connection was: “I dream so.”

The relentlessly prolific frontman missed Wednesday’s Carabao Cup victory complete Swansea City entirely, arsenic he was overlooked for nan squad aft sustaining a sound during past weekend’s conclusion to Aston Villa. Guardiola takes a very elemental attack to Haaland’s selection: erstwhile he is fit, he starts.

As nan Catalan coach joked earlier this season: “Maybe astatine nan extremity erstwhile we triumph nan Premier League 10 points successful front, 10 games to go, aft he will rest.”

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City, who dishonesty 5th successful nan nascent convention table, big a Bournemouth broadside which are conscionable 1 spot and 4 points adrift of league-leading Arsenal this weekend. The Cherries are unbeaten successful nan convention since outplaying Liverpool successful an unfortunate Anfield conclusion connected nan opening play of nan season.

Andoni Iraola shares nan aforesaid inspiration arsenic Guardiola: nan precocious leader of nan precocious property Marcelo Bielsa. Bournemouth are a person imitation of nan Argentine’s full-throttle ideals, boasting nan astir fierce off-the-ball attack successful nan Premier League which has overwhelmed overmuch of nan section this season.

City will person to beryllium astatine their champion to repel nan Cherries and tin scarcely spend to spell into this tricky trial without their talisman.

Erling Haaland is responsible for nan immense mostly of Man City’s goals this season. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Haaland’s power connected City’s frontline has been suffocating this season.

The No. 9 boasts 15 goals crossed 12 appearances successful nan Premier League and Champions League. No 1 other successful City’s squad has mustered much than 1 successful those competitions.

Omar Marmoush scored his first extremity of nan play successful Wednesday’s nervy Carabao Cup victory, starting upfront successful Haaland’s absence. The versatile Egyptian guardant was brought in arsenic Julián Alvarez’s belated replacement, theoretically offering an action to play either alternatively of aliases together pinch Haaland.

“With Erling, he knows perfectly really to beryllium patient, really to beryllium successful mini spaces, really to beryllium consistent, to spell to nan ones successful behind,” Guardiola gushed postgame. “Marmoush has been injured for a agelong clip and of course, playing successful nan position that Erling plays, and Erling is important, but we cognize successful galore games we request some and having him backmost is truthful nice.”

Marmoush has not started a convention crippled since August but could perchance resume his business pinch Haaland against Bournemouth, who conscionable truthful happened to beryllium nan past Premier League squad to concede a extremity scored by Marmoush.