Pep Guardiola has promised to find a solution with Erling Haaland ruled out for between five and seven weeks as Manchester City battle for Champions League football
Pep Guardiola has revealed Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland will be sidelined for between five and seven weeks.
The City striker has damaged ankle ligaments and is facing a long spell out of action, in what is a blow to the club’s hopes of Champions League qualification.
The Norwegian striker suffered the injury in last weekend’s FA Cup win at Bournemouth – and left the Vitality Stadium in a protective boot.
Haaland has scored 30 or more goals in three successive seasons, and was vital to Guardiola’s chances of securing a top four finish.
The English champions are fifth in the table ahead of Wednesday’s home clash with Leicester City. But with just two wins in their last six league games, City find themselves in a congested fight with those around them.
Just four points separate themselves and 10th place Bournemouth, and Guardiola has been left ruing another injury to one of his most important stars.
But Guardiola is confident Haaland will at least be back in time for the Club World Cup in America this summer.
Guardiola said: “Sometimes there are years that these kind of things happen, and it’s happened all season. So I would say it could not be different until the end of the season.
“The doctor told me between five and seven weeks, so hopefully at the end of the season and World Cup he will be ready.”
Guardiola has ordered his side to cope without Haaland and he added: “We don’t have another player with Erling’s skills or his specific qualities – we know that.
“But we have to adapt, and since many years we’ve played different ways up front, and it depends on the quality of the players. We are going to try to find a solution.”