Erling Haaland injury latest as Man City striker aims to be fit for Liverpool encounter

Erling Haaland has said he ‘trying to get asap’ as Manchester City begin preparations for Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Liverpool.

It has been quite an international break for Pep Guardiola, who has seen Nathan Ake, Ederson, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes withdraw from their respective countries’ squads due to injury, while Rodri also missed a match with a knock but played 86 minutes on Sunday as Spain beat Georgia.

Yet, Haaland’s injury is undoubtedly the most concerning for City, with the striker netting 13 in 12 Premier League outings this season. Haaland suffered a fresh setback on an existing ankle injury, when Norway played the Faroe Islands last Thursday.

The attacker first sustained the problem in City's 6-1 win over Bournemouth on 4 November, which forced him to be replaced at half-time. Haaland was an injury doubt for the subsequent game against Young Boys, but played just over an hour in the Champions League encounter, before completing the full 90 minutes as City drew 4-4 with Chelsea five days later in the final match before the break.

After damaging the injury once again in the win over Faroe Islands last week, Norway opted against selecting City’s no.9 for the encounter against Scotland on Sunday night, which finished 3-3 at Hampden Park.

“It's the movement in his foot that is the problem but it's not a serious injury,” Norway manager Stale Solbakken said on Saturday. “Had it been a final, I don't know [if he would have been fit to play].

“It hurts a lot right away, and then it goes away pretty quickly. All parties agree it is probably a little too early (for him to play) but it is not a career-threatening injury.”

“He is in so much pain and somewhat restricted function that the Scotland game unfortunately comes a little too early. It was much of the same that happened against Bournemouth a week and a half ago. He has had it before too. He gets a slight twist in his ankle, where he is a bit vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, Haaland posted on social media and wrote: “Unfortunately, I am missing tomorrow’s game against Scotland. Wishing the boys all the best. Now treatment and trying to get back asap.”

Should the Norwegian miss out against Liverpool, Julian Alvarez is expected to start up front, as he did in last season’s fixture when City won 4-1 without the injured Haaland. Pep Guardiola is expected to give an update on all of the club’s injured players in Friday’s pre-match press conference.