Erling Haaland Man City training update emerges as two Liverpool stars return to full session

Erling Haaland underwent some light individual training on Thursday, according to reports.

The Manchester City forward is a major doubt for Saturday’s clash with Liverpool due to a groin problem that forced him to pull out of the Norway squad during the latest international break. Haaland was not involved in first-team training on Thursday, meaning the chances of Julian Alvarez starting up front when Liverpool come to the Etihad are looking increasingly likely.

As per the Daily Star, Haaland is continuing his recuperation and on Thursday ‘underwent more treatment and did some lighter work on his own’. Pep Guardiola will almost certainly give an update on the 22-year-old’s fitness on Friday when he addresses the media in his pre-match press conference.

Haaland’s father, Alfie, said last week that the striker’s chances of being fit for the Liverpool clash were ‘touch and go’. “You can’t just go two weeks without training and then jump right into a fight,” he told TV2 Sport. “There must be a progression there. It is about how he responds to treatment.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool were handed a fitness boost on Thursday with Luis Diaz returning to training. The Colombian, who has not played in nearly six months due to a knee injury, was pictured by the club’s photographers at the Reds’ training base and could be named in Liverpool squad at the weekend.

Darwin Nunez was also involved in Liverpool training after he was forced to leave the Uruguay squad early during the international break with a knock.