Major Man City worry as Erling Haaland not seen at training ahead of Liverpool clash

Manchester City star Erling Haaland was not seen at training on Thursday morning as the club prepares for the Premier League return.

The striker has been struggling with a groin injury picked up during the 6-0 FA Cup win over Burnley before the international break and sat out of Norway's EURO qualifier matches over the past fortnight as a result.

City fans had hoped that Haaland's time away was just a precaution and that the talisman would return for this weekend's meeting with Liverpool on Saturday.

However, as footage of the club preparing on the training ground circulated online, the 42-goal beast was nowhere to be seen. City boss Pep Guardiola has been tight-lipped on Haaland's injury but the striker's father Alfie Haaland did provide an update to TV2 this week.

Haaland senior said: “Manchester City has a partnership with a hospital in Barcelona so he has been there for further checks and treatment.

“Now he has been here [Marbella] for a couple of days with the physio from the club. Firstly, I’m not a doctor and secondly, I think it’s ‘touch and go’, yes. You can’t just go two weeks without training and then jump right into a fight. There must be a progression there.

“They can gamble on it, but if he doesn’t get proper training with the team, then he won’t play. It is about how he responds to treatment in the next few days.

“He needs a lot of care and ‘knuckling’. There are many sprints and there is a lot to move.”

Manchester City are one of few Premier League clubs without an additional fixture mid-week, meaning that should Haaland miss the meeting with Liverpool then the club's next match comes on Saturday, April 8 against Southampton.