Pep Guardiola has shared an injury update on his Manchester City squad ahead of Liverpool’s visit to the Etihad Stadium this Sunday.
The Reds will be without Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, and Tyler Morton for the match, while Arne Slot is closely monitoring Cody Gakpo’s fitness to decide if he can play.
Meanwhile, City are dealing with their own injury concerns, especially regarding star striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian missed the midweek Champions League loss to Real Madrid due to a suspected knee injury sustained in last weekend’s win over Newcastle.
In his press conference, Guardiola remained uncertain about Haaland’s availability, leaving Liverpool in suspense about whether the 24-year-old will play. When asked about Haaland, he said (via Evening Standard): “I don’t know yet. Tomorrow we will know. Maybe, but I don’t know yet. He will train tomorrow and we will test. Of course, we are stronger with Erling on the pitch.”
While Haaland could still make a recovery in time, one player who won’t feature is John Stones. The defender was forced off early in City’s game against Real Madrid and is now expected to be out for a while. Guardiola confirmed: “He’s injured, a difficult one. In the next hours or days, we’ll know if he needs surgery or not.”
City Remain a Threat Without Haaland
Despite the focus on Haaland’s potential absence, Manchester City remains a formidable team even without him. Omar Marmoush, who was previously linked with Liverpool before joining City last month, made a strong impression with a first-half hat-trick against Newcastle. His presence could still cause issues for Liverpool’s defense.
Regardless of who leads City’s attack, Liverpool will need to tighten their defense after conceding five goals in their last three league games, including two avoidable goals against Aston Villa.
On the other hand, Liverpool could see this as an opportunity to capitalize on City’s defensive weaknesses, with both Manuel Akanji and Stones unavailable. Mo Salah, who has scored 12 goals in 21 matches against Guardiola’s side, will likely be eager to add to his tally.
While Liverpool fans may prefer not to face Haaland this weekend, with no further meetings between the two clubs this season, there is also a spirit of sportsmanship in wishing Haaland and Stones a speedy recovery from their respective injuries.
