{"id":296922,"date":"2023-12-15T20:44:06","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=296922"},"modified":"2023-12-15T20:44:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:44:06","slug":"erling-haaland-injury-update-issued-by-pep-guardiola-as-grealish-plan-teased","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/erling-haaland-injury-update-issued-by-pep-guardiola-as-grealish-plan-teased\/","title":{"rendered":"Erling Haaland injury update issued by Pep Guardiola as Grealish plan teased"},"content":{"rendered":"

In pictures: Crvena zvezda v Man City<\/h3>\n

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that he is not expecting Erling Haaland to feature against Crystal Palace this weekend. The striker has been ruled out for the last two matches with a bone stress reaction in his future, and the issue is still being monitored.<\/p>\n

Haaland has not featured for City since his side tasted defeat against Aston Villa on December 6, with a date still not planned for his return. Guardiola is therefore expecting to be without the ex-Borussia Dortmund star when his side hosts Crystal Palace on Saturday as they look to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Asked about Haaland’s condition, Guardiola said: “(He) arrived today, we see the doctors and we will see. He’s had treatment [away.] Hopefully, he can travel to Saudi, tomorrow after the game, we see if he plays the first game or the second. I don’t think so [play vs Palace], maybe he surprises me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guardiola was then pushed about whether he was truly concerned about the injury, to which he replied: \u201cNo. Not fractured, just stress. Sometimes players recover quickly, longer. Day by day, week by week, how he feels. The moment he doesn’t have pain he will play.”<\/p>\n

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Julian Alvarez therefore looks the likeliest candidate to lead the line for City at the Etihad Stadium, with winger Phil Foden also capable of playing in the false nine role when required.<\/p>\n

Guardiola hinted that a position change could be in the works for Jack Grealish further down the line as well after the ex-England international spoke of how he views himself solely as a left-winger. Asked about whether training was ongoing to help Grealish transition into a different role, Guardiola said: \u201cWe don’t have time to work. Yesterday, recovery, today is pre-match. We don’t have time, to understand without training sessions. Sometimes in 10-15 minutes we can do it, Jack can understand immediately. He can play in different positions, in the middle. He’s a typical number ten.<\/p>\n