Manchester City have done something recently they haven’t done for six years.
Specifically, following their 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP on Tuesday night, City registered three consecutive defeats for the first time since 2018.
With the Manchester club having had to deal with a big injury list in recent weeks, this has undoubtedly played a role in City’s recent run of defeats, as well as the packed fixture schedule.
On the subject of City’s injuries and the number of figures from their squad they’ve been without in recent weeks, a pundit has highlighted one particular player at the club who he feels Pep Guardiola is taking a risk with.
- Man City injury list 2024/25: Latest updates and potential return dates for sidelined stars
Pat Nevin pinpoints Erling Haaland risk at Man City
Prior to the 4-1 defeat to Sporting, Pat Nevin shared this on BBC Sport (5/11 17:00) about City’s injury list.
He said: “Pep, though trying to deflect to some degree, is clearly struggling with an injury and fitness crisis that doesn’t look like ending any time soon.
“There is another concern nagging at the back of his mind. Erling Haaland is the main man and although they have survived without his goals before when he has been out, there is a feeling that if he got another injury now that would have a catastrophic effect.
“City already have seven points out of nine in the Champions League campaign, so it might be tempting to rest their star striker against Sporting for at least part of the game.
“They will probably qualify anyway and if he is to be needed it is more likely to be in upcoming ties against Juventus and Paris St-Germain. You don’t want to turn a blip into a crisis.”
How did Haaland fare against Sporting?
Also prior to Tuesday’s match, Rafael van der Vaart claimed that Viktor Gyokeres is a better version of Haaland.
After completing the full 90 minutes against Bournemouth – as he has done in every Premier League game this season – Haaland did the same against Sporting.
Even though he only had 15 touches of the ball in Portugal, the striker registered five attempts at goal, although he did miss the penalty City won in the second half.
| Erling Haaland 2024/25 | Appearances | Goals | Minutes Played |
| Premier League | 10 | 11 | 900 |
| Champions League | 4 | 3 | 322 |
| Community Shield | 1 | 0 | 90 |
| Carabao Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
With the £51m striker completing the full 90 minutes in all but two of the 15 matches he’s appeared in this season, it’s easy to see why Nevin thinks Guardiola may have Haaland’s fitness levels as a concern in his head.
However, given the number of goals he’s scored this season, it would be difficult for the City boss to not start the Norwegian if he’s fit enough to play.
Taking that on board, it would seem unlikely that Guardiola won’t include Haaland in his starting XI for this weekend’s Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
