Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed that the team’s goal machine, Erling Haaland, can play against Southampton in the English Premier League on Saturday, after recovering from a connective muscle injury.
Haaland missed Norway’s two matches against Spain and Georgia in the European Championship 2024 qualifiers last month and City’s 4-1 victory over Liverpool last Saturday.
Guardiola said that the striker, who scored 42 goals in 37 games in all competitions this season, has recovered from the injury, adding: He trained in the last two days and is really good, he will be ready.
The return of Haaland gives a boost to City, who is holding onto the competition for three titles.
City ranks second in the league, eight points behind Arsenal, but there is a game left for Guardiola’s team, and he also reached the quarter-finals of the European Champions League and before the FA Cup final.
The Spanish coach stressed that the upcoming matches will determine the season, pointing out that his players are used to pressure.
And he continued: In the last part of the season, if we win, we will continue to compete, and if we do not win, we will be out of the race. If we waste points, Arsenal will be the champion later. If we continue winning, we may become champions at the end of the season.
In tomorrow’s meeting, City will meet bottom club Southampton for the third time this season, and Robin Seise will be the third different Southampton coach to face Guardiola in this series.
And about the many changes of coaches this season, Guardiola commented: These things are new, in the past it was difficult to dismiss coaches.
“If you do not achieve the desired results, you will be in danger. It is difficult to analyze Southampton if they appointed their coach yesterday, but he played a few matches. The pattern is clear.”
“But every team is fighting for something, is fighting a strong struggle to stay in the league, every match has special features and we must prepare for that.”
