Alarm bells went ringing as Erling Haaland asked to be substituted against Real Madrid. The Norwegian striker has had an injury-marred campaign and supporters were visibly concerned. Ahead of the Brighton game, Pep Guardiola confirmed the dreaded news. In his presser, the Spaniard said, “Haaland is not ready for tomorrow, (it’s) not a big issue but not allowed for this game.” Luckily it proved to be not a big issue as the Norwegian goal machine has recovered from his injury. Moreover, Manchester City #9 has an emphatic message as the Premier League is on the verge of an exciting showdown.
Erling Haaland has uploaded an Instagram post that energizes the Manchester City faithful. His update shows him on the training pitch doing shooting drills. In one of the photos, the striker is seen running with the ball with Jeremy Doku nearby. Haaland has given the caption, “Six finals left 💪🏻 Let’s go!.” It shows how Manchester City’s mindset is ahead of the final part of the season crossing swords with Liverpool and Arsenal for the Premier League title.
In the Premier League, the Sky Blues have 5 games remaining. Additionally, they also have an FA Cup final against Manchester United on May 25th. If the English champions emerge victorious in all the ‘finals‘, a domestic double is assured. Also, there is a lot of stake on an individual level for Erling Haaland. With 20 goals each Haaland and Cole Palmer are tied in the Golden Boot race. Having faced rampant criticism for his overall play, a second consecutive Golden Boot could shut up the critics.
Manchester City plays against Nottingham Forest tomorrow. Yet, there is a good chance that Guardiola won’t throw Erling Haaland into the mix right away.
Julian Alvarez has more than filled in for Erling Haaland when needed
There is a case to be made that Julian Alvarez is Manchester City’s most underrated player. The Argentine star has once again gone about his business quietly and has 9 goals and 9 assists in 32 games this season. These are impressive numbers considering Alvarez alternates between being a striker and an attacking midfielder. Against Brighton, Alvarez ensured that Manchester City did not miss Erling Haaland and even got on the scoresheet.
With Phil Foden continuing his unstoppable form, Guardiola would be scratching his head regarding choosing between the Norwegian and Alvarez. Additionally, Nottingham Forest is 17th in the table and won’t likely be a big threat. Perhaps, this might result in the Spaniard opting to rest Erling Haaland with the more challenging games against West Ham and Tottenham in sight. After all, any potential slip-up could result in the Gooners emerging champions.