Erling Haaland has returned to training but will sit out tonight’s Club World Cup final between Man City and Fluminense.
Just 48 hours before the match in Saudi Arabia, the Norwegian striker appeared on the field after a leg injury caused him to miss the last three matches, including the semi-final win over Urawa Red Diamonds.
Being removed from Man City’s squad in the semi-finals caused Haaland to also sit out the final because according to FIFA regulations, coach Pep Guardiola cannot make any changes to the 23-man list.
Jeremy Doku, who has returned to training after a muscle injury, and Kevin De Bruyne, who is training lightly after hamstring surgery, are also officially absent for the same reason.
As for Haaland, returning to training shows that he is ready to face Everton in the Premier League return match on December 27.
Without this trio, Guardiola can keep the same lineup as the 3-0 win over Urawa. The Spanish coach did not use any real strikers and John Stones played in midfield, while Julian Alvarez and Josko Gvardiol sat on the bench. However, the biggest possibility is that Alvarez is placed as a center forward with Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva supporting around him.