Manchester City say striker Erling Haaland is expected to play again this season but he will see a specialist to confirm the severity of his ankle injury.
The 24-year-old appeared to sustain the issue during a tangle with Lewis Cook in the second half of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth.
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City said in a statement that the Norway international underwent tests on Monday but the full extent of the problem is not yet known. The club anticipate he will take part in the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.
“Erling underwent initial tests in Manchester on Monday morning and will now seek specialist consultation to confirm the full extent of the injury,” the club said.
“Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain a full prognosis. The expectation is that Erling will be fit in time to play a further part in the remainder of this season, including this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.”
The Norwegian’s left foot appeared to get stuck under Cook before he tumbled off the pitch and into the advertising hoardings during Sunday’s game. Haaland received treatment on the pitch and briefly attempted to continue before being withdrawn for Omar Marmoush.
The injury came shortly after Haaland had equalised for City in the 49th minute, City’s top scorer connecting with a cross from half-time substitute Nico O’Reilly.
Despite other fitness issues around the City squad this season, Haaland has almost always been available for Pep Guardiola. His absence from the squad for February’s 2-0 defeat by Liverpool was the only time he has missed a Premier League game this term.
Haaland has scored 30 goals in 40 appearances this season and is the Premier League’s second-top scorer (21) behind Mohamed Salah (27).
After Wednesday’s game against Leicester, City travel to rivals Manchester United on Sunday.
“Others are going to have to step up”
Analysis by The Athletic’s Manchester City reporter Sam Lee
The last time City played without Erling Haaland, against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu, they looked an absolute shadow of themselves, even by this season’s standards.
They showed on Sunday that there is the prospect of a more stable, solid team that will be able to carry a threat without him — Omar Marmoush can offer similar movement, if not presence.
Haaland is, though, City’s biggest scorer by far this season, so others are simply going to have to step up if they are to win the FA Cup and finish in the Premier League’s top five.
(Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
