- Erling Haaland was not within the Man Metropolis squad for Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool
- Ahead was additionally an unused substitute in opposition to Actual Madrid 4 days prior
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Erling Haaland stays a health doubt for Manchester Metropolis’s journey to Tottenham on Wednesday after lacking the final two video games.
Metropolis’s prime scorer sat out defeats in opposition to Actual Madrid and Liverpool after jarring his knee within the 4-0 win over Newcastle on February 15, and his absence has been telling with Metropolis struggling to show their dominance of possession into probabilities in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola stated on Tuesday he was optimistic the 24-year-old can be obtainable in north London on Wednesday night time however no resolution has but been taken.
‘Tonight, we’ll comprehend it after coaching,’ Guardiola stated. ‘I hope so however I do not know but.
‘He feels higher however the final two video games he couldn’t play. We’ll see tomorrow.’
Haaland’s absence has left Omar Marmoush to steer the road, however the Egypt worldwide has been unable to observe up his hat-trick in opposition to Newcastle.
However Guardiola stated he had been very proud of the affect made by Marmoush, in addition to fellow January signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez.
‘It has been actually good for the quick time they’re coaching,’ Guardiola stated.
‘Khusanov arrived and performed in opposition to Chelsea, Orient, Newcastle, Madrid and Liverpool, so a troublesome and troublesome schedule to return into in, with the dearth of communication as he nonetheless would not converse English fluently, so the affect is admittedly good.
‘Omar as effectively. Nico performs effectively however the affect is admittedly good, we’re glad. After all Victor (Reis), when he has minutes, he’ll at all times be in stage.’
The 4 mid-season signings illustrated the dimensions of the rebuild that Metropolis have been pressured into this season following numerous accidents and the dramatic decline of a number of the older gamers within the squad.
Out of the Champions League and with their title defence successfully over, they nonetheless face a struggle to get into the highest 4.
However Guardiola denied this rebuild is the largest problem of his profession.
‘No, we have now achieved it already,’ he stated. ‘After 9 years, it’s not the identical group we began with 9 years in the past. We’ve got achieved it two or 3 times already. It isn’t the largest problem.
‘The problem I had is once I was beginning my managerial profession with my workers. I proved myself and my workers proved we are able to do it.’
Spurs stay a bogey group for Guardiola and Metropolis, notably away from house, as Metropolis have received solely two of their eight video games on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Their final journey there in October resulted in a 2-1 defeat within the Carabao Cup, a outcome which was the primary in a five-game shedding streak – the primary of Guardiola’s managerial profession – that additionally included a 4-0 loss to Spurs on the Etihad Stadium as Metropolis’s season went off the rails.
But when Metropolis have endured a rocky marketing campaign, issues have been even worse for Ange Postecoglu’s facet following an harm disaster, they usually stay twelfth within the Premier League regardless of successful their final three video games.
Guardiola stated Spurs are a greater group than their outcomes present.
‘They are a incredible group, with particular person high quality,’ Guardiola stated. ‘The rhythm they play and depth they do, unimaginable runners within the transitions however I believe currently they’ve a couple of extra additional passes.
‘They’ll do it, particularly when James Maddison performs. The outcomes dictate one factor, however the opinion of the group is the other.’
