Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirms whether Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne will be available to face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Erling Haaland will be available to face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Norwegian was taken off on the hour mark in Tuesday’s 4-0 win away against Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League, shortly after scoring his 11th goal of the campaign.
After the match, Guardiola admitted that the Citizens will have to take care of Haaland and guard him against picking up any injuries or knocks, like the one he sustained in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United last weekend.
“Erling is never disappointed with his manager!” Guardiola told reporters. “As a manager I am more secure and more happy when Erling is on the pitch.
“I will keep him on the pitch all the time but with 0-3 the game was almost over and with this amount of games we have to take care of him. He had a big knock last game against Newcastle so that’s why after 0-3 the fantastic goal with the pass from Rico [Lewis] and after that it’s better.”
Guardiola has since confirmed at a press conference on Friday that Haaland “is fine” and is expected to take part in training ahead of Saturday’s clash with Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.
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Haaland fit, but De Bruyne among four who remain sidelined
However, Man City are still having to cope without long-term absentees Rodri (ACL) and Oscar Bobb (leg fracture), while both Nathan Ake (muscle) and Kevin De Bruyne (groin) are also in the treatment room.
“Everyone else except Nathan, Kevin, Rodri and Oscar. The rest are OK,” said Guardiola. “Kevin is not ready for tomorrow.”
Guardiola has previously suggested that he is hopeful both Ake and De Bruyne will return to the first-team fold after the international break.
While Ake has missed Man City’s last six games, De Bruyne has been absent for the last four since coming off at half time in a 0-0 draw with Inter Milan in the Champions League on September 18.
De Bruyne has not been called up to Belgium‘s national team squad for this month’s international break and manager Domenico Tedesco has revealed that the playmaker has also asked to “skip” the November camp in order to “take care of his body”, raising concerns about his fitness.
“I had a long phone conversation with Kevin. He has an injury, but is very motivated to continue and play the World Cup in 2026,” Tedesco told reporters.
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Guardiola confirm De Bruyne injury, discusses international status
“He asked to skip this camp and also November to take care of his body. The schedule has become even busier due to the World Cup for clubs. That is why he is not there now and in November. But when it really counts – the World Cup – he will be there.
“Kevin is a big player, also a big personality. We talked after what happened in the last match. Of course he was emotional, he always wants to win. But he never mentioned names in the media.
“We just have to deal with it. In the media it has become a big item, just because it was Kevin who said it. But in the dressing room it is not a big topic.”
In response to De Bruyne’s omission from the Belgium squad, Guardiola said: “He’s not ready [to play for City] tomorrow. How can he go the national team when he hasn’t played one game? I’ve never understood that.
“He didn’t tell me he’s going to retire from the national team, I don’t know his mind. But for that game (against Fulham), he is injured.”
In the absence of De Bruyne, Phil Foden could be called upon by Guardiola to start his first Premier League game of the season in an attacking midfield role after scoring his first goal of the campaign against Slovan Bratislava in midweek.
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