Guardiola Drops Cryptic Four-Word Bombshell About Haaland's Injury Status
Pep Guardiola offered minimal reassurance regarding Erling Haaland's injury worries, merely expressing hope that his star forward will be "okay" for Manchester City's forthcoming fixtures.
Visiting Manchester City fans were left anxious when Haaland crashed into the goalpost during the closing stages of the Citizens' 1-0 loss to Aston Villa. The Norwegian striker believed he had secured his team's leveler in the 90th minute, but the strike was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Haaland stayed down in clear discomfort after his collision with the post, though he managed to complete the match without requiring substitution as the final moments elapsed at Villa Park.
Following the encounter, Guardiola offered this concise update regarding Haaland's injury concern: "Hopefully he is okay."
The positive aspect for Manchester City is that their next fixture is against Swansea City in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Guardiola shouldn't require Haaland's services against the Championship outfit, providing the striker with additional recovery time.
The Spanish manager will be hoping to have Haaland, who has already netted 24 times for club and country this campaign, restored to full fitness when second-placed Bournemouth visit the Etihad on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Guardiola: Man City's Focus Is 'Not to Monitor the Title'
Following Manchester City's setback, Guardiola also commented on the Premier League championship race. The loss to Aston Villa leaves the Citizens in fifth position, sitting six points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
With considerable time remaining in the campaign, however, Guardiola is maintaining focus exclusively on improving his squad at present.
"We attempt to narrow [the deficit]," Guardiola stated. "Arsenal have maintained consistency for several years. The priority is how we enhance ourselves to get closer.
"From my experience, it's a marathon. There are numerous teams in contention—Bournemouth are performing excellently—and we concentrate on our own matches. Our responsibility isn't to monitor the championship. If [Arsenal] claim all their victories and secure the Premier League, we'll congratulate them. But I believe the team remains competitive, which is positive," Guardiola concluded.
Manchester City's defeat to Aston Villa ended a nine-match undefeated run by the 10-time English champions. With fixtures against Bournemouth and Liverpool approaching in the coming fortnight, Guardiola will be determined to restore his team's winning form and achieve a stronger position before the November international break.