Pep Guardiola Reveals Concerning Details About Erling Haaland's Injury Scare

Pep Guardiola described it as "logical" to substitute Erling Haaland during the interval of Manchester City's Premier League victory against Fulham on Tuesday evening, following the forward's reports of "certain issues."

City held a commanding 3–0 advantage at halftime thanks to three goals scored within a 15-minute span during the first half at the Etihad Stadium, with Haaland himself netting the third strike. Guardiola appeared to indicate that the Norwegian wasn't dealing with consequences from a tackle by Fulham's Joachim Andersen during the buildup to City's second goal, but was instead experiencing general tiredness.

"[He experienced] certain issues, he feels uneasy," the City manager explained after the match.

"The score was 3–0, naturally," he continued. "I haven't consulted with the medical staff, I'm not certain what's affecting him. Perhaps exhaustion or similar. He mentioned, 'I'm not feeling right' and with the 3–0 lead, considering our packed schedule, having Omar [Marmoush available], [it was] logical [to substitute him]."

Haaland has featured in 37 of City's 40 matches across all tournaments this campaign, making 34 starts and accumulating 2,920 minutes from a potential 3,600. This positions him as the team's most utilized player, with Nico O'Reilly following with 135 fewer minutes played.

Man City's Most Used Players—2025–26

Man City's Most Used Players—2025–26

Haaland broke a mini-slump against Fulham by finding his first open-play Premier League goal of 2026, though it marked his fourth of the calendar year when including spot-kicks and other tournaments. His seasonal total reaches 29 goals while City's next leading scorers are Phil Foden with 10 and Rayan Cherki contributing nine. While not quite matching Real Madrid's dependence on Kylian Mbappé—nearly 50% of their total output—Haaland's 32% contribution remains significantly high.

Guardiola's detractors might question why, during this congested fixture list spanning four separate competitions, he deemed it necessary to field Haaland against League One side Exeter City in the FA Cup, a match that concluded 10–1.

When Can Man City Rest Erling Haaland?

When Can Man City Rest Erling Haaland?

This situation doesn't indicate any mandatory time off for Haaland but does imply some degree of recovery is necessary.

Guardiola has an immediate chance to give Haaland a break. City received another favorable FA Cup matchup when the fourth-round pairings were announced, drawing League Two's Salford City. It should be straightforward regardless of approach and there's no apparent reason for Haaland's participation, particularly with Marmoush available as a capable replacement.

Marmoush has found Premier League success challenging this season, leading to questions about his Manchester City future. However, his lone league strike came after his return from the recent Africa Cup of Nations, and he also scored twice in the Carabao Cup semifinal versus Newcastle United.

Should Haaland miss the Salford fixture, he would have just over a week to recover before City resume Premier League duties against Newcastle United on Feb. 21.