Manchester City captain Kyle Walker says he's feeling as fresh as a daisy before the club's meeting with Liverpool and reckons Pep Guardiola might even give his players time off before that Premier League game.
03.11.2023 - 23:19 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Erling Haaland is back to his best and 'free' of his underlying injury concerns, Pep Guardiola says, and the striker does not need a rest any time soon for Manchester City.
After arriving at City last summer, Haaland's fitness and training programme was managed, with the club wary of his injury record at Borussia Dortmund. The striker still managed to feature 53 times for City his his debut season, missing just three games through injury, and a further five when he was rested.
This season, Haaland has started every Premier League and European game, with just one game rested on the bench at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. That record, according to Guardiola, is because he is finally free of any injury that could plague him as the campaign progresses.
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“He's so important for us, he feels really fit now," Guardiola said. “Sometimes he has niggles, especially in the abductor in the past when he came from Dortmund. Now completely opposite, he feels free of problems. Today I saw him training with an incredible energy.
"I don't think about March, April and May; we try to win games to be contenders in March, April and May for the competitions we are playing in. We will see, if he goes down and is tired, he takes a rest. Now, I think he's feeling good.
"For us, having him on the pitch gives us confidence and is an incredible threat to the opponents. He is so incredible, a lovely player who is really special for us.”
However, Guardiola did admit that Haaland spent some time this season to get back to his best form - with questions asked over his conversion rate at times - but his
Manchester City captain Kyle Walker says he's feeling as fresh as a daisy before the club's meeting with Liverpool and reckons Pep Guardiola might even give his players time off before that Premier League game.
Pep Guardiola has been dealt yet another injury scare during the international break as Manchester City await an update on Erling Haaland before their impending Premier League showdown with Liverpool.
Manchester United are still predicted to finish outside of the European places despite victory over Luton Town at the weekend but Manchester City's Premier League title race hopes remain intact.
Manchester City are Champions of Europe and have won five trophies over the last two seasons. Manchester United are the 20-times Champions of England and experienced unprecedented dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson. Teams like Stockport and Bolton are on the rise again, while Greater Manchester holds two of the top women's clubs in the Women's Super League. This city is the capital of football, however much London may argue.
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