Manchester City kept their hopes of silverware this season alive by beating Bournemouth to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, but the day wasn’t without disappointment for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Having scored his side’s equaliser at Vitality Stadium after missing a penalty earlier in the game, Erling Haaland was forced off with an ankle injury midway through the second half.
And the extent of that injury to Manchester City’s number nine, their top scorer once again with 30 goals in all competitions this term, has now become clear.
Manchester City to lose Erling Haaland: ‘We don’t have another player with his skills’
The games keep coming thick and fast for City, who return to Premier League action at home to struggling Leicester on Wednesday night.
But, as his team push to ensure Champions League qualification for next season, Guardiola is going to have to get by without his prolific attacking focal point for the time being – at least.
Speaking ahead of the Leicester clash, the City boss explained the situation regarding Haaland’s injury and how long the Norwegian was likely to spend on the sidelines.
“The doctors told me between five and seven weeks,” said Guardiola, “so hopefully at the end of the season and [Club] World Cup he will be ready.”
If Haaland is out for seven weeks, he’s unlikely to feature in the Premier League again this term – the final day of the campaign is Sunday, 25 May.
City still have work to do in order to secure a top-five finish, which should be enough for Champions League football in 2024/25, and they might not be able to benefit from their most reliable source of goals.
Guardiola acknowledged the unquestionably big blow of losing Haaland but insisted that City will strive for an effective workaround.
“We don't have another player with his skills or his specific qualities – we know that,” he continued. “But we have to adapt, and for many years we've played different ways up front, and it depends on the quality of the players. We are going to try to find a solution.”
Should Haaland’s injury lay-off last seven weeks, he will also miss the FA Cup final if City get there – but the Club World Cup doesn’t begin until mid-June, meaning City will be hopeful of having him back fit and firing as they go for glory in the USA this summer.
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