Pep Guardiola says that Manchester City is “stronger” with Erling Haaland, although his availability for Sunday's collision with Liverpool remains uncertain.
Haaland was an unused replacement on Wednesday when the city of the Champions League from Boog after their 6-3 aggregated defeat by Real Madrid in the play-offs of the knockout phase.
The Norway, which scored 19 Premier League goals this season, looked from the sidelines in Santiago Bernabeu, after he had sustained a knee injury last weekend during the final phase of the victory over Newcastle United.
Guardiola says that Haaland will be assessed on Saturday, and he hopes that his number nine is suitable to appear on Anfield.
“It's better to have Erling on the field than not having him, of course,” said the Spaniard. “With Erling we are in the position we are now.
“Everyone is responsible for the good things and the bad things in the team, but – of course – with Erling we are stronger.”
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The potential return of Haaland would be a welcome relief for the city, whose injury problems with John Stones were forced against Madrid after just eight minutes.
With 11 of his team of 30 years or older in September – including Stones, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva – Guardiola believes that various players cannot “support” the busy schedule of the club and maybe leave.
“We have to sit down with the doctors, with physios, with the players, with the agents, and are clear that some of them cannot play every three days, every month, every two months, every three, four days,” The city boss added.
“So this is the reality. There is another year, [then] A world cup.
“They are many games. More than 50 games are too much for the players in the season. It's too much for people, because the body can't support it.”
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