Erling Haaland may not play against Liverpool for Manchester City due to an injury he sustained while playing for his country.
Six players have been added to Manchester City’s injury list as of seven days into the international break.
When they play Liverpool the following weekend, they might be missing nine players, which would leave them with just 12 healthy outfield players. As a result of Ederson’s withdrawal from international duty, the Liverpool team may consist of as few as 14 senior players.
While some of those injuries or withdrawals might have healed by next Saturday, Erling Haaland’s injury was oddly labeled by his national team manager as “not career-threatening.” But, it wouldn’t be the first time City has played Liverpool without their standout striker if Haaland isn’t available.
Haaland’s groin injury from the previous season may have dealt a serious blow to City’s title hopes in April, when they couldn’t afford many mistakes in their chase of Arsenal. The player missed City’s home match against Liverpool.
Julian Alvarez started in his place, and Pep Guardiola used a ‘box’ midfield formation to cover the Argentine duo of Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne, who were positioned as number eights. Rodri played holding midfield, while John Stones pushed in front of Alvarez for support. When Stones wasn’t moving forward, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez played wide midfield roles, with Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Manu Akanji in the back three.
It was a system that would help City win the triple crown and, that same day, see them overcome Liverpool 4-1. As they did recently against Young Boys, City can play without Haaland and still appear at ease.
Who can fill in that midfield system to assist Alvarez and keep things tight against Liverpool if Haaland is sidelined this weekend? There is a good chance that none of the four central midfielders from April will be available on Saturday because Rodri will be absent from Spain’s match against Cyprus this weekend.
Guardiola might have to start Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva in the middle of the field, maybe with Manu Akanji providing a center-back’s extra body. Although Kalvin Phillips is a more specialized defensive midfielder than Bernardo or Lewis, he has never started a match the size of Liverpool’s. He should also be available.
The ‘box’ system might not be an option unless Phil Foden fills the role of number ten, which Alvarez has been excellent at thus far this season. Even so, Stones-Rodri-De Bruyne-Gundogan is far more powerful and experienced than Akanji-Lewis-Bernardo-Foden. Furthermore, Jeremy Doku lacks Mahrez’s level of control, no matter how good he becomes going forward.
Liverpool, who are also more powerful now than they were at the end of the previous campaign, will be itching to play a wounded City. Since Pep Guardiola joined City, they have only won twice in their previous 13 trips to the Etihad in the Premier League. This weekend, they need to win three games in order to live up to their early title pledge.
Therefore, City will need to assemble a team from anyone who can play and hope that some of this week’s withdrawals are more preventative than punitive. The options would be increased even if Mateo Kovacic, Rodri, or Matheus Nunes were available; however, Kovacic is reportedly out for two to three weeks. In these circumstances, Stones’s return would be very much appreciated, if he is nearly fit.
Guardiola will do it again; he has switched systems in the past to accommodate different personnel. However, there is a history of defeating Liverpool without the star striker if Haaland isn’t fit.