Pep Guardiola Confirms Striker is Available Ahead of Southampton Clash
Erling Haaland is ready to return for Manchester City this weekend, according to manager Pep Guardiola. The Norwegian forward has recovered from the ankle injury that has sidelined him since March and could feature against Southampton on Saturday.
City, who currently sit third in the Premier League, are aiming to secure a top-five finish and Champions League qualification, while also eyeing silverware in the FA Cup final later this month.
Back from Injury Just in Time
Haaland, 24, suffered the injury during City’s FA Cup tie against Bournemouth and has since been carefully managed through recovery. Although he was on the bench during last week’s 1-0 win over Wolves, he didn’t play. Guardiola has now confirmed: “He is ready, he is fit. Whether he starts or not, we will decide tomorrow.”
The striker has netted 21 goals in 28 league games this season and 30 goals in all competitions, making him City’s top scorer yet again.
Haaland Admits City “Lost Their Hunger”
In a recent interview, Haaland pointed to a collective dip in motivation as the reason behind City’s underwhelming title defence. “We’ve had injuries, but we’ve also lacked hunger. I haven’t done enough myself,” he said. “We weren’t good enough overall.”
When asked about those comments, Guardiola responded: “If that’s how he feels, the players should speak to each other and understand why. The standards dropped, and now we’re trying to raise them again.”
Guardiola Reflects on “Most Difficult Season”
City have endured a turbulent campaign marked by a long list of injuries and a poor run of form during the winter, where they won just once in 13 matches. Despite their setbacks, they remain in contention for a European spot and a domestic cup.
“This has been the toughest season of my coaching career,” Guardiola admitted. “You have to keep proving yourself every week. It hasn’t been our best, but we didn’t give up. That matters.”
Big Fixtures Ahead
Following the trip to Southampton, City will prepare for the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on May 17. Their final league games are against Bournemouth and Fulham—both must-win if they are to avoid finishing outside the top four for the first time since 2016.
Premier League next match: Southampton vs Man City – Saturday, May 10, 15:00 BST