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Manchester City fans hoping to see their team capitalise on Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa on December 9 where given a scare when it emerged that Erling Haaland would miss their game against Luton Town a day later.
Haaland, who set a new record of 36 goals in a single Premier League season in 2022/23, played in all of City’s first 15 matches of 2023/24. By early December, he led the Golden Boot standings with 14 goals and four assists, putting him ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The news he would be missing the match at Kenilworth Road was a particular blow for City, who were on a run of four games without a win in the Premier League — something that last happened under Pep Guardiola back in 2017.
In the end, City came from a goal down to win the match 2-1 even without their talismanic forward, and have won eight of nine games without him across all competitions. However, as the fine margins of a 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory at Tottenham demonstrated, last season’s treble winners will be keen to have their main goal threat back for a key stretch of the season.
The Sporting News looks at the latest around Haaland’s status and when he could be back from an injury that saw him miss the whole of City’s successful FIFA Club World Cup campaign.
MORE: In-depth commentary, analysis and highlights from Luton vs. Man City
Erling Haaland injured: Latest on Man City striker’s foot injury
Haaland has not played since Man City’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa on December 6. The striker is struggling with a foot issue.
Haaland had to miss the 2-1 win at Luton Town four days later, after which manager Pep Guardiola described the injury problem as “a bone stress reaction in his foot”. This tallied with some reports on social media suggesting a potential stress fracture, although neither City nor their manager said the injury was as severe as this.
“After the last game against Aston Villa, he felt like this,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “I don’t know [if it looks bad]. Day by day, week by week, we see what happens.”
Speaking after the match, Guardiola clarified: “It’s not a fracture, just a stress on the bone.”
Haaland had to sit out City’s Club World Cup wins over Urawa Red Diamonds and Fluminense, having also sat out the 2-2 home league draw against Crystal Palace. He then missed City’s trip to Everton on December 27.
Into the new year, he remained absent and eventually stepped up his work on the training pitch during City’s warm-weather break in Abu Dhabi, which fell between their dramatic January 13 win at Newcastle United and the Tottenham cup tie.
Before the latter game, Guardiola revealed his star striker had suffered a setback in his recovery.
“A little bit, but he’s fine,” he said. “A little bit of a problem, a little bit of disturbance in his feet, and the doctors decided to stop [him training for] one week, and restart maybe in Abu Dhabi.”
When is Erling Haaland back?
When Guardiola gave this update, he added: “Hopefully, at the end of this month he’ll be ready.”
Taking that in the most literal sense, it means City’s Wednesday, January 31 Premier League home game against relegation-threatened Burnley is on the cards for a return to the field. Haaland scored a hat-trick against the Clarets in the FA Cup last season.
City are then next in top-flight action with a trip to Brentford on Monday, February 5.
Speaking at a promotional event in Manchester for Nike’s Phantom Mad Ready boot pack, Haaland himself suggested a return was imminent, describing himself as “back”.
“I’ve been injured a bit but now, I’m finally back and I look forward to wearing this boot and hopefully scoring some goals wearing this boot,” he said.
Erling Haaland stats 2023/24
In all competitions this season, Haaland has scored 19 goals in 22 matches. Before the Luton game, he had played in every single Man City match in 2023/24, except for the 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat away to Newcastle United on September 27, when he was an unused substitute.
As of December 19, Haaland had played 1,294 minutes of Premier League football in 2023/24. Among City’s outfield players, that places him behind only Kyle Walker (1,529), Julian Alvarez (1,415) and Phil Foden (1,337).
Erling Haaland goals 2023/24
| Competition | Goals | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Champions League | 5 | 5 |
| Premier League | 14 | 15 |
| FA Cup | — | — |
| Carabao Cup | — | — |
| Community Shield | 0 | 1 |
| Super Cup | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 19 | 22 |
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