Erling Haaland is injured! Man City striker misses training as Pep Guardiola reveals 'hope' of swift recovery

City head to Huddersfield on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, but the 25-year-old is almost certain to sit that one out. Guardiola admitted that the midweek tie will come too early, but offered a glimmer of hope that Haaland could be back in action for Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Burnley at the Etihad.

Sharing an update on Haaland, Guardiola said on Tuesday: "Recovery yesterday [Monday], he didn't train and I didn't see him and the rest of the players yet today. Hopefully he can play at the weekend. It's been such a demanding week, the last game especially, and sometimes the players have problems. I think he will be fine for the weekend. I hope so."

Guardiola has run with the same starting XI for the matches against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal, but that consistency is about to break. The Catalan confirmed he’ll be rotating heavily at Huddersfield, with Haaland far from the only big name getting a breather.

"It won't be the same starting XI as the last three games," Guardiola added. "The only problem for the Carabao Cup is we respect this competition but arriving at the competition with no injuries and we have injuries. It will be a mix with academy players to play because the priority is Burnley, Monaco and Brentford. It would have been perfect for [Rayan] Cherki, [Rayan] Ait-Nouri, Omar [Marmoush] but there are many players who can't play because they are injured. We will try to compete and go through."

With Huddersfield in midweek, Burnley at home on Saturday, Monaco in Europe and Brentford looming after that, Guardiola knows he has little margin for error. The relentless fixture list is already biting, and keeping Haaland fit could define the weeks ahead.