Man City injury crisis?! Enzo Maresca provides WORRYING update as Erling Haaland limps off against Ipswich

The Norwegian hitman bagged a brace as Manchester City secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday. However, his afternoon ended on a sour note following a heavy collision with Jack Clarke deep into stoppage time.

Looking to be in considerable pain, Haaland did not even wait for the final whistle to sound. The striker prematurely departed the pitch and headed directly down the tunnel, instantly sparking fears regarding his fitness. Furthermore, he was not the only casualty during a bruising conclusion to the fixture, with several other first-team players suffering late knocks.

Despite the alarming sight of his star forward limping away, City boss Enzo Maresca quickly moved to ease the panic. The manager revealed that preliminary checks on the goalscorer were positive, although a full assessment is still pending.

"We will see," Maresca said after the game. "Erling said he was OK. I don't have any news at the moment."

The manager then expanded on a chaotic final phase of the match that saw his treatment room suddenly fill up. "Unfortunately in 10 minutes we had four or five players [injured] - Matheus [Nunes], [Mateo] Kovacic, Erling, Antoine [Semenyo], and Nico [O'Reilly] also - but they are inside now and we will see," he explained.

Providing further clarity on the squad's overall condition, Maresca pinpointed Semenyo as his primary concern. "I asked all of them. Matheus and Kova said they were OK. Erling also said he was OK and Nico, it's still his back if you remember [the injury] against Coventry. It's still the same problem. The only one we need to wait on is Antoine."

While the three points moved the league leaders six points clear at the summit, the afternoon belonged to Maresca, who became the first manager in the competition's history to win his opening seven games in charge of a club.

By reaching this milestone, Maresca has eclipsed the records previously held by legendary figures such as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. All three had managed six consecutive wins at the start of their respective tenures with City, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

"I am very happy because it’s a matter of winning games in this business," Maresca said. "We were able to win seven in a row and what made me very happy was day-by-day with the players, the way they are working and how I can see them improving. Today I thought we controlled the game, created chances and were good off the ball. We are doing well and I think that’s the most important thing."

City's medical department will conduct thorough evaluations over the coming days, with Semenyo facing a nervous wait to discover the full extent of his injury. Maresca will be desperate for a clean bill of health to ensure his squad remains fully stocked for a relentless run of games.

Up next, City shift their focus to European action as they face AEK in the Champions League. Following that continental clash, they travel away to take on Aston Villa. The month of October will then conclude with a demanding double-header against Brighton, as the two sides meet in the FA Cup fourth round before squaring off again in the Premier League.