Explained: Why Erling Haaland was not included in Pep Guardiola's Man City squad for FA Cup tie at Leyton Orient

Guardiola made eight alterations to the side that suffered a 5-1 defeat to Arsenal last weekend, prioritizing squad rotation to keep key players fresh. Ruben Dias returned to the lineup, having been substituted at half-time during the clash against Paris Saint-Germain last month. Meanwhile, Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan were handed starting roles, offering valuable experience to a heavily rotated squad.

While some senior figures were given playing time, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, John Stones, and Bernardo Silva started on the bench. Haaland, meanwhile, was not included in the squad at all, a decision that undoubtedly disappointed Leyton Orient fans hoping to see the prolific forward in action. The Norwegian has already accumulated 2,899 minutes across 33 appearances this season, and Guardiola seized the opportunity to provide his goal-scoring talisman with a rare day off.

The club confirmed on their website: "Erling Haaland gets a welcome rest day - no doubt much to the disappointment of the Orient fans."

Without their leading striker, City struggled in attack, and their troubles worsened early on when Tottenham Hotspur loanee Jamie Donley stunned them with a spectacular long-range goal in the 16th minute. City found an equalizer but with a stroke of fortune rather than dominance when the ball took a massive deflection of Abdukodi Khusanov to bring the visitors level.

With the match still hanging in the balance heading into the final 20 minutes, Guardiola turned to his bench for reinforcements, bringing on De Bruyne and Phil Foden to provide the necessary creative spark. Their introduction helped tilt the momentum in City’s favour as the Belgian playmaker put his team his front with the daftest of touches after latching on to a cross from Grealish.

With Real Madrid set to arrive at the Etihad on Tuesday, City fans will hope their biggest stars can step up for what promises to be a monumental European battle. The first leg presents a golden opportunity for Guardiola’s side to gain an advantage before heading to the Santiago Bernabeu on February 19. With Haaland well-rested and their key players ready for action, all eyes will be on Guardiola’s men to see if they can rise to the occasion and keep their Champions League aspirations alive.