Doku, Haaland & Savinho: Latest Manchester City injury news and expected return datesplaceholder image
Doku, Haaland & Savinho: Latest Manchester City injury news and expected return dates | Getty Images
The latest Manchester City injury news ahead of their Premier League game against Newcastle - including an update on Erling Haaland.
Manchester City will hope to extend their recent unbeaten run to eight matches when they face Newcastle United this weekend – but Pep Guardiola’s preparations have been marred by recent injury problems.
Erling Haaland was left out of the squad for the FA Cup fourth round win over Salford City last weekend due to a fitness concern, and his availability remains in doubt ahead of a challenging Premier League match at the Etihad. The Salford match also added Max Alleyne’s name to the list of players who could miss out against Newcastle, along with the likes of Jérémy Doku and Savinho.
In total, Guardiola could be forced to make do without as many as six first-team players this weekend – so with the Newcastle match fast approaching, we’ve collected all of the latest Manchester City injury news below, along with the absent players’ expected return dates when available.
Will Erling Haaland play against Newcastle?
Given his importance to Manchester City’s chances of keeping up with Arsenal, it’s understandable that many fans will be concerned by Guardiola’s comments about the fitness of Erling Haaland heading into the weekend, especially after the Norwegian was omitted from Saturday’s line-up having been taken off at half-time against Fulham last week.
The Premier League’s leading scorer appeared to have picked up a knock during the first half against the Cottagers and while City have declined to disclosed the exact nature of the problem, it became clear that he had not recovered sufficiently in time to play in the FA Cup.
“He’s not 100%,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of the 2-0 win over Salford. “It’s not a big issue, the doctor said to me, but [he] had some disturbance before and during the game [against Fulham], and we will see his evolution.”
Haaland was at the Etihad as a spectator on Saturday and appeared to be moving freely, but it remains to be seen whether he is available to face Eddie Howe’s Newcastle – although the likelihood is that he plays and that he was left out against Salford as a precautionary measure.
Jérémy Doku, Savinho & Max Alleyne among Manchester City doubts
Haaland is one of four players who could miss out against Newcastle, with wingers Jérémy Doku and Savinho both recent injury victims who could return to face Newcastle if they come through training successfully this week.
City have not provided an update on Doku since he sustained an injury against Galatasaray in late January, but comments made by assistant head coach Pep Lijnders at the time suggested that the Belgian would be out for less than three weeks, suggesting that he could be in line to play this weekend. Savinho, who has been out for around six weeks with a thigh injury, should be due back in training this week barring setbacks, based on Guardiola’s most recent update, and could feature as well.
Saturday’s game against Salford also raised concerns over the status of young defender Max Alleyne, who was substituted after a collision with an opposing player. The nature and extent of the injury are currently unknown, as are his chances of being part of the squad to face Newcastle.
Long-term injury victims who will certainly be out against Newcastle include Joško Gvardiol (broken leg) and Mateo Kovačić (ankle), both of whom are tentatively pencilled in for comebacks in late April or early May.
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