Manchester City striker Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland was among the Manchester City substitutes for the Champions League tie with AEK Athens
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Enzo Maresca confirmed Erling Haaland will be fit to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday after the striker was left on the bench for the Champions League victory over AEK Athens.
City swept to a 5-1 success over the Greek champions at the Etihad on Tuesday night, bouncing back from their European defeat to PSG last week and moving into the top six of the league phase table.
Haaland was a major doubt for the contest having limped off shortly before the final whistle in Saturday's Premier League win over Ipswich Town, but he was fit enough to take his place among the substitutes against AEK.
Teenager Floyd Samba was handed a start in his absence with the 17-year-old rewarded for his two-goal showing up front in the Carabao Cup win over Norwich City last month. But it was Phil Foden who stole the show with a hat-trick, adding to Elliot Anderson's opener and a typically classy Rayan Cherki strike as City's quality proved too much for the visitors.
The Blues were able to give Haaland the night off and after the game, Maresca confirmed the star man will return for the lunchtime trip to Villa Park this weekend.
"He's okay to start on Saturday," said the Italian. "We had five or six players on the bench who ready to go inside but at the same time they had a rest so we’re happy with that."
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