Manchester City is concerned about the physical condition of Erling Haaland. The heavy workload in matches and a recent knock have raised concerns about the Norwegian striker, who remains one of the most important players in the squad.
Haaland did not feature in City’s 5-1 win over AEK Athens in the Champions League, after he had suffered a knock in the final minutes of the match against Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
After the game, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that the striker is expected to be ready to start against Aston Villa on Saturday. However, according to Manchester Evening News, the coaching staff must exercise caution with the Norwegian’s minutes. Haaland has played 620 of the 630 minutes Manchester City have played in the Premier League this season.
The report notes that the striker could have been substituted earlier against Ipswich, when City led 3-1 with around 15 minutes left to play. The match also had 12 minutes of added time, during which Haaland suffered the knock.
The 26-year-old Norwegian has made more appearances than any other City player since the start of the 2024-2025 season. Norway coach Ståle Solbakken has also previously warned about player fatigue, pointing to the congested schedule and insufficient time for recovery.