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Haaland to miss between five and seven weeks with ankle injury, Guardiola confirms

Haaland to miss between five and seven weeks with ankle injury, Guardiola confirms

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Erling Haaland could be sidelined for seven weeks due to an ankle issue, meaning he will miss the majority of the Premier League run-in.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is expected to miss between five and seven weeks with an ankle injury, with Wednesday's match against Leicester City his first on the sidelines.

Haaland scored City's equaliser early in the second half as they fought back to beat Bournemouth 2-1 and book their place in a seventh successive FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

But he was substituted in the 61st minute and later left the Vitality Stadium on crutches. His replacement, Omar Marmoush, scored City's second goal just two minutes later.

On Monday, City said Haaland would see a specialist and moved to allay fears that he could miss the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.

But boss Pep Guardiola confirmed on Tuesday that the Norwegian will be out until early May, meaning he will miss their FA Cup semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest as well as several Premier League matches.

"They told me the doctors say between five to seven weeks," Guardiola told reporters as he previewed Wednesday's meeting with Leicester.

"So hopefully by the end of the season and the Club World Cup he will be ready. Sometimes there are years when these kinds of things happen. It has happened all season. 

"With all the injuries we have had this season, I'm so sorry for them and for Erling as well. So I wish him a good recovery, as speedy as possible, then come back."

Despite City falling out of Premier League title contention this season, Haaland has continued his lethal form in front of goal.

He has 30 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions this season, with only Robert Lewandowski (38), Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane (both 33) and Mohamed Salah (32) netting more among all players from Europe's top five leagues.

Since Haaland arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2022, City have won 66% of their Premier League games with the Norwegian in their starting lineup (62/94).

Interestingly, they have a better win percentage without him, winning eight of 11 games for a ratio of 72.7%.

They have also averaged just as many goals without Haaland starting (2.3 per game) as they have with him.

Haaland previously missed almost two months through injury between December 2023 and January 2024, and City went unbeaten through 11 matches in all competitions in that spell (10 wins, one draw), also lifting the Club World Cup trophy.

City will be confident of coping without him against Leicester, who are nine points from safety after losing 13 of their last 14 Premier League games (one win), including their last six in a row, all without scoring.

In English top-flight history, only three sides have ever lost seven straight without scoring – Sunderland (eight in January 1977), Ipswich Town (seven in April 1995) and Crystal Palace (eight in September 2017).

Boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has lost 13 of his 16 games in charge (81.3%) – the joint-second highest loss rate of any manager to lead a club for 15 or more games in the competition.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Manchester City – Omar Marmoush

Guardiola said on Tuesday that Marmoush could play as a number nine in Haaland's absence, and all four of his Premier League goals this season have come at the Etihad Stadium.

That is the joint-most by any player to score 100% of their goals at home in the competition this term, alongside Marc Cucurella (also 4/4). 

The only players to score each of their first five or more goals in the Premier League for City all at home are Paulo Wanchope (first six), Raheem Sterling (nine) and Phil Foden (five).

Leicester City – Mads Hermansen

Leicester have conceded the first goal in 24 of their 29 Premier League games this season – at least five more than anyone else. 

Should they fall 1-0 behind here, it will be the outright most times a team has conceded first in their opening 30 matches of a Premier League campaign (25), surpassing Ipswich's record from 1994-95 (24). Hermansen will need to be at his best to prevent that.

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

Leicester have had the fewest shots (262) and expected goals (25.8 xG) of any side in the Premier League this season.

Conversely, only Liverpool (492) have attempted more shots than City (466) in the competition this term.

City have won each of their last 13 Premier League games in April – only Liverpool in December (15 between 2017 and 2020) and Manchester United in March (15 between 2005 and 2009) have had longer winning runs in a specific month in the competition.

City have also won 21 of their last 22 Premier League games against newly promoted opposition (one draw), including each of their last 12 in a row.

That is the joint-longest such winning run in their top-flight history (also 12 in a row from December 2009 to December 2011), and even without Haaland, it should continue.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 75.4% 

Leicester City – 10.5%

Draw – 14.1%

Haaland to miss between five and seven weeks with ankle injury, Guardiola confirms

Erling Haaland could be sidelined for seven weeks due to an ankle issue, meaning he will miss the majority of the Premier League run-in.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is expected to miss between five and seven weeks with an ankle injury, with Wednesday's match against Leicester City his first on the sidelines.

Haaland scored City's equaliser early in the second half as they fought back to beat Bournemouth 2-1 and book their place in a seventh successive FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

But he was substituted in the 61st minute and later left the Vitality Stadium on crutches. His replacement, Omar Marmoush, scored City's second goal just two minutes later.

On Monday, City said Haaland would see a specialist and moved to allay fears that he could miss the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.

But boss Pep Guardiola confirmed on Tuesday that the Norwegian will be out until early May, meaning he will miss their FA Cup semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest as well as several Premier League matches.

"They told me the doctors say between five to seven weeks," Guardiola told reporters as he previewed Wednesday's meeting with Leicester.

"So hopefully by the end of the season and the Club World Cup he will be ready. Sometimes there are years when these kinds of things happen. It has happened all season. 

"With all the injuries we have had this season, I'm so sorry for them and for Erling as well. So I wish him a good recovery, as speedy as possible, then come back."

Despite City falling out of Premier League title contention this season, Haaland has continued his lethal form in front of goal.

He has 30 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions this season, with only Robert Lewandowski (38), Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane (both 33) and Mohamed Salah (32) netting more among all players from Europe's top five leagues.

Since Haaland arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2022, City have won 66% of their Premier League games with the Norwegian in their starting lineup (62/94).

Interestingly, they have a better win percentage without him, winning eight of 11 games for a ratio of 72.7%.

They have also averaged just as many goals without Haaland starting (2.3 per game) as they have with him.

Haaland previously missed almost two months through injury between December 2023 and January 2024, and City went unbeaten through 11 matches in all competitions in that spell (10 wins, one draw), also lifting the Club World Cup trophy.

City will be confident of coping without him against Leicester, who are nine points from safety after losing 13 of their last 14 Premier League games (one win), including their last six in a row, all without scoring.

In English top-flight history, only three sides have ever lost seven straight without scoring – Sunderland (eight in January 1977), Ipswich Town (seven in April 1995) and Crystal Palace (eight in September 2017).

Boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has lost 13 of his 16 games in charge (81.3%) – the joint-second highest loss rate of any manager to lead a club for 15 or more games in the competition.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Manchester City – Omar Marmoush

Guardiola said on Tuesday that Marmoush could play as a number nine in Haaland's absence, and all four of his Premier League goals this season have come at the Etihad Stadium.

That is the joint-most by any player to score 100% of their goals at home in the competition this term, alongside Marc Cucurella (also 4/4). 

The only players to score each of their first five or more goals in the Premier League for City all at home are Paulo Wanchope (first six), Raheem Sterling (nine) and Phil Foden (five).

Leicester City – Mads Hermansen

Leicester have conceded the first goal in 24 of their 29 Premier League games this season – at least five more than anyone else. 

Should they fall 1-0 behind here, it will be the outright most times a team has conceded first in their opening 30 matches of a Premier League campaign (25), surpassing Ipswich's record from 1994-95 (24). Hermansen will need to be at his best to prevent that.

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

Leicester have had the fewest shots (262) and expected goals (25.8 xG) of any side in the Premier League this season.

Conversely, only Liverpool (492) have attempted more shots than City (466) in the competition this term.

City have won each of their last 13 Premier League games in April – only Liverpool in December (15 between 2017 and 2020) and Manchester United in March (15 between 2005 and 2009) have had longer winning runs in a specific month in the competition.

City have also won 21 of their last 22 Premier League games against newly promoted opposition (one draw), including each of their last 12 in a row.

That is the joint-longest such winning run in their top-flight history (also 12 in a row from December 2009 to December 2011), and even without Haaland, it should continue.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 75.4% 

Leicester City – 10.5%

Draw – 14.1%

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