Man City get Erling Haaland injury boost as striker trains before Slovan Bratislava clash | OneFootball

Norwegian forward appears ready for Champions League return despite knock suffered in Newcastle draw

Erling Haaland appeared to train as normal with Manchester City on Monday to allay fears that he is carrying an ankle injury.

The City striker was left with a bloodied ankle but he ended up playing the whole game on Tyneside after receiving treatment at half-time.

And Haaland has given Pep Guardiola a boost ahead of the club’s second Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia on Tuesday evening by joining training as usual on the eve of the game.

Erling Haaland in training with Manchester City on Monday

Getty Images

Haaland was put through his paces at the City Football Academy, taking part in drills and exchanging jokes with team-mates.

The Norwegian has started the season in great form for City, scoring 10 goals in just eight appearances across all competitions and hitting the century mark for the club.

The 24-year-old netted back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich and West Ham, but could only manage a brace in the next game against Brentford.

Guardiola will be without a number of first-team players for the trip to Slovakia, with Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Rodri all currently sidelined.

Haaland looks to be fit for the trip to Slovan Bratislava despite a blow to the ankle in Newcastle draw

Action Images via Reuters

“Guys, I’m going to tell you, and I know you are going to ask me all the time; of course we are going to miss Rodri,” Guardiola said of the Spanish midfielder, ruled out for the rest of the season after knee surgery. “Physicality, his presence, I know it. But he’s not there.

“So I’m judging what [Mateo] Kovacic, and Rico [Lewis], and Bernardo [Silva] after, and the wingers with Jack [Grealish], how we have played.

“And it was exceptional. It’s simple. I know that; if we are going well, ah it’s because of no Rodri. I have to find solutions. We are going to find solutions. I would love Rodri to be here, and Oscar Bobb to be here, and Kevin [De Bruyne] to be here, and Ake to be here.

“I would love it. But it is what it is, because it’s 10 years playing 60, 70 games [per season] and the communication, and national teams.

‘”And sometimes it happens. We have to adapt. And we adapted really well against a strong side, and I see my team, I recognise perfectly my team, and that’s all.”