Man City injury news: Guardiola provides updates on fitness of Haaland, Rodri, Bobb and Ake ahead of Southampton | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland is ready to start against Southampton on Saturday.

The striker was an unused substitute in his side’s win over Wolves last Friday, returning to the squad for the first time since injuring his ankle.

Guardiola did not say whether or not the Norwegian will necessarily get a starting berth as Man City set their sights on boosting their Champions League qualification hopes by winning another crucial game, however.

“[Haaland] is ready to start, we decide tomorrow” the City boss said.

Prior to matches against Bournemouth and Fulham, Guardiola’s team will have to navigate this weekend’s tie against the already-relegated Southampton.

On the threat Southampton pose, Guardiola said: “It starts at 0-0 and is a massively important game. Three games left. We have respect for them.”

With an FA Cup Final to contest against Crystal Palace during that run of fixtures too, Manchester City’s manager has his eyes solely on this match: “I’m not thinking about that. It’s just a phantom in my mind. All week I’m thinking about them [Southampton]”.

“We have to make up the points. If we make three victories we’ll be there, it’s in our hands. We just have to win one game, then the next one and the next one.”

With Rodri stilling absent, and Champions League qualification not yet secured, Guardiola was keen to highlight Mateo Kovacic’s form this season: “He’s playing really good.”

“Playing close to a player like, Bernardo [Silva], Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan]. He’s playing a really good level.”

Haaland is READY! He is FIT! Pep Guardiola | Southampton v Man City

Another player who might start in midfield is Nico O’Reilly, thanks to the return to fitness of Manuel Akanji: “Nico can play in midfield definitely. You will see.”

This news comes despite O’Reilly departing the field against Wolves, with Guardiola keen to diminish any significance in the substitution: “He play a lot of minutes, there’s not a reason. There’s no punishments.

“When the game is done, we can analyse what he can do better but it’s forgotten, especially in the young players, that they make regular impact in the team.”

Guardiola also provided an update on Rodri: “Rodri is not available. Oscar [Bobb] and Nathan [Ake] started training with us but still are not available.”

Having won their last four Premier League fixtures in a row, Guardiola’s side seem to have found form when it most matters.

Guardiola said: “It’s the best results we’ve got in a row. In the beginning of the season we did it but we were out for a long time. We can do better.”