Erling Haaland unlikely to feature against Wolves despite return to training | OneFootball

Erling Haaland is unlikely to return to action for Manchester City this week despite resuming full training.

The prolific Norwegian striker has been out since suffering an ankle injury in City’s FA Cup quarter-final win at Bournemouth in March.

That raised the prospect that he could feature as City host Wolves in the Premier League on Friday, but manager Pep Guardiola downplayed those hopes.

Asked if the 24-year-old could be involved, Guardiola said at a press conference: “He’s getting better (but) I don’t think so.”

News of Haaland’s encouraging progress comes after Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri also stepped up his training intensity.

Rodri has been sorely missed by City since suffering a serious knee injury in the clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September.

The club remain wary of putting a timescale on his potential return, although the player himself has expressed hope of being available before the end of the domestic campaign.

Guardiola: “The moment the doctor or physio says he can start to play minutes, after that he will start to play minutes.

“It was a difficult injury, 7-11 months the doctors said. He feels really good, every day he is making sessions, but we have to avoid making a step backwards and (getting) injured again.

“I don’t know (when he will play). When the doctor says Rodri – or Erling or the other ones – can do it I am going to think about it.”

City, who are in a tight battle for Champions League qualification, have a chance to move back into third place on Friday but they face a Wolves side in fine form.

New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has overseen six successive victories to lift the team away from relegation danger.

Guardiola said: “The quality they have, the shape they play, the courage – it’s no surprise.

“Wolves have always had, in the last years, really good players and now they’re having an incredible run. It’s another final for us, an important game.”

The game could see another demonstration by City supporters as they continue to protest about ticketing matters.

Some fans boycotted the first nine minutes of last month’s encounter with Leicester.

Guardiola has backed their right to protest and encouraged conversations with the club.

Some supporters’ groups this week wrote an open letter to Guardiola asking if he could personally raise their concerns with chief executive Ferran Soriano.

Guardiola said: “If I can help I will help. I am part of this club from the bottom and the top, but I am the manager and I do what I have to do to try and get the team playing as well as possible.

“They can express what they feel as a group of fans. They have issues they want to express, so the club is here, always has been and always will be open to listen to what they think.”