Jamie Carragher and Pep Guardiola embroiled in verbal exchange over Erling Haaland injury | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher have exchanged words over Erling Haaland’s ongoing injury setback.

The Norwegian striker has been ruled out of Manchester City action over their last two matches, having sustained a problem with his knee during the final moments of the 4-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Haaland was named among the substitutes in Madrid for the second-leg play-off clash against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but failed to warm-up ahead of the game and was unused from the substitutes bench.

While Pep Guardiola had made plain that Haaland had indicated discomfort in his knee during the morning of the contest at the Santiago Bernabeu, CBS Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was not convinced, and made comment on the matter with his own theory prior to kick-off.

“So let me work this out; (Erling) Haaland has gone to the manager this morning and said he’s not fit? Do you think it’s got something to do with Rudiger? Is that because Rudiger is playing? He’s on the bench so he can’t be injured,” Carragher told his co-hosts.

The former Liverpool defender continued, “I never went to see the manager on the morning of a game and said I’m not fit. So he’s injured, is he? It’s Rudiger-itis is it? Is that what we’re saying here?”

Now, speaking during a recent press conference, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hit back at Jamie Carragher by issuing his surprise at the comments first of all, before insisting that the matter was certainly not one to laugh about.

“Oh God. Don’t laugh. I don’t know why he makes that suspicion,” Guardiola responded when the comments of Jamie Carragher were put to him by one reporter.

“Did he say (Erling) Haaland didn’t want to play?! It’s not nice – and not true,” he continued. “He was crazy to play but had a problem with his knee.”

Erling Haaland is believed to be back in contention to feature for Manchester City this week as the Premier League champions look to bounce back from another defeat, this time at the hands of Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham are the club’s next opponents away from home in North London, with memories of the reverse fixture likely to be playing on the minds of both sides – a game that Manchester City lost 0-4 at the Etihad Stadium.