Manchester City forward Erling Haaland could be out for up to seven weeks with an ankle injury, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed.
Haaland picked up the injury in Sunday’s FA Cup win over Bournemouth after a challenge from Lewis Cook. He had scored earlier in the game as Man City won 2-1 in the quarter-final.
A club statement on Monday evening said the Norway international would see a specialist, but they were hopeful he would return before the end of the season.
Man City are in the chase for a Champions League place, with their victory at the weekend setting up an FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest. They will also compete in the Club World Cup in June, in the USA.
Guardiola went further to add a timescale to any potential absence, telling a pre-Leicester press conference: “The doctors told me between five and seven weeks, so hopefully the end of the season and Club World Cup, he’ll be ready.
“Sometimes there are years that these things happen – it’s happened all season. It could have been different if it was the end of the season [before the Club World Cup]. With all the injuries we have this season, I’m sorry for them and for Erling as well. Hopefully the recovery is as speedy as possible and he can come back.
“We don’t have another player with his skills or specific qualities, but we have to adapt. For many years, we played with different ways up front. It depends on the quality of the players. We are going to try and find a solution.”
When asked how his team will cope without Haaland, Guardiola replied: “We need players with other qualities and bring other players closer to the box.
“Erling’s numbers have been exceptional and is our incredible threat on many things, but we have to adjust in our players.
“I know the players who have a sense of goal more than the other ones. We have to bring them closer to the box.”
Haaland’s absence adds to already lengthy injury list for Man City this season, with the striker joining Rodri, Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji on the treatment table.
Pep on fan protest: We need them to reach CL place
Ahead of Man City’s game against Leicester on Wednesday, fans are planning to protest after the club announced they had partnered with a third-party ticketing website.
Fan groups have called on supporters to stay outside of the ground for the first nine minutes of the match.
When asked about the protests, Guardiola replied: “Of course I have sympathy when the fans can express their feelings in good and bad moments, it’s because the team and club is alive.
