Erling Haaland injury latest as Pep Guardiola provides update for Liverpool clash

Manchester City are still sweating on the fitness of Erling Haaland ahead of their Premier League showdown with Liverpool this weekend.

The Norway international picked up a knee injury during the closing stages of last Saturday’s 4-0 win over Newcastle United, replaced by Mateo Kovacic with three minutes of the match remaining.

Haaland trained on Monday and was named in the travelling squad that flew to Madrid for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg clash against Real Madrid.

City capitalised in the first leg last week, losing 3-2 after Jude Bellingham’s winner but were still in the tie heading into the second leg.

Despite the desperate circumstances, Haaland was not deemed fit enough to start and remained on the bench alongside Kevin de Bruyne.

In their absence, City were blown away by Real with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick to send the Premier Leage giants crashing out.

Cit’s focus now switches back to Premier League matters, hosting Liverpool at the Etihad on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola is hopeful his striker will be ‘fine’ for the weekend, telling reporters after the game: ‘Erling, yesterday, tried to train after the action against Newcastle in the last minutes.

‘Probably, with the images (scans) we have done, it’s fine but he has discomfort walking, for example with stairs, and we spoke yesterday and this morning and he said he’s not ready, he doesn’t feel good.’

Haaland has scored 27 goals in 35 appearances this season, 19 of those coming in the Premier League.

City are 17 points off the top of the Premier League with a top four finish looking like the best they can hope for this season with the club also still fighting in the FA Cup.

Liverpool are eight points clear at the top but dropped points in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa has offered Arsenal renewed hope.

The Gunners host West Ham United on Saturday afternoon and can move to within five points of Arne Slot’s side.

Mikel Arteta will then be looking for a favour from his old club when City host the Reds on Sunday.

Should everything go their way, Arsenal can finish the weekend within five points of Liverpool, crucially with a game in hand.