MANCHESTER, England: Prolific striker Erling Haaland is available to play Saturday when Manchester City visit last-place Southampton, manager Pep Guardiola said Friday.
The Norway international returned to training this week after a groin injury forced him to miss City’s 4-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend.
Guardiola confirmed Haaland will be in the squad for the Premier League game ahead of a visit from Bayern Munich for a Champions League first-leg quarterfinal match on Tuesday.
“(He) trained in the last two days, really good. (He) will be ready,” Guardiola said at a news conference.
The Spanish manager said the Champions League game has no bearing on how much Haaland will potentially play against Southampton.
“Bayern Munich is the last thought. It’s Southampton. Premier League is every day, every week,” Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has scored 42 goals in all competitions this season, had to withdraw from his country’s European Championship qualifiers against Spain and Georgia two weeks ago because of the injury.
Haaland leads the Premier League scoring charts with 28 goals and has hit nine in his last three games in all competitions.
City trail first-place Arsenal by eight points.
Haaland available for Man City game at Southampton
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Haaland available for Man City game at Southampton
- The Norway international returned to training this week after a groin injury forced him to miss City's 4-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend
- “(He) trained in the last two days, really good. (He) will be ready,” Guardiola said at a news conference
Campaigners demand action after 4 Premier League players racially abused on ‘appalling weekend’
- Anti-discrimination campaigners have bemoaned an “appalling weekend” in the Premier League after four players were targeted with racial abuse on their social media accounts following games
- It said “this has been an appalling weekend after four players called out the racist abuse they’ve received on social media. But the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly”
LONDON: Anti-discrimination campaigners bemoaned an “appalling weekend” in the Premier League after four players were targeted with racial abuse on their social media accounts following games.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri shared images of racist messages they were sent privately over Instagram following their teams’ match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday that finished 1-1.
Wolverhampton striker Tolu Arokodare showed racially aggravated messages he received on Instagram after a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday, during which he had a penalty saved.
Sunderland said its winger, Romaine Mundle, was also subjected to “vile online racist abuse” after his substitute appearance in a 3-1 home loss to Fulham.
Kick It Out, a British-based anti-discrimination charity, repeated its calls for platforms to do more to address the problem.
“This has been an appalling weekend after four players called out the racist abuse they’ve received on social media. But the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly,” the organization said.
“The message from them is loud and clear: action must follow. Players cannot be expected to tolerate this behavior, and nor should anyone else.”
The Premier League also condemned the abuse of the players.
“There are serious consequences for anybody found guilty of discrimination and we will offer our full support with their investigations,” the competition said. “Football is for everyone — there is no room for racism.”
The 22-year-old Mundle has since deleted his Instagram account, the Sunderland Echo newspaper reported.
The incidents came days after UEFA began an investigation into claims by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior that he was racially abused on the field by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League game in Lisbon.
