Manchester City issue Erling Haaland fitness update ahead of Burnley clash | OneFootball

Erling Haaland appears set to be in contention for a starting role when Manchester City return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon.

The Norwegian striker had been considered a doubt earlier in the week after missing the Carabao Cup third round tie away at Huddersfield off the back of a minor problem sustained in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal days prior.

Pep Guardiola himself was cautious in his assessment before City’s 0-2 midweek victory at the Accu Stadium, admitting he had yet to see Erling Haaland take part in full training, in large part due to recovery sessions that followed the North London clash.

Naturally, that prompted questions over whether the striker would feature against Burnley, with Guardiola reiterating earlier in the week that the medical team would continue to assess Haaland’s condition.

“Tomorrow [Thursday] we’ll see,” the City boss told reporters, leaving the door open for the forward to feature but making clear that his readiness would hinge on the next 24 hours. His comments reflected the careful management of City’s star striker, who remains central to their ambitions across all competitions.

Having already shouldered significant responsibility in the early weeks of the campaign, Guardiola and his staff have been determined to avoid risking a recurrence of muscular problems that hindered the forward at times last season.

Now, as confirmed by Manchester City and training ground photos from Thursday, Erling Haaland has trained alongside his first-team teammates as planned ahead of the upcoming Premier League clash with Burnley.

The development offers Pep Guardiola a significant boost going into the weekend, with Haaland likely to be central to the attacking approach against Scott Parker’s side. While Rayan Cherki remains sidelined and others continue their recovery, having the Norwegian back in contention alleviates pressure on the squad.

Looking ahead, the decision Guardiola must make is whether Haaland starts from the off or is eased back into action from the bench. With Champions League fixtures against AS Monaco on the horizon and Brentford to follow in the league, the manager may look to balance minutes.

Regardless, Thursday’s update is a clear indication that Erling Haaland’s latest setback is not considered serious while for City supporters, the sight of their No.9 back in full training will be welcome reassurance as the team look to maintain momentum on all fronts.