Why is Erling Haaland not playing for Man City tonight? | OneFootball

Star striker did not make the trip for FA Cup fifth round tie on Saturday

Pep Guardiola has explained why Erling Haaland is not playing for Manchester City this evening.

The striker is their top goalscorer this term, netting 22 goals in 29 Premier League appearances as City sit second in the Premier League table.

Haaland sat out of City’s 1-0 win at Leeds last weekend with a minor injury that he sustained in training, but he returned in midweek for the draw against Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, as they lost ground on Arsenal in the title race.

Ahead of the game at St James’ Park on Saturday night, Guardiola revealed the reason that Haaland had not travelled.

“I was not planning to play him,” Guardiola said. “I would prefer [him to have] good training sessions than to travel and play just 10-15 minutes.

City take on Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 next week, making the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first leg on Wednesday.

They return to Premier League action on Saturday evening in the capital as they play West Ham at the London Stadium.

The second leg against Madrid follows the following Tuesday, and then they take on Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on March 22 at Wembley Stadium.