Guardiola gives update on Erling Haaland’s fitness following Arsenal clash | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland will not play in their Carabao Cup clash against Huddersfield Town but hopes to have him available for the weekend’s game against Burnley.

Haaland was taken off in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal with Guardiola revealing afterwards that he was suffering pain in his back.

“(We had) recovery yesterday, we didn’t train just had recovery,” Guardiola said when asked about Haaland’s fitness.

“Today I didn’t see him and the rest of the players yet but hopefully he can be (ready) for the weekend.

“It’s been a demanding week and the last game especially. Sometimes the players have problems but I think he will be fine for next weekend. I hope so.”

Guardiola says he will rotate his squad for the cup clash, though he remains without Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush through injury.

“Absolutely,” he said when asked if he will change his side. “Tomorrow I’m not going to play the same starting 11 as the last three games. That’s for sure.

“I said many times we respect this competition, otherwise we don’t win it four times in a row.

“(We want to) arrive in this competition with no injuries but unfortunately we have injuries so it will be a mix of the first team and academy players to play tomorrow because the priority is Burnley, Monaco and Brentford.

“Players like Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush, many players, they are not able to play because they are injured.

“It is what it is. We will try to compete and go through.”