Erling Haaland was seen limping after Manchester City’s draw with Newcastle as title rivals Arsenal wait for a further update from afar.
Manchester City have been handed another injury worry amid their title battle against Arsenal after Erling Haaland was seen limping out of St James’ Park following Saturday’s 1-1 lunchtime draw at Newcastle United.
Pep Guardiola admitted his striker had taken “some knocks” and will be assessed in the coming days. Haaland played for much of the match with a bloodied heel after a first-half clash with Dan Burn, albeit managed to see out the 90 minutes.
Any additional absence for ten-goal Haaland, who missed 14 games through injury last term, would weaken Man City’s attacking threat and provide an inadvertent boost for Arsenal – currently without injured captain Martin Odegaard – in their title charge.
There has been a growing rivalry forming between the two clubs since last weekend’s fixture. Guardiola this week was rankled by Mikel Arteta’s comments suggesting that Man City were not innocent of implementing ‘dark arts’ themselves, having faced criticism for Arsenal’s gamesmanship in Manchester.
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The Gunners boss had said: “I have been there before, I was there for four years,” he said. “I have all the information. So I know. Believe me.”
Reacting to those comments on Friday, Guardiola retorted: “Next time, Mikel has to be more clear… He can answer exactly what does it mean when he said he was here and: ‘I know what’s happening here.’ And instead of being in the clouds there, to be more precise.”
