Pep Guardiola didn’t give anything away with a dramatic headline, but when asked about Erling Haaland’s fitness, the look on his face told you there was hope.
Manchester City’s star striker is edging closer to a return, and the timing couldn’t be more important. With a tough trip to Tottenham, City could really use their Norwegian goal machine back in the squad.
Haaland hasn’t played in City’s last two games. He sat on the bench through that bruising Champions League night against Real Madrid, unused while the team ran out of ideas.
Then days later, he was completely left out of the squad in their limp 2-0 defeat to Liverpool a result that didn’t just sting but exposed just how flat City looked without their No. 9.
The injury happened back on February 15 against Newcastle. It wasn’t one of those horrifying, obvious moments either. He just landed awkwardly. Looked like nothing. But it’s lingered longer than expected.
Those are sometimes the worst ones.
Against Liverpool, City came out strong but quickly faded. Foden played through the middle trying his best to create chaos but without Haaland dragging defenders around or lurking for a cross, Liverpool’s backline had a far easier job.
Alisson barely broke a sweat. That match marked City’s eighth league defeat of the season. That’s as many as they had in the last two seasons combined.
When the final whistle blew, naturally all eyes turned to Pep for an update on Haaland. “All the scans are fine,” he said, “but he doesn’t feel right. We trained yesterday his movement was very good. But if a player says, ‘I’m not there yet,’ we respect that.”
Pep wasn’t trying to give false hope, but his tone was optimistic. “I think it’ll happen soon,” he said. “He wants to be out there. Maybe even on Wednesday.”
Spurs away is always a headache for Guardiola. City have only managed two wins in eight visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The rest? Frustrating, narrow defeats. Not the kind of place you want to visit without your main goal threat.
Asked directly if Haaland would travel to London, Pep kept it short: “Hopefully.”
He also opened up about the toll injuries have taken this season. “Of course we miss him,” he said. “He gives us something different. Before, we could find ways to win without key players. But this season it’s been too much. Too many setbacks.”
Despite the knocks, Haaland’s injury record at City is still solid. He’s only missed 26 matches across all competitions since arriving. Most of those came in domestic cup ties where Pep was rotating anyway. And City have won about 73% of the games he's missed which sounds impressive, but doesn’t reflect what he brings on the pitch.
Against Madrid, for example, City were crying out for a presence up top. Once Arne Slot adjusted and had Gravenberch shadow Foden more closely, City’s spark vanished.
Without Haaland stretching the lines or occupying both centre-backs, there was no chaos. No threat.
Now, ahead of Wednesday’s clash, the urgency is rising. Spurs aren’t exactly a fortress defensively, but they’re on a roll. Three straight wins in the Premier League. Confidence is flowing, and City are walking into a tough away atmosphere.
To make things trickier, Kevin De Bruyne isn’t fully fit either. The midfield doesn’t quite have the same flow without him orchestrating everything. That puts even more pressure on Haaland’s return. But Pep won’t rush it.
“Erling knows his body better than anyone,” Guardiola said earlier this week. “When he’s ready, we’ll all see it.”
For fans, Haaland’s absence isn’t just about the goals. It’s about presence. His aura. Just having him on the pitch changes how opponents defend. He may only touch the ball 15 times a game, but that’s enough to balance the game.
The title race is tight, and the Champions League waits for no one. Every point matters now. City can’t afford to let more chances slip away.
If Haaland’s back and fully fit, that could be the thing that tips City’s season from just normal to something special. That’s how important he is.
So now the question everyone’s asking is simple. Is he making the squad for Spurs or not? Will he start? Or will Pep hold him back just a bit longer?
Whatever happens, one thing is clear City fans are counting the days. And for the blue side of Manchester, Haaland’s return can’t come soon enough.