Haaland injury worry as City stay perfect
Maresca warns minutes must be managed amid busy fixture list
Erling Haaland exited the tunnel on an uneven gait after netting a brace in Manchester City’s 3-2 Premier League win over Ipswich. The injury occurred in the closing stages, raising fresh concerns over a striker who has already logged 14 starts across club and country this season, including four appearances for Norway during the international break.
The 12-goal tally puts pressure on manager Enzo Maresca to manage minutes. City face a congested schedule: AEK Athens in the Champions League on Thursday, Aston Villa next weekend, and a Brighton double-header before the end of October, with matches in the Carabao Cup and Premier League scheduled a week apart.
Maresca had pre-empted the issue, warning in his press conference ahead of the Ipswich fixture that rest would become necessary. Rayan Cherki remained on the bench throughout.
The victory also extended City’s winning streak to seven league games to begin the season, moving them six points clear of champions Arsenal. It marked their second successive league triumph following the club’s conviction for financial regulations breaches last month.
Antoine Semenyo also showed signs of discomfort during the same chaotic final period at the Etihad Stadium.
