Guardiola uncertain over Haaland fitness for Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia

LONDON: Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland is a doubt for the Club World Cup, with the striker set to miss Manchester City’s home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

City’s top scorer, who has scored 19 goals this season, missed last weekend’s win at Luton and the midweek victory over Red Star Belgrade with a foot injury, and has been receiving treatment in Marbella, in southern Spain.

Haaland reported back at City on Friday and manager Guardiola said he would be assessed by club doctors before a decision was made on his availability.

Reigning European and English champions City are due to travel to Saudi Arabia after Saturday’s match as they seek to add the Club World Cup to last season’s trophy treble.

They face a semifinal against Mexico’s Leon or Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday before either a final or third place play-off match three days later.

“Haaland arrived today (Friday) and the doctors will see him and we will see how he feels,” Guardiola said on Friday.

“He had treatment away. Hopefully he can travel to Saudi and we will see if he is able to play in the first game or the second game, or when we come back. I don’t think he will play (against Palace) but maybe he surprises me.

“It is not a fracture, just stress. Sometimes players recover quickly, some longer. Day by day, week by week, we see how he feels. The moment he doesn’t have pain he will play.”

Palace travel to the Etihad without a win in five Premier League games, a sequence including four defeats, but Guardiola said the London side were always tough.

“How they defend is brilliant and they don’t need much at set-pieces with (Joachim) Andersen and the other guys,” he said. “I don’t remember easy games against Roy Hodgson teams.”

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