Liverpool FC should fear Erling Haaland after Pep Guardiola decision for Man City vs Copenhagen

Erling Haaland was always going to need a rest at some point, but it sums up his impact on Manchester City that on a night when he didn't play the Blues failed to find the back of the net for the first time in 23 games.

Playing with 10 men for an hour was clearly an impediment to the threat they could pose an obdurate but limited FC Copenhagen side, but even with 11 on the pitch the danger had been sporadic.

City had struck 44 goals in 12 games since the Community Shield but suddenly drew a blank in Denmark. It was a disappointing night but the point is almost certainly enough to secure progress from the group.

READ MORE: City player ratings vs FC Copenhagen

They also avoided expending too much energy ahead of a clash with Liverpool on Sunday. Pep Guardiola's side have five days to prepare for that game against a side that look to be out of the title race already, but their ability to make life difficult for Guardiola and City conditioned some of the decisions here. Keeping Haaland hungry ahead of a game against a rival so low on confidence could spell danger for Liverpool.

Had they needed a win then we might have seen Haaland at some point. Instead, he had a watching brief and City managed the second 45 minutes professionally, keeping Copenhagen at arm's length, although they barely posed a threat at the other end either. They looked happy with a point and a clean bill of health.

It was the first time Haaland had been among the substitutes in his City career, a decision made with Sunday's trip to Anfield in mind and a desire to keep the Norwegian fresh and firing.

He operates to the beat of his own drum at times and 10 minutes after the rest of the City squad had come out to warm-up Haaland emerged from the