Man City's early Champions League form is even more important amid injury crisis

A collective sigh of relief echoed around the blue half of Manchester on Friday amid confirmation that Erling Haaland's injury is not as bad as first feared.

Haaland went down holding his ankle in Norway's friendly win over Faroe Islands the day before, completing the game but looking far from comfortable. The team doctor confirmed it was a recurrence of the issue that forced him off against Bournemouth but manager Stake Solbakken insisted he will be available for the Scotland game on Sunday.

Relief though it may be for Manchester City that their top scorer looks to be okay, the news will provide little comfort for the other injury concerns. Four Blues - Ederson, Nathan Ake, Rodri and Mateo Kovacic - have withdrawn from international duty due to fitness issues, joining John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Gomez and Matheus Nunes in the treatment room.

ALSO READ: Liverpool clash will be a true test of Guardiola's City rule

ALSO READ: Four City players with a point to prove on international duty this week

It means that when City kick off what will be a crucial period at home to Liverpool on Sunday, they may do so with only 13 fit players. Pep Guardiola's side then host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday before welcoming Tottenham to the Etihad the following weekend - that's some week to have a threadbare squad.

Guardiola has so often preached the benefits of a small squad and five Premier League titles in six years suggests his methods are working pretty well. But no one was planning to go into such a week with barely a starting line-up to knit together.

Luckily for City, their European form so far this season means some slack can be cut. The Blues have won all four of their group stage games at a relative