Man City striker Erling Haaland needs Rodri repeat to avoid another setback

Manchester City fans will be desperate to see Rodri back to his best but Erling Haaland could really do with that not coming on Sunday.

Haaland was one of the most affected by the stupid red card picked up by his teammate a few weeks ago against Nottingham Forest, with City struggling to find their No.9 in any kind of space in the league defeats to Arsenal and Wolves that followed. As far as Pep Guardiola is concerned, the sooner Rodri can start conducting play again the better.

That will apply to Haaland for City's home game with Brighton on Saturday but before that there is important business on the international stage. If Norway are to have any hope of making Euro 2024, the first thing they need to do is beat Spain this weekend.

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It could all still be in vain, with qualification lying firmly in Scotland's hands given they need a point against Georgia next month and they then host Norway in the final match. But if Norway are to pull off a great escape, it has to start with victory over Rodri's Spain.

The lack of presence at major tournaments is a sore point for Norwegians, with their last World Cup appearance in 1998 and their last (and only) Euros in 2000. Whenever a new superstar emerges from the country, the dream is that they can lead them back to one.

It is a burden that Haaland feels deeply. Speaking in his first newspaper interview after joining City, he told the Manchester Evening News: "It's a nice thing. It's what I wanted to be when I was young.

"In Norway we should start to come to the Euros and World Cups like we did 20 years ago when my father