Pep Guardiola: Erling Haaland rested due to significant fatigue

Pep Guardiola revealed he did not want to risk Erling Haaland in Manchester City's Champions League draw at FC Copenhagen because the striker was "so, so tired".

The prolific Haaland was named on the bench and watched as City, reduced to 10 men after the sending off of Sergio Gomez, played out a goalless stalemate in the Danish capital on Tuesday.

It was assumed Haaland, who has scored 20 goals in just 13 appearances, was simply being held back ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool, but Guardiola hinted there could have been more to his selection decision.

The City manager said of the 22-year-old: "He finished the game against Southampton so, so tired and didn’t recover well.

"Yesterday was not good, today (he was) a little better but not perfect so we decide not to take the risk."

Guardiola felt Haaland was not the only player to be feeling the effects of their recent exertions.

He said: "I thought about energy levels. Many players didn’t start because they are really exhausted with fatigue and some niggles.

"Phil (Foden) has also some problems and Bernardo (Silva) was so tired yesterday, he told us. The players I played felt better."

The Group G clash at a raucous Parken Stadium was short on goalmouth action but not on major talking points after referee Artur Dias repeatedly visited the pitchside monitor.

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