Erling Haaland is "100% available" for Manchester City's trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed at his pre-match press conference on Thursday — ending a week of worry over the striker who limped out of the win over Ipswich Town.
Haaland was rested for Tuesday's 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens after picking up a knock last weekend, and his absence from the starting line-up fuelled fears that City's perfect start to the season was about to lose its main weapon. Those fears can now be put away.
Haaland cleared after Ipswich scare
Speaking on Thursday morning, Maresca left no room for doubt about his top scorer. "Erling is the only one 100% available," he said, in comments reported on the official Manchester City website. Haaland has scored 12 goals in 10 appearances in all competitions this season, including eight in seven Premier League games, and City have won all seven of their league matches to sit top of the table.
City coped impressively without him in midweek, beating AEK Athens 5-1 at the Etihad as Phil Foden scored a hat-trick — but nobody at the club pretended that was a long-term solution. Haaland's return restores the focal point of a side that has made one of only three perfect seven-win starts in Premier League history, according to Sports Mole's preview of Saturday's game.
Three doubts wait on Thursday's session
The news was less certain for three of Haaland's team-mates. Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and Nico O'Reilly all missed the AEK Athens game after picking up problems against Ipswich — O'Reilly aggravating a back issue, the other two withdrawn with knocks — and Maresca said a decision on all three would wait until after Thursday afternoon's training session.
"We have a session this afternoon. They can be all available or not," Maresca said. "Yesterday they were all improving, and we'll see this afternoon. Erling is the only one 100% available, and the other three we need to wait for today's session."
One player who will definitely not be at Villa Park is Antoine Semenyo. The winger faces around eight weeks out with the knee injury he suffered in the closing stages against Ipswich, a blow BTFW reported when Semenyo was first ruled out — and one that makes Haaland's fitness even more important to a front line suddenly short of senior options.
So what: Villa Park is City's bogey ground
This is not a gentle fixture for Haaland's return. Aston Villa beat Viking 3-1 on Wednesday night to keep their perfect Champions League record, are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions, and Villa Park has become a genuine problem ground for City, who have failed to win on any of their last four visits and lost the last three.
Maresca was full of praise for his opposite number. "I have huge respect for Unai [Emery]; he's done well in all clubs he's been. He's a fantastic manager," he said, adding that he was "100% sure that it's going to be a very tough game."
The stakes are simple. City are three points clear at the top, and victory in Saturday's 12:30 kick-off would stretch that lead to six points before second-placed Arsenal face Everton later in the afternoon. Lose, and the champions get their chance to close the gap on the same day.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Maresca's "100%" is the most important team news of the Premier League weekend. City can beat AEK Athens without Haaland, but winning at a ground where they have lost three in a row, against an in-form Villa side, is a different test entirely — and it is one that almost certainly needed their 12-goal striker leading the line. If Haaland starts and scores, City's perfect start starts to look like a title statement. Can Villa make it four straight home wins over City, or will Haaland end the Villa Park hoodoo? Have your say in the comments.
