Haaland's Return Guardiola's Update

Erling Haaland of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Villa Park on December 6, 2023 in Birmingham, England.(Image-Getty)

Pep Guardiola has provided insights into Erling Haaland's recovery status, indicating that the Norwegian striker won't be making a comeback for the FA Cup fourth-round match against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday. Despite being close to returning to the first-team action after recuperating from a foot injury, Haaland is not yet fully prepared.

Guardiola conveyed, "He’s on the verge of coming back. Tomorrow, still he is not ready but he is close. Some training sessions he has trained in the last two days. It’s not perfect so we wait a little bit more."

Although Haaland has been seen training during City's warm-weather training camp in Abu Dhabi, he hasn't featured in any matches since the 1-0 loss against Aston Villa on December 6. Despite his absence, he retains his position as the top scorer in the league with 14 goals.

For Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, Guardiola's updates on Haaland's fitness are crucial as the Gameweek 22 deadline approaches on Tuesday, January 30, at 18:00 GMT. The City manager will address further queries during his pre-match press conference preceding Wednesday's fixture against Burnley.

Guardiola also provided an update on John Stones, suggesting that the defender could be in contention for selection against Spurs. "John has come back. He will be [in contention for] team selection," Guardiola remarked.