The alarm bells over Erling Haaland’s condition have grown louder ahead of Manchester City’s high-stakes Premier League clash with Liverpool this Sunday. The striker’s abrupt substitution in Norway’s 2-1 Nations League defeat to Portugal on Sunday—where he was seen limping before being replaced in the 67th minute—has reignited concerns about his physical state, just days after the club granted him permission to skip a press conference to avoid external distractions.
The decision to pull Haaland from media duties, confirmed by Norway coach Ståle Solbakken, came after the striker’s international camp resumed following a grueling four-game window. Solbakken clarified that the move was not a response to Manchester City’s influence but a tactical one: to shield Haaland from the relentless scrutiny surrounding the club’s financial charges verdict. The independent commission’s ruling—guilty on all but one of the 115 allegations—has dominated headlines, but Solbakken insisted the focus must remain on football. ‘It’s about concentration,’ he stated. ‘You all know what the topic has been for the last 24 hours.’ Yet the timing of Haaland’s early exit in Porto, where he signaled his bench for relief, suggests his body may not yet be fully recovered from the demands of the international break.
Haaland’s workload has been a recurring issue this season, with his seven goals in six Premier League games masking the underlying fatigue that has forced substitutions in both club and international fixtures. His private flight home after the Portugal match—arranged under the guise of ‘rest’—contrasts sharply with the public image of a striker who thrives on intensity. The question now is whether City’s first game since the charges verdict, a trip to Anfield where Liverpool’s defensive resilience will test their attack, will see Haaland at full strength. Pep Guardiola’s side have been left with a critical decision: whether to deploy him in a high-pressure match where his form could dictate the outcome, or risk another early exit that could further destabilize their title hopes.
The broader implications stretch beyond Haaland’s fitness. The club’s legal battle, with an appeal looming, adds another layer of uncertainty to their season. While Manchester City’s chairman has reiterated their ‘innocence’ in the financial irregularities, the verdict’s impact on player morale and public perception cannot be ignored. Haaland, already navigating the pressures of being the world’s most sought-after striker, now faces the added strain of a club under intense scrutiny. His availability for the Liverpool game—where a strong performance could shift momentum in the title race—will be watched as closely as the verdict itself. For now, the signs are not reassuring. The private flights, the early subs, the avoided media—all point to a player pushing boundaries, and a club that may have underestimated the cost of the battle ahead.
