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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
David McDonnell

Erling Haaland hands Man City injury scare as Pep Guardiola offers worrying update

Erling Haaland handed Manchester City an injury scare after lasting just 45 minutes on his return to former club Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland did not emerge for the second-half, with City boss Pep Guardiola revealing the striker was suffering from a fever as well as a foot injury. Riyad Mahrez had a penalty saved, the second Champions League game in a row he has missed from the spot, but a point was enough to confirm City as group winners.

Guardiola said Haaland will be assessed on Wednesday, ahead of City's lunchtime trip to Leicester on Saturday, but the prolific goalscorer could be a doubt for the encounter. Explaining his decision to replace Haaland at the break, Guardiola said: “There were three things. Firstly, I saw him so tired.

“The second one he had a bit of a fever, like Joao Cancelo. The third, he had a knock on his foot. That's why he wasn’t able to play in the second-half.”

Asked about the extent of the foot injury suffered by Haaland, who has 22 goals in 14 games for City this season, Guardiola said: “I don’t know right now.

“They [City's medical staff] were a little bit concerned at half-time, but I saw him walking okay at the end, so we'll have to see.” With Haaland off the pitch, Mahrez took a second-half penalty, awarded after he was fouled, but the winger failed to score.

Man City star Erling Haaland returned to former club Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night (REUTERS)

It was the fourth penalty Mahrez has missed in 2022 and the 25th in total under Guardiola, with the City boss admitting it is a problem he must address.

“I don’t know how many million of penalties we’ve missed,” said Guardiola. "Riyad was exceptional two or three years ago, but lately he's missed. He will reflect. He can take a break now with the penalties.

“We've missed 25 penalties, most of them in the Champions League, and it's too much. This is a problem and we have to improve.”

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