When quizzed on Erling Haaland’s availability for Manchester City’s daunting Premier League meeting with Bournemouth on Sunday, all Pep Guardiola could offer was: “I hope so.”
The relentlessly prolific frontman missed Wednesday’s Carabao Cup victory over Swansea City entirely, as he was overlooked for the squad after sustaining a knock during last weekend’s defeat to Aston Villa. Guardiola takes a very simple approach to Haaland’s selection: when he is fit, he starts.
As the Catalan coach joked earlier this season: “Maybe at the end when we win the Premier League 10 points in front, 10 games to go, after he will rest.”
City, who lie fifth in the nascent league table, host a Bournemouth side which are just one place and four points adrift of league-leading Arsenal this weekend. The Cherries are unbeaten in the league since outplaying Liverpool in an unfortunate Anfield defeat on the opening weekend of the season.
Andoni Iraola shares the same inspiration as Guardiola: the high priest of the high press Marcelo Bielsa. Bournemouth are a closer imitation of the Argentine’s full-throttle ideals, boasting the most aggressive off-the-ball approach in the Premier League which has overwhelmed much of the division this season.
City will have to be at their best to repel the Cherries and can scarcely afford to go into this tricky test without their talisman.
