Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was absent from training today due to ‘personal reasons’. The issues are not expected to hinder Haaland’s preparations for City’s Premier League fixture against Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.
Haaland scored in the home fixture against Sunday’s opponents two weeks ago, as City ran out 4-2 winners after an exhilarating performance from the Blues saw them overturn a 2-0 deficit. Amazingly, the last five times City have found themselves 2-0 down they have avoided defeat on all five occasions, winning three and drawing twice.
The Norwegian goal machine has been a revelation at the Blues finding the net 31 times in his first 27 appearances, assisting a further three times. Haaland will be needed for City’s trip to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, as the club has not managed to score a single goal in their three fixtures to Spur’s new stadium so far. If anyone can break that duck, Haaland is that man.
Manager Pep Guardiola will face the media on Friday afternoon ahead of his side’s trip to London, and an update on his star striker will surely be discussed. With Arsenal facing newly appointed Everton manager Sean Dyche in the early Saturday lunch-time kick-off, Mikel Arteta’s side can increase the gap at the top of the table back to eight points, before City face the Gunner’s North London rivals.