Manchester City hope to finish the weekend top of the Premier League table by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon, so Pep Guardiola is expected to name his strongest attack.
The City manager is known for rotating his squad and the players are coming off the back of Champions League excursions just says ago, but Paul Merson believes Erling Haaland will keep his place in the side before the international break.
Where will Manchester City finish in the Premier League this season?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th or lower
He wrote for Sportskeeda: “Haaland is the man of the moment. I know Pep Guardiola likes to rotate his squad a lot, but I think he’ll look to unleash Haaland once again ahead of the international break.
“Norway aren’t going to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and that’s bad news for the Premier League and the rest of Europe, as Haaland will be fully fit and rested while the others battle it out in Qatar.”
The Sky Blues had a Champions League game in midweek and are forced to play again three days later, so there is a risk of a European hangover. Haaland hasn’t missed a game this season, however, so he’ll get picked while he remains fit.
The 22-year-old has been on fire since making the switch from Borussia Dortmund this summer, scoring 13 goals from nine games in his debut campaign, so Guardiola can’t afford to be without him.
Due to struggling with injuries in Germany, Haaland is having his minutes managed by Guardiola, coming off the pitch in the second half of 4/9 outings, so he’s being protected from burnout.
In other news, TalkSPORT pundit criticises Jack Grealish for poor form
Can you name these Man City players from the 2000s? Test your knowledge, take the quiz and challenge your friends and family to beat your score