Manchester City are coming down to the wire in terms of the title race in the Premier League for the trophy. Pep Guardiola’s team is trying to fight off the Gunners and the Reds to win another trophy to add to City’s cabinet that has amassed so many over the years. Can Pep do the treble once more, or will an injury to a key player hamper his dreams?
One of City’s main goal scorers is out for the upcoming match against Brighton. Although City shouldn’t worry about this lower-placed team, any injury can lead to doubt within the squad and harm the team’s chemistry. Only time will tell to see if Pep Guardiola can form a team without their superstar.
Manchester City’s Number Nine is Out for Brighton Game
Ready to take on Brighton! 👊#ManCity pic.twitter.com/nRV0IKsymk
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 25, 2024
Manchester City needs to score goals to stay on top of the table and win the Premier League. But can they do so without the Norwegian goal-scoring machine?
Haaland is ruled out of the clash with Brighton due to a muscle injury in the Champions League game played last week. It could be in part due to the number of games played in such a short time frame, the physical toll on the body, and the stress of traveling to numerous matches within a week.
No matter the reason, Haaland is unable to suit up with his teammates when City plays Brighton this week in the EPL. He also was vacant from the roster when City beat Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup at Wembley last weekend to continue to the FA Cup Final.
And it is a huge blow for Pep’s side. Any player is crucial, especially when you play for a team like City where all of the squad members are incredibly talented and pivotal. But with Haaland, it is a different story.
He is the team’s leading goal scorer, with 20 goals this season, a lot of which came in key moments in games to win his team the much-needed three points.
He is a true number nine striker who enjoys getting the ball in the box, winning headers, ands lotting the ball into the bottom corner. He might not touch the ball a lot during the game, but he is proficient and accurate with his shooting – which is all that matters.
Since Haaland has been sidelined, Pep Guardiola has had to come up with new solutions. He gave Phil Foden more minutes after coming back from injury, along with allowing John Stones to slot back into the defensive midfield role after being out for a few weeks.
What is Next for Manchester City
Even though Haaland is out of the team for the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean Manchester City can take a week off. No, in fact, they have a few key games coming up that could determine the winner of the Premier League and FA Cup.
City are only four points behind the Gunners who are the league leaders, but they have two games in hand. This almost certainly means they will catch Arsenal in the last matches of the season.
Manchester City face off against Brighton, a must-win game, and hope to secure three points before moving on to more ‘challenging’ teams. But Pep warns that his team can’t underestimate any side before the game.
‘Brighton away…is one of the toughest ones for the way we play. My admiration is growing every season…the way they play is always there. De Zerbi is doing an incredible job at Brighton.’
Can Manchester City deal without their infamous Number 9? Let’s see if they can last the remaining games of the season without their key striker.
About the Author
Emma is an athlete and sports fan who currently plays professional soccer. Growing up, she reached a high level in track and field, distance running, and soccer on both club and university teams.
