Man City v Liverpool team news: Will Erling Haaland play in heavyweight Premier League clash? Will Cody Gakpo be fit?

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As Manchester City prepare to take on Liverpool on Sunday, Pep Guardiola will be sweating over the fitness of Erling Haaland. The Norway international was forced off injured in a 4-0 win over Newcastle United last weekend, while he was deemed not fit enough to feature in City's UEFA Champions League encounter against Real Madrid on Wednesday. John Stones was also forced off injured in midweek.

Guardiola says Haaland still a doubt for Liverpool clash

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As Manchester City prepare to take on Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, Pep Guardiola will be sweating over the fitness of Erling Haaland.

City’s talisman was forced off with an injury in last weekend's 4-0 win over Newcastle United and was not deemed fit enough to come off the bench for Wednesday’s bruising Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.

"Not close enough," Guardiola explained, when asked about Haaland’s fitness before City’s 6-3 aggregate loss to Real.

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"He trained a little bit yesterday but spoke this morning and said he doesn't feel good, so we chose another one.

"Of course, Erling is massively important for us, not necessary to be a manager to realise [that]. But it is what it is.

"During this season [there] have been many cases [of injury]; it could not be different for this important game."

Will Haaland play against Liverpool?

Guardiola later admitted in his post-match press conference that while Haaland trained on Tuesday, he was having difficulty walking.

"Erling trained yesterday," Guardiola explained. "I believe the images we have done are fine, but he has discomfort walking and, for example, on stairs.

"We spoke yesterday, and this morning, and he said he didn’t feel good, didn’t feel ready."

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Latest Update

Guardiola gave Manchester City's fans another update in his pre-match press conference for the crucial clash against Liverpool.

The Spaniard revealed that City will not know for sure if Haaland will be fit enough to feature until Saturday.

"Don't know yet," he said when asked if the forward would be fit for the game. "Tomorrow we will know it but I don't know.

"It's better to have Erling on the pitch but obviously, we don't have it. But of course with Erling we are stronger."

Liverpool injury news

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s understudy Conor Bradley limped off during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.

Elsewhere, Joe Gomez is out with a hamstring problem and Cody Gakpo has sat out the last two fixtures after picking up an unspecified knock during the Merseyside derby against Everton.

On Gomez and Gakpo’s absences, Slot said before Wednesday's Villa game: "Cody is close to being back and Joe will take quite a long time. He is going to be out for numerous weeks because of a hamstring injury."

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Other Man City injury news

City have been hounded by a spate of injuries all season.

Kevin De Bruyne has been sidelined for much of the campaign, and despite having recently made a return to first-team action, the Belgian was conspicuously left on the bench for both the Newcastle and Madrid games.

Meanwhile, John Stones, who has had his own fair share of injury issues this term, limped off at the Bernabeu after appearing to pull a muscle while playing a pass.

Fellow centre-back Manuel Akanji suffered an injury during the first leg of the Madrid tie and has since undergone surgery on an abductor injury. Some reports suggest the Swiss international could be out for the season.

Moreover, Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain long-term absentees, with both of their return dates remaining unclear.

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