Manchester City’s fitness bulletin ahead of their Premier League showdown with second-placed Bournemouth is a mixed bag and Pep Guardiola is once again being forced to juggle.
City trail the Cherries by two points heading into the weekend, and with the title race already simmering, every selection call will be under the microscope.
Erling Haaland – knock
Haaland gave everyone a scare after colliding with the post against Aston Villa. He managed to finish the match, but the club have kept things quiet ever since. Fortunately, all signs point to him being available this Saturday. It’s not 100%, but he’s expected to lead the line.
Potential return: Bournemouth (H) – Nov 2
This season: 10 goals in 11 PL games
Rodri – hamstring
A far bigger concern is Rodri. The Spaniard tweaked his hamstring against Brentford and hasn’t featured since. He sat out the win over Swansea and is not expected back in time for the Bournemouth clash. Guardiola won’t rush him — especially with Dortmund up next.
Potential return: Dortmund (H) – Nov 5
Key stat: City have lost 3 of the 4 games he’s missed
Mateo Kovacic – fitness
The Croatian midfielder was a no-show at Swansea despite being named in the matchday squad recently. After Achilles surgery in the summer, there’s a sense City are being extra cautious — which makes sense given his lack of minutes. Still, his absence remains unexplained.
Potential return: Unknown
This season: 0 starts
