Haaland’s Injury Concern for Manchester City After Fulham Victory

omidbasir- MANCHESTER, England — Erling Haaland has raised injury concerns for Manchester City following his substitution request during their 3-0 victory against Fulham.

Haaland netted City’s third goal, marking his first Premier League goal from open play in 2026. However, after enduring a significant challenge from Fulham defender Joachim Anderson in the build-up to the second goal, the Norwegian did not return for the second half.

Manager Pep Guardiola described Haaland’s situation as arising from “niggles,” noting that it was ultimately Haaland’s decision to leave the pitch.

“He had some problems; he felt uncomfortable, and with the score at 3-0, it made sense to be cautious,” Guardiola stated. “I haven’t spoken to the doctors yet, so I don’t have the specifics. It may just be fatigue or something minor. He indicated that he didn’t feel comfortable, and with a lead like that and a busy schedule ahead, we opted for common sense.”

When pressed for further details, Guardiola suggested that Haaland may be struggling with the demands of a packed match schedule since he began his season at the FIFA Club World Cup in June. He alluded to Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella, who suffered an injury during a 2-2 draw with Leeds United, indicating a broader trend of injuries due to match fatigue.

“Many games are the reason for these issues,” Guardiola remarked. “Cucurella is injured, and you can see why that might happen.”