Pep Guardiola issues positive injury update on Erling Haaland and Rodri

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has provided a positive injury update on key players, Erling Haaland and Rodri, ahead of their match against in-form Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday.

Haaland had an injury scare in City’s 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa last week, but the Premier League’s current top-scorer is ready to face Andoni Iraola’s in-form side, who are second on the table.

The Norwegian appeared to hurt himself when he collided with the post in the dying embers of City’s defeat at Villa Park last week. The 25-year-old was rested in City’s 3-1 win at Swansea in the Carabao Cup in mid-week.

However, Guardiola eased concerns about Haaland’s fitness, confirming he was “ready” to face the Cherries on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Rodri has not featured for City since picking up a hamstring injury in the first half of the 1-0 win at Brentford on October 5.

The Spaniard has been plagued by injuries since tearing his ACL in September 2024, which sidelined him for nearly the entire 2024/25 season. Rodri suffered a muscle injury against Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup, forcing him to miss the start of this season.

He missed the Burnley match due to knee pain, just a week before sustaining a hamstring injury against Brentford.

Guardiola revealed that Rodri would return to the squad for Sunday’s game at the Etihad Stadium, but also pointed out that he might not be available to start the game or complete 90 minutes.

“I think he will be ready to help us. I don’t know from the beginning, but hopefully he can be with us,” he said.

“Everybody is desperate to play. He has been out a few times, and we all know how important he is for us.”

The Spanish tactician went ahead to sing praise for the work the Cherries boss, Iraola, has done with his side, sitting second in the table, four points behind leaders Arsenal, and having lost just one of their nine matches this season.

On Bournemouth’s stellar form in the season so far, after losing four key players in their first XI in the transfer window, Guardiola said:

“They are top. How coordinated they are with the hierarchy, with the sporting directors, with the managers and with the players – they have a clear philosophy and that doesn’t change.

“Of course, players change and other things, but it is impressive. When you lose three or four players from a back four to Real Madrid and Liverpool, and you reimburse the team and do it in that way, it is because they have a lot of good work behind them.”