Manchester City face risk of exhausting Haaland amid lack of attacking alternatives

Manchester City face the risk of over-relying on their Norwegian striker Erling Haaland this season, with no natural alternative for the centre-forward position and warnings about the player suffering from fatigue due to the continuous pressure of matches.

Erling Haaland had raised concerns after being substituted during Norway's loss to Portugal in the UEFA Nations League last week, but reports have confirmed his readiness to participate against Liverpool on Sunday in the Premier League, following a short break in Marbella, Spain.

Erling Haaland has played every minute of Manchester City's Premier League matches this season, scoring five goals in five games, along with two goals in his only appearance in the UEFA Champions League. According to Opta data, the Norwegian striker has participated in 133 matches with his club and national team since the start of the 2024-2025 season, making him the fourth most featured player in the Premier League during that period, behind Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice, and Virgil van Dijk.

Ståle Solbakken, the coach of the Norway national team, has warned about the effort Erling Haaland is putting in, confirming that the player was physically drained after a busy schedule and a short rest period. He said: "He was completely exhausted," adding that Haaland belongs to a group of players who bear the greatest burden, given Manchester City's participation in various competitions and their heavy reliance on their main striker.

Concerns are growing within Manchester City following Omar Marmoush's departure to Tottenham, as the team no longer has a clear substitute for Haaland in the striker position. Although Antoine Semenyo is capable of filling this role, it is not his usual position, which could present coach Enzo Maresca with a challenge in managing the minutes of the Norwegian forward, especially with a match against Liverpool in the Premier League before facing Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League mid-next week.