Erling Haaland Omitted as Man City Win at Leeds After 'Little Injury' in Training
Erling Haaland was left out of Manchester City's squad for their trip to Leeds after sustaining a "little injury" in training two days earlier, manager Pep Guardiola said. The absence mattered for Man City because Haaland has 22 goals in 27 appearances this season and was unavailable for the match at Elland Road, the city of his birth.
Erling Haaland left out of squad
Guardiola confirmed that Haaland had "some problems" in training two days before the game and that the issue, while described as small, made the forward "not ready for today. " The coach characterized it as "a little injury" and stressed that it was "not a big issue, " but sufficient to rule him out of the matchday squad for Saturday's fixture.
Pep Guardiola on the 'little injury'
Addressing the team selection, Guardiola said the timing of the training setback left City without their primary striker. He noted plainly: "We are without one top striker and we are playing with another top striker. " Guardiola also said he found it "bit weird" that his team are facing Real Madrid again, a separate remark tied to the fixture calendar.
Man City starting line: Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo
In Haaland's absence, Guardiola named a front three of Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo. Cherki came into the starting XI for the match at Elland Road, with Phil Foden, Savino and Jeremy Doku named as attacking options on the bench. The reshuffled forward line reflected the immediate effect of Haaland's withdrawal: City adjusted personnel and personnel roles to cover the team’s scoring burden.
Antoine Semenyo's strike seals victory at Elland Road
City travelled to west Yorkshire with the explicit aim of cutting the gap to league leaders Arsenal to two points, and they achieved that target when Antoine Semenyo scored just before the break. Semenyo's strike proved to be the matchwinner in a 1-0 victory at Elland Road, meaning the single goal was enough for Man City to take the three points without Haaland on the pitch.
Arsenal gap, Real Madrid remark and Premier League's 115 charges
The result moved City to within two points of Arsenal in the title race. Guardiola's comments after the match included an aside that he found it "bit weird" that Man City are playing Real Madrid again. The club also faces other off-field scrutiny: the Premier League's 115 charges against City remain an overarching issue raised alongside match matters. Information from contributed to this report.
What makes this notable is that a player with Haaland's scoring rate—22 goals in 27 appearances—can be absent and the squad still produce a result, underscoring depth but also highlighting how a minor training injury can have immediate tactical consequences. The cause was a training problem two days before the game; the effect was Haaland's omission, Cherki's inclusion and a reconfigured front line that secured a crucial win.
