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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was full of jokes in his press conference ahead of Wednesday night’s Premier League meeting with Nottingham Forest.
The Blues are searching for a seventh consecutive win in all competitions in midweek as they look to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal, who are five points clear at the top of the table – having played an additional game.
Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal of the game in Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Leeds United at Elland Road at the weekend, with Erling Haaland notably missing the trip after suffering a small training ground injury.
Nico O’Reilly also went off injured after 70 minutes after picking up an ankle knock in Yorkshire, though Guardiola is optimistic of recalling O’Reilly and Haaland to the starting XI against Nottingham Forest.
Manchester City remain in the running for an unprecedented quadruple and every game is a final for Guardiola and co between now and the end of the season, with the Blues also facing Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22.
In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Guardiola was asked whether he will look to reintegrate Haaland into the lineup against Forest on Wednesday night.
“We won 0-1 (against Leeds United), he’s not going to play in any more games until the end of the season. I don’t like Erling,” Guardiola said in a laughing tone.
On a more serious note, the Manchester City manager explained how he has gone about coping without Haaland this term. “During the season injuries happen, you know. Fortunately, we have Erling for a lot, a lot of games,” Guardiola added.
“He scored a lot of goals, (he) was involved in a lot of goals. He’s massively important, but during the year it always happens.
“I would say the only problems we have in the play is to just lose one game or miss one game. Unfortunately, sometimes that doesn’t happen. We’ll see if he’s able tomorrow or for the next game against Newcastle (in the FA Cup fifth round).”
It would make sense for Haaland to return to the starting XI against Forest but Guardiola would be well within his right to give the 25-year-old strike some extra time off as Manchester City embark on the business end of the season.
O’Reilly also remains a doubt against Forest and Guardiola could look to recall Tijjani Reijnders to the lineup as he also aims to rotate his squad to keep his best players fit and firing in the final months of the campaign.