Erling Haaland will miss City’s Carabao Cup tie against Watford | OneFootball

Manchester City will take on Watford tonight in a third-round Carabao Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium. The game comes only 49 hours after their 2-all draw with Arsenal on Sunday. Heading into tonight’s match City will have to take on Watford without their top scorer.

Simon Bajkowski has reported for Manchester Evening News that Erling Haaland will miss tonight’s match. Bajkowski reports that Haaland has returned to Norway for the funeral of close family friend Ivar Eggja. Furthermore, Bajkowski further reports that Haaland is expected to be back to face Newcastle on Saturday at St. James Park.

Ordinarily, it would be a blow for Manchester City to be without Erling Haaland for a match. But it would’ve been unlikely that Haaland would’ve played tonight’s Carabao Cup tie against Watford under normal circumstances. Haaland is City’s only recognised striker. Given his importance to Manchester City, he likely would’ve been rested for tonight’s match.

Erling Haaland has started this season in spectacular form. So far this season he has already scored 10 goals in 7 games. What is noticeable in Haaland’s game is how fit and fresh he looks. He has no doubt benefited from having the summer to rest. City’s star striker didn’t take part in the European Championships which has seemed to be to his and Manchester City’s benefit. The hope is that his strong start to the new season is a sign of what’s to come from the Norwegian international.

This week Erling Haaland has more pressing matters than football to focus on. Family comes before football, even though that fact is sometimes lost in the scheme of the game.