ELLAND ROAD, LEEDS — Manchester City are aiming to close the gap on Arsenal at the Premier League summit when they travel to face Leeds United on Saturday. They will have to do so without Erling Haaland.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won their past five games in all competitions and remain in the hunt for honours across all fronts.
City beat Leeds 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium at the end of November but needed an injury-time winner from Phil Foden after they surrendered a two-goal halftime lead.
Leeds have only lost two of their subsequent 14 Premier League games since that reverse and are set to be a tough proposition for City, who suffered a major blow before kickoff.
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When the official team news was confirmed at 4:15 p.m. local time (11:15 a.m. ET), Haaland was not part of the City matchday squad.
January signing Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush were both in the starting XI and look set to be paired together in attack in Haaland’s absence.
Pep Guardiola is expected to give further details on Haaland’s absence in his pre-match interviews.
This will be the first City game in the Premier League or Champions League this season where Haaland has not been involved.
Indeed, he has started all but two of his club’s 35 matches in those competitions to date, appearing as a substitute as a heavily rotated City lost 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen and when Guardiola’s team beat Wolves by the same scoreline.
Semenyo and Marmoush started the Wolves game in tandem and were both on the scoresheet. City also won domestic cup games against Huddersfield Town, Swansea City, Brentford and Salford City when Haaland was rested.
Haaland’s 22 goals in 27 appearances have him out in front in the Premier League’s Golden Boot race. He also has seven assists.
In all competitions, Haaland has 29 goals in 38 clubs appearances this term. All of his assists have come in the Premier League.
