Haaland injury update: Guardiola reveals duration of Man City star's absence

Pep Guardiola withdraws Erling Haaland due to ankle issue in Manchester City's match against Bournemouth. Haaland's fitness is a concern for upcoming Champions League match.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that he decided to withdraw Erling Haaland from Manchester City's match against Bournemouth due to an ankle issue, as he didn't want to take any risks with the striker's fitness. Despite City being comfortably ahead at halftime with a 3-0 lead, Guardiola wanted to ensure Haaland's well-being for their upcoming Champions League clash against Young Boys. Haaland had previously scored twice against the Swiss side, making him a valuable asset for City in the knockout stages.

Guardiola praised Jeremy Doku, who scored the opener and provided four assists in the match against Bournemouth. The summer signing has quickly settled into the team and consistently performed well. Guardiola also commended Bernardo Silva for his outstanding display, comparing one of his goals to Messi's signature moves. The coach expressed his delight at having Silva in the squad.

Nathan Ake, who scored City's sixth goal, echoed Guardiola's sentiments about Doku's impact and hoped that Haaland's injury was not serious. Ake described Doku as a fantastic player with great personality and work ethic, emphasizing his importance for the team this season.

City's victory propelled them to the top of the table, although their position could be overtaken by Tottenham if they defeat Chelsea. Haaland continues to lead the overall goalscoring charts in the competition, with Son Heung-min and Mohamed Salah as his closest competitors.

Considering City's perfect record in the Champions League group stage, Guardiola may opt not to risk Haaland's fitness in the upcoming match. Their next league game against Chelsea poses another challenge, as the London side has had mixed performances this season.

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