Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has suggested that Erling Haaland will be missing for at least the team's next two matches against Red Star Belgrade and Crystal Palace.
The Norway international was not involved in his side's 2-1 success over Luton Town on Sunday afternoon due to a "bone stress reaction" in his foot, Guardiola said ahead of the clash with the promoted outfit.
The Man City manager was then asked about his leading goalscorer after the win over Luton, and the Spaniard said that Haaland would likely be absent against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League next week, in addition to the home league game with Palace next Saturday.
However, Guardiola is hopeful that Haaland will be fit for the Club World Cup, with the treble winners due to play in the semi-finals of the competition on December 19.
"We don't know. It's his foot, we'll see. Day by day, week by week. Hopefully we can recover him for the [Club] World Cup," said the Citizens head coach after the clash with Luton.
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Haaland has again been in excellent form for Man City this season, scoring 19 goals and registering five assists in 22 appearances in all competitions.
The Citizens fell 1-0 behind to Luton on Sunday, but second-half goals from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish saw the English champions secure a huge three points.
The victory was the team's first in the league since the end of October, and it moved them onto 33 points from 16 matches, four points behind the leaders Liverpool in the table.
"Great performance after what happened in the last results. We conceded the goal in the last minute of the first half. It was a really good test and the players reacted as they had to," Guardiola added on Sunday.
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"That is the challenge. They are still there in the way that they run, they fight and here and behave how we behave i am really proud.
"We played better in the first. The first half was better much better but we need the goals and in the first half we didn't score."
Man City have a pressure-free contest against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the holders of the European Cup already through to the next round as section winners.
However, the Citizens are under pressure in the Premier League due to their recent form, meaning that they cannot afford to slip-up against Palace at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.
Man City will then not be back in league action until December 27 against Everton due to their involvement in the Club World Cup.
Matt Law
