Will Erling Haaland play for Man City vs. Brentford? Guardiola on star striker, confirms injury setback

Pep Guardiola is unsure over whether star striker Erling Haaland will face Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday.

Two-time Golden Boot winner Haaland has started the new campaign in prolific form, scoring back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham after an opening-day strike at Chelsea.

He also scored to give Norway a 2-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Austria in midweek but Guardiola is unsure Haaland will be ready to play against Thomas Frank’s side after the death of a close family friend.

Ivar Eggja, a long-time friend of Haaland’s father Erling and a confidant to the player himself, died aged 59 this week.

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“It’s a tough moment for him and his family. It was sad, sad news. It’s a close personal friend of him and his family, who was 59 years old. Our thoughts are, of course, with him and his family.

“It’s sad. We will see tomorrow if he’s able mentally and physically to play.”

How bad is Nathan Ake's injury?

One player who is definitely out is Nathan Ake, who sustained a hamstring injury when playing for the Netherlands against Germany.

“I think it will be until the international break,” he said.

“We are unlucky with Nathan and the national team. Every time he goes there he comes back injured.”

That projection means Guardiola will be without his reliable left-sided defender for seven matches across all competitions. Along with Brentford at the weekend, Ake is likely to sit out Premier League games against Arsenal, Newcastle and Fulham.

City begin their UEFA Champions League campaign next Wednesday against Inter Milan, their opponents in the 2023 final, before travelling to Slovan Bratislava in the all-new league phase. Guardiola’s men also launch their Carabao Cup bid at home to Watford on September 24.