Manchester City’s Erling Haaland happy and ready to start, says Pep Guardiola

LONDON – Pep Guardiola dismissed suggestions that Erling Haaland is not happy at Manchester City on Feb 2, as he said the Norwegian is ready to make his first start in two months.

Spanish media have speculated in recent days that Haaland could turn his back on City for Real Madrid after being surprisingly overlooked for the top individual awards, despite Guardiola’s men winning the Champions League, English Premier League and FA Cup last season.

However, Guardiola said the 23-year-old will have a smile back on his face now that he is fit after a foot injury.

“You have to ask the media from Madrid if he is unhappy,” said Guardiola. “We don’t have the feeling that he’s unhappy. He was because he could not play – he was two months out injured – but maybe the media from Spain, especially Madrid, have more information than us.”

Haaland made his comeback as a second-half substitute in City’s routine 3-1 win over Burnley on Jan 31. The English champions are not in action until Feb 5 when they travel to Brentford.

“Yes, he’s ready (to start). Everyone is ready right now because they are not injured as much. If they are on the bench, they are ready,” added Guardiola.

Haaland failed to find the net on his return, but remains the Premier League’s top scorer with 14 goals in 16 appearances this season.

And Guardiola is confident the goals will quickly flow again once his talisman is up to speed.

“He played 25 minutes and every transition, every pass, all the players look at him. I know how important he is for us. We try for all the strikers to be happy, especially him, and it will depend how we play. If we play quite comfortable and good, he will get a lot of balls,” said Guardiola.

“This is what we want and after that he will do the rest.”

After a sluggish start to the season, holders City have won five of their last six Premier League matches. Guardiola’s side are also in the thick of the Champions League and FA Cup.

Brentford are on 22 points, three points above the drop zone, but the Bees have been bolstered by the return of England striker Ivan Toney from an eight-month ban for betting offences.

Wearing the captain’s armband, the 27-year-old scored 19 minutes into his comeback on Jan 20 against Nottingham Forest.

“He is an exceptional player. He is an extraordinary player,” Guardiola said of Toney.

“I’m happy he is back and hopefully that period is forgotten. Exceptional players are more than welcome in the Premier League.”

On Toney’s future, Brentford manager Thomas Frank said: “I think with any player we have a contract in general, so at the end of the day we decide if they leave or not. Of course money talks and we also know that we are a selling club as you could call it – we know that is part of the strategy.

“We want to have young, talented players in, develop them and make them better. Be on a journey with us, improve and hopefully do some fantastic stuff in the league and maybe one day win something. But at the end of the day, after some years, if they are good enough they will progress to the next level.”

Guardiola is expecting Brentford to be tough to beat.

“We know in the past how difficult they have been,” he said. “Even when we won it was tight, we lost twice last season.

“We know the standards they have, they have a plan and they apply it well. It’s another game to face and another challenge.” AFP, REUTERS