Haaland doubt and Semenyo injury leave Maresca scrambling for a striker vs AEK Athens

Manchester City head into their AEK Athens fixture on Tuesday without a recognised striker after Erling Haaland limped off during the weekend win over Ipswich and Antoine Semenyo was confirmed out until mid-December with the injury he sustained in the same match.

Semenyo had quietly established himself as Maresca’s Plan B through the middle, contributing five goal involvements in the Premier League this season — a tally bettered only by Haaland and Rayan Cherki among City forwards. His absence out wide can be managed, but it is the loss of his central cover that creates the more pressing problem.

City entered the season without a conventional back-up to Haaland, having allowed Omar Marmoush to join Tottenham on loan with a £60 million obligation to make the deal permanent next summer. The Egypt international had filled that understudy role for the previous 18 months, but City’s coaching staff felt confident Semenyo could lead the line if required. That calculation has now been tested simultaneously by both players being unavailable.

Haaland’s workload has been a growing concern. The Norwegian played a significant role for his country during the World Cup qualifiers and featured in all four of Norway’s Nations League fixtures during the first international break. Maresca had already flagged the need to manage his striker’s minutes ahead of the Ipswich game, pulling him off early at Anfield when City were 3-0 up. Against Ipswich, however, Haaland remained on the pitch through a triple substitution and 12 added minutes — a situation the striker reportedly found wryly amusing.

With both Haaland and Semenyo sidelined for the Athens trip, Maresca has three realistic options to fill the central role. Phil Foden, who scored at the weekend, is considered the leading candidate. He has operated as a false nine for both club and country and will be eager to press his case for a more prominent position in City’s starting XI.

Iliman Ndiaye offers a second route. The Senegal international has played centrally before, though his most effective work comes from wide positions where his pressing and transition play complement City’s structure.

Rayan Cherki, who was an unused substitute against Ipswich, is the third option and appears certain to start. His close control and ability to operate in tight spaces make him a credible candidate to lead the line in a high-pressing system, even if a central striker role remains outside his natural comfort zone.

Maresca will need at least one of the three to deliver a convincing audition — City’s fixture schedule leaves little room to ease Haaland back in gently.