Haaland given extra rest by Man City ahead of Liverpool trip after guilty ruling

Erling Haaland has been given extra days off by Manchester City before Sunday’s Premier League clash at Anfield, with the club’s trip to Liverpool arriving in the immediate aftermath of an independent commission ruling that found City guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges.

Norway manager Ståle Solbakken confirmed the arrangement after Haaland was substituted during his country’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal on Sunday, citing suspected muscle fatigue. Concerns over a serious injury have since been eased, but Solbakken was candid about the physical toll the season has already taken on his star forward.

“Erling was simply thoroughly spent,” Solbakken said. “Some of my players have only had six or seven days of holiday. And you do not live off your physical condition in a normal job. Then it is straight into the start of the season, followed by a mini-tournament, so it is an extreme strain. He’s in the group that carries the heaviest workload — precisely because his team plays in every tournament and he’s the main man.”

Haaland has been in sharp form domestically this season, scoring five goals in five Premier League appearances. He also netted twice in City’s 2-0 Champions League win over FC Porto.

The match at Anfield will be City’s first fixture since the independent commission’s findings were made public. The Premier League had accused the club of 115 financial infringements spanning nine seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18, all of which City denied. The commission found them guilty on 114 counts. City have submitted an appeal, though pressure for significant sanctions continues to grow.

England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the verdict is weighing on those around the club. “It is a distraction. It is,” he said. “It is of course a topic and we speak about it at dinner and at breakfast. I know the Man City players get a lot of messages and phone calls and feedback about it.”

City’s players and staff are expected to face questions about the ruling when they arrive on Merseyside this weekend, adding an unusual backdrop to what is already one of the Premier League’s most high-profile fixtures.