Haaland resting in Marbella after fatigue substitution, set to face Liverpool at Anfield

Erling Haaland is recuperating at his home in Marbella, Spain, after leaving Norway’s 2-1 Nations League defeat to Portugal early due to fatigue, with the Manchester City striker expected to be fit for Sunday’s trip to Anfield.

Haaland signalled to the bench to be replaced in the 67th minute of Sunday’s loss in Lisbon, a gesture that immediately raised injury fears. However, Norwegian broadcaster and reporter Vegard Aulstad has since clarified that the 24-year-old was simply exhausted, and that a conversation with Norway head coach Staale Solbakken had taken place before kick-off about managing his workload.

“The coach, Staale Solbakken, told us that they had a discussion before the game, him and Erling,” Aulstad told The Manchester Evening News. “Haaland was given the choice whether he wanted to come from the bench or start. But Erling hasn’t had many good experiences with coming on as a sub because he rarely does that. So he wanted to start a game. They said, ‘Okay, you try to do an hour, 60 minutes.’ Then he played 67 minutes and he told himself that he was empty, he was tired.”

After the final whistle, Haaland departed the stadium directly and boarded a private jet to Spain, where he has been granted an extended rest period before rejoining his City team-mates in Manchester. Aulstad confirmed the striker is expected to be available for the Premier League fixture at Anfield. “He will be at Anfield on Sunday. That will be a new situation. It will be crazy,” he said.

Aulstad also suggested that the ongoing financial charges surrounding Manchester City — for which a ruling found the club in breach, though City denies wrongdoing and has appealed — may have weighed on Haaland mentally during the international break, including Norway’s earlier 2-1 defeat to Wales.

“It is impossible for us to know what he’s going through or how he’s feeling,” Aulstad said. “You can’t simply shield yourself from everything that is happening. So obviously, he is affected in some way now. Probably, mentally, you could see it in Thursday’s game against Wales.”

Despite those concerns, Aulstad expressed confidence that Haaland would come through the difficult period. Enzo Maresca’s City, already navigating the uncertainty of the financial proceedings, will be hoping their striker arrives at Anfield refreshed and ready for one of the Premier League’s most demanding fixtures.