Manchester City’s Carabao Cup Dreams Fade as Erling Haaland Watches from the Bench
Despite a pressing need for firepower, Erling Haaland remained comfortably on the bench as Manchester City suffered a Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham. Travelling with just 14 senior outfield players, City left the stadium with an even slimmer lineup after several injuries, yet Haaland’s boots stayed unworn.
The Norwegian striker, fresh off a demanding game against Southampton, was kept out of the action as Pep Guardiola prioritized his health over the cup run. “The plan was before that he wouldn’t play,” said Guardiola, stressing that he “didn’t want to take risks with him today in this competition.” Haaland didn’t even warm up, watching from the sidelines as City desperately searched for an equalizer.
City’s attempts to salvage the game saw Matheus Nunes pull a goal back after Timo Werner and Pape Sarr put Spurs in command. But despite the late effort, the Blues fell short and exited the cup competition.
The injury list continued to grow: Manu Akanji picked up a calf injury during warm-ups, Savinho was stretchered off in the second half, and Josko Gvardiol needed treatment by full-time. With these fresh setbacks, Guardiola now faces the harsh reality of having only 11 fit senior outfield players, including Haaland, as they head into a crucial week.
Reflecting on the injury crisis, Guardiola admitted this is the toughest period he’s faced since arriving at the Etihad. “It is what it is, it’s normal. Playing 11 months, the limit of the players is there,” he told Sky Sports.
Looking ahead, the City boss emphasized the importance of conserving energy. “The plan was not to play today,” he said of Haaland’s absence. “He plays a lot of minutes, we need him for this week. We have not much recovery and not much players. I didn’t want to waste energy for him.” With mounting pressure and a shrinking squad, Guardiola’s men will hope to regroup before their upcoming match at Bournemouth.
