Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that Erling Braut Haaland will be fit to return for the weekend's Premier League clash with Southampton.
The Norwegian marksman was unable to turn out for his country during the international break due to a groin injury, which also kept him out of the weekend's 4-1 win over Liverpool.
Haaland watched on from the stands and was in good spirits while celebrating his team's goals against the Reds - as well as seemingly moving about without any major physical problems.
Man City relied on Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan for their goals against Liverpool with Haaland absent, as the champions cancelled out Mohamed Salah's opener in some style.
Speaking to the media after the game, Guardiola expressed hope that Haaland would be back fit for the trip to basement side Southampton this Saturday coming, as his players enjoy a hard-earned rest before returning to training in midweek.
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"Erling is getting better. On Friday he felt a little bit better compared to the previous two days," the City manager said. "It's five days to Southampton, so hopefully can still help us like he has all season.
"The players need to rest. I was on holiday in my hometown in Catalonia, but they were with their national teams.
"After that, if you continue in the Champions League or FA Cup, you have a lot of games. So, stay away, then we have three days to prepare for Southampton, then Bayern Munich, Leicester, Sheffield United and Arsenal."
Haaland has smashed records left, right and centre during an astonishing first campaign in England, posting 42 goals and five assists from 37 matches across all competitions.
With just under two months to go in the current campaign, the 22-year-old has already broken Man City's all-time record for the most goals in a single season, previously held by Tommy Johnson with 38 in the 1928-29 season.
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Alongside 10 strikes in the Champions League, three in the FA Cup and one in the EFL Cup, the ex-Borussia Dortmund man has made the net ripple 28 times in 26 Premier League appearances - also a club record for the Citizens.
Haaland unsurprisingly leads the way in the race for the Golden Boot by some distance, currently sitting seven strikes clear of closest challenger Harry Kane (21).
The Norway international's return at St Mary's would leave Phil Foden as the champions' only absentee, as the England international spends the next two to three weeks from appendicitis surgery.
Man City's win over Liverpool cut the gap to leaders Arsenal back down to five points, but the Gunners - who have played a game more - restored their eight-point advantage at the top of the table with their own 4-1 thrashing of Leeds United.
Meanwhile, Southampton suffered a 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, leaving them rooted to the foot of the table.
Ben Knapton
