Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will be out for up to seven weeks with the ankle injury he suffered in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final win at Bournemouth, says manager Pep Guardiola.
The Norwegian was substituted in the 61st minute after scoring the equaliser as City went on to beat the Cherries 2-1 and reach the semi-finals.
A video was posted on social media showing the 24-year-old leaving the Vitality Stadium on crutches and with his left ankle in a protective boot.
“They told me the doctors say between five to seven weeks,” said Guardiola. “So hopefully the end of the season and by the Club World Cup he will be ready.
“Sometimes there are years when these kinds of things happen. It happened all season.”
City said on Monday that Haaland would see a specialist about the injury and anticipate he “will be fit to play a further part in the remainder of this season including this summer’s Fifa Club World Cup”.
Haaland missed a penalty and two big chances on Sunday, but he turned in Nico O’Reilly’s cross to level the game before Omar Marmoush scored the winner.
The FA Cup is City’s only remaining chance of silverware this season following a difficult Premier League campaign and early exits from the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
Manager Guardiola has had to deal with injuries to key players throughout the campaign.
His side are fifth in the Premier League, one point behind Chelsea in the race for a Champions League spot.
What games will Erling Haaland miss?
A five-week absence would see Haaland miss six matches, including the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 26 April. That timeframe means he would be looking to return in the Premier League game against Southampton on 10 May.
If he were to miss seven weeks, Haaland would be a doubt for the FA Cup final on 17 May – should City beat Forest.
Haaland would then aim to be fit for the final league game of the season on 25 May at Fulham before the Club World Cup is played in June and July.
City’s Premier League match against Aston Villa has been postponed because of their involvement in the FA Cup semi-final and has yet to be rescheduled.
