Manchester City are facing a major selection headache in attack ahead of their upcoming Champions League fixture against AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium. Star striker Erling Haaland is a major doubt after sustaining a foot injury during the recent Premier League victory over Ipswich Town. The Norway international scored twice in that 3-2 win to bring his league tally to eight goals for the season, but his potential absence leaves manager Enzo Maresca scrambling for tactical solutions.
Adding to the manager’s woes, forward Antoine Semenyo has been officially ruled out for up to eight weeks due to a left knee injury picked up in the same match. Semenyo will miss approximately 13 upcoming fixtures across all competitions, severely limiting the Premier League leaders’ attacking depth. Medical scans confirmed a collateral knee issue rather than a muscular problem, providing slight relief after initial fears of an even longer layoff.
Squad Options and Tactical Adjustments
- Erling Haaland scored his eighth league goal of the campaign against Ipswich before picking up a foot knock.
- Antoine Semenyo faces an eight-week recovery timeline after suffering a knee injury in the closing stages of Saturday’s match.
- Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Haaland will be assessed following final training sessions before the European fixture.
- Versatile midfielder Phil Foden and summer signing Iliman Ndiaye emerge as potential candidates to fill the false nine role if required.
Manager Confronts Selection Dilemma
Maresca admitted that replacing a prolific talisman like Haaland is an arduous task, though several internal solutions remain available. Midfielder Phil Foden, who recently ended his goalscoring drought against Ipswich, has previously operated in advanced central areas. Alternatively, forward Iliman Ndiaye and other flexible squad members could be deployed to shoulder the goalscoring burden during the busy autumn schedule.
City are looking to bounce back in European competition following a disappointing 4-2 defeat against Paris St-Germain in their previous outing. Maresca remains hopeful that Haaland’s recovery progresses quickly, but the simultaneous absence of Semenyo highlights a lack of traditional central backups in the current squad configuration following summer departures.
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