Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland will not be available to face Brighton on Thursday night. Haaland missed Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea after coming off at the end of 90 minutes in last week’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

The Norwegian will now not face Roberto De Zerbi’s team in the defending champions’ latest Premier League assignment on Thursday 25 April.

Haaland missed the FA Cup semi-final with a muscle problem, Pep Guardiola insisted the matter was not a serious one for the 20-goal striker, who could come back into contention in Sunday’s match against Nottingham Forest. 

However, Guardiola has stated that Phil Foden and John Stones are both in contention for selection.

“Erling is not ready for tomorrow. The other two are ready,” he said in Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.

“It’s not a big issue but he’s not available,” he continued on Haaland.

After a hectic schedule in recent weeks, City have had a few days to recover from that gruelling Wembley encounter last Saturday.

Asked whether he plans to rotate the players in his ranks, Guardiola says every member of the squad has their role.

“Every player deserves to play,” he stated.

“Everyone has their starting XI or favourite players but everyone has their contribution. We have had three or four days since the last game against Chelsea.”

The defending champions are four points behind the leaders Arsenal with two games in hand, with second-placed Liverpool taking part in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday night.

The run-in is effectively in City’s hands and Guardiola insists neither he nor his team will be taking their eye off the ball, raising an eyebrow at the suggestion he could use the midweek fixture as a chance to rotate first-choice players.

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