Man City show off Haaland fitness while Liverpool get quadruple injury boost
Manchester City were all too keen to share footage of Erling Haaland in training on Thursday evening as the club's top scorer geared up for the visit of Liverpool.
Haaland, who missed City's 4-1 win over the Reds at the Etihad Stadium last season, had sparked fears that he would be absent for the clash with Jurgen Klopp's side ahead when he picked up a foot injury on international duty with Norway, with his national team's doctor claiming that the 23-year-old was "in so much pain" having pulled out of the trip to face Scotland on Sunday.
Any fears that Haaland - who has scored 17 goals in 18 games this season - would miss the visit of Liverpool were dismissed on Thursday though when he was seen being put through his paces in driving rain at the City Football Academy.
City boss Pep Guardiola oversaw a session which featured several of his international stars including midfielder Rodri, who was another who had sparked injury concerns when he missed a game for Spain during the international break.
Guardiola was seen in conversation with Haaland during the session, with the City boss no doubt seeing the Norwegian as crucial to winning the Saturday lunchtime clash between the teams first and second in the Premier League table.
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Haaland trained with Man City on Thursday (Manchester City Twitter)There was also some good injury news for Liverpool on Thursday, as Jurgen Klopp welcomed his international contingent back to the club unscathed following their exertions around the globe.
As well as the returns of South American stars Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, who scored three goals in two games during the international break, Klopp could also call upon the services of defenders Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate and midfielders Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch after all four missed the 3-0 win over Brentford earlier this month through injury.
Liverpool welcomed Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez back to training (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)All four trained with the Reds both in the gym and out on the AXA Training Centre pitches on Thursday, with the long-term absent pair of Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic the only two players missing from the group session.
One international player who returned to Merseyside earlier than many of his teammates was left-back Kostas Tsimikas, who was left out of Greece's 2-2 draw with France on Tuesday in order to avoid being booked and missing their Euro 2024 playoff semi-final in March.
"Anything can happen in this game," said Tsimikas ahead of facing City. "I think it's two of the best teams in the world right now. I think the only thing we have to see it like is as a final, to play our football.
"Everybody knows in this club we play [against] a very, very tough team. They are always there – they win the Premier League, Champions League last year, they make the treble last year. I think it will be a very tough one. I think everybody is looking forward to this fixture – from the players and the fans. I think it will be a very tough game for everybody."
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