Manchester City’s manager, Enzo Maresca, dismissed concerns about striker Erling Haaland’s fitness after the Norwegian limped off in the closing minutes of the 3‑2 victory over Ipswich Town. The 22‑year‑old, who netted a brace, appeared to be in pain following a heavy tackle by Jack Clarke in stoppage time and left the pitch before the final whistle, heading straight down the tunnel. Maresca said he had no concrete information about the injury, noting that Haaland himself had reported feeling fine.
The match was a testing day for City’s squad, with several players sustaining knocks. In addition to Haaland, midfielder Mateo Kovacic, forward Matheus Nunes, defender Nico O’Reilly and young centre‑back Antoine Semenyo all suffered problems during the game. Maresca singled out Semenyo’s injury as the most serious, saying it required closer monitoring. “In ten minutes we had four or five players injured – Matheus, Kova, Erling, Antoine and Nico – but they are inside now and we will see,” the coach explained. He added that Kovacic and Nunes had indicated they were fine, while Nico’s back issue, which he had previously suffered against Coventry, remained unchanged. “The only one we need to wait on is Antoine,” Maresca concluded.
Despite the concerns, City secured a comfortable win at the Etihad, with Haaland’s two goals proving decisive. The club’s defensive line, however, was tested by Ipswich’s late surge, which brought the score to 3‑2. The victory keeps City in strong position in the Premier League, but the injuries will force the manager to adjust his squad for upcoming fixtures.
Maresca’s comments suggest that while the team is coping with the immediate setbacks, the full extent of the injuries will become clearer in the coming days. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see whether Haaland and the other affected players can return to full fitness ahead of the next round of matches.