Semenyo’s knee injury leaves City with fewer options if Haaland misses AEK tie
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Semenyo has been ruled out for eight weeks with a knee injury, reducing Manchester City’s options to cover Erling Haaland. Haaland is a doubt for Tuesday’s Champions League match against AEK Athens after suffering a foot injury, as City look to recover from last week’s defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
Semenyo limped off against Ipswich, while Haaland, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly also appeared to pick up knocks. Enzo Maresca said Phil Foden and Iliman Ndiaye could be tried as alternatives up front. City have seven matches in 21 days this month, alongside international commitments, leaving limited time for training and recovery.
- Semenyo is out for eight weeks with a knee injury.
- Haaland is a doubt for the AEK Athens match.
- City face seven games in 21 days this month.
Full account
Manchester City will be without Antoine Semenyo for around eight weeks after the forward injured his left knee in Saturday’s 3–2 win over Ipswich Town. His absence could leave manager Enzo Maresca with fewer choices up front if Erling Haaland is unavailable for Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with AEK Athens. Haaland scored twice against Ipswich but finished the match with a foot problem.
Maresca said Haaland would be assessed after training on Monday and could still be available. The striker was not seen at the session open to the media. City are seeking a response to last week’s 4–2 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, and Maresca has indicated he intends to rotate his side. He said there were several possible ways to replace Haaland, while stressing that the Norwegian remained his first-choice centre-forward.
Semenyo had offered a straightforward alternative, having been used as a number nine, but Maresca will now need to consider other arrangements. He identified Phil Foden as one possibility; Foden has played in that role before and scored his first Premier League goal since December against Ipswich. Iliman Ndiaye, who has previously played as a striker, is another potential option. The reports also note that City loaned Divin Mubama to Southampton in the summer, leaving them without another natural replacement in the squad.
The injury comes during a demanding spell: City are due to play seven matches in 21 days this October, after many players also had international commitments. Maresca said the club had tried to manage workloads and keep Semenyo fresh, though injuries could not always be prevented. Marc Guéhi described the current routine as centred on recovery and preparation between games, with limited time for training.
Where outlets differ
The first report centres on Semenyo’s injury and the wider strain of City’s schedule, including several players limping away from the Ipswich match and the challenge of finding time to train. The second gives more detail on Haaland’s scoring record, the assessment planned after Monday’s training and possible forward options, including Ndiaye and Rayan Cherki. It also notes that Haaland was not present at the media-open session. The first names Ndiaye among possible alternatives; the second supplies more background on his experience as a striker. Both report that Haaland is a doubt, not confirmed absent.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Semenyo’s eight-week injury absence leaves Manchester City short on cover for Haaland”.