MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 31, 2022: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Everton FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Erling Haaland “touch and go” for Man City return vs. Liverpool

Liverpool are back in action in eight days’ time at Man City, and Erling Haaland could be “touch and go” due to his groin injury.

Haaland was set to play for Norway in their Euro 2024 qualifiers this month but pulled out due to a groin injury, news which initially came out 12 days before Liverpool’s visit on April 1.

A few days later and his father Alfie has been discussing his son’s trip to Barcelona for specialist treatment, and the possible need to take a “gamble” on Haaland when domestic action returns.

Manchester City has a partnership with a hospital in Barcelona so he has been there for further checks and treatment,” Alfie Haaland told Norway’s TV 2 Sport, as quoted by the Times.

“Now he has been here [Marbella] for a couple of days with the physio from the club.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, December 22, 2022: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Football League Cup 4th Round match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“Firstly, I’m not a doctor and secondly, I think it’s ‘touch and go’, yes. You can’t just go two weeks without training and then jump right into a fight. There must be a progression there.

“They can gamble on it, but if he doesn’t get proper training with the team, then he won’t play.

“It is about how he responds to treatment in the next few days. He needs a lot of care.”

While his father suggests it will be “touch and go,” Liverpool fans will feel there is little chance he will miss the Reds’ visit having been given the time to recover over the break.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, October 16, 2022: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (C) and Manchester City's Erling Haaland during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Haaland has missed only two games due to injury this season, at the end of October and start of November, and has featured in 37 of City’s 43 games so far, scoring 42 times.

Liverpool, on the other hand, will be hopeful of Darwin Nunez featuring after his international absence due to a cut on his ankle, while Luis Diaz could also make a return to the squad.

Cody Gakpo withdrew due to illness but will be expected to have recovered by the time the trip to the Etihad comes around.