Haaland's Potential Absence Poses Tactical Questions for Manchester City

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is contemplating his attacking options for Tuesday's Champions League match against AEK Athens, with star striker Erling Haaland a doubt for the fixture.

Haaland has been a prolific scorer for City, finding the net in six consecutive top-flight games and contributing to the team's perfect start to the season. He recently reached his 100th non-penalty Premier League goal, achieving this milestone in fewer appearances than any other player in the league's history. Maresca indicated that Haaland "can be available" for the Athens game and would be assessed after Monday's training session, noting the player was "quite good" on Sunday.

The potential absence of Haaland, who has been a consistent goal threat, presents a tactical challenge for City. Julian Alvarez and Omar Marmoush have previously found it difficult to secure regular playing time as backups to Haaland. The loan departure of Divin Mubama to Southampton in the summer left the team without a natural replacement in Haaland's absence.

Maresca had previously considered using Semenyo as a "nine," but this option is now unavailable as the Ghanaian faces a potential layoff of up to 13 matches.

One potential solution Maresca has identified is midfielder Phil Foden. Foden recently ended his goal drought, scoring his first Premier League goal since December, and has prior experience playing in a forward role. "Phil can be one of the solutions," Maresca stated. "He played already in the past in that position so could play again, but at the moment the number nine is Erling."

Another possibility for the "false nine" role could be summer signing Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegal international was frequently deployed as a striker during Sheffield United's promotion-winning campaign in the 2022-23 season, where he scored 14 goals. Additionally, manager Pep Guardiola has previously praised Rayan Cherki for his suitability in the "false nine" position, noting his performance in a 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Brentford when utilized in that role.