Maresca Plans Haaland Rest as Manchester City Manage Heavy Workload

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca intends to give Erling Haaland time off as the club manages the striker's workload during the opening weeks of the season. The Guardian reported the plan before City's Champions League league-phase match away to Porto on Tuesday.

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Haaland has played every competitive minute for City so far this campaign. The 26-year-old has also scored three goals across the club's first three Premier League wins, continuing the production that brought him the Golden Boot in three of his previous four seasons in England.

Maresca said players who represent both club and country can begin to show fatigue and that City must respond before the risk of injury grows. He did not identify a specific fixture Haaland would miss, leaving open the possibility of one game out of the team or a longer recovery period depending on circumstances.

The workload question carries added weight after Haaland was part of the Norway squad that reached the World Cup quarter-finals. Maresca's comments therefore point to planned rotation rather than an immediate fitness issue, and the manager did not say that Haaland was unavailable for the visit to Porto.

City have several tactical alternatives if their leading striker is rested. According to The Guardian, Antoine Semenyo could operate at centre-forward, while Phil Foden or Rayan Cherki could be used as a false nine. Maresca highlighted Foden and Cherki's ability to receive the ball between the lines and help control the tempo of a match.

Porto enter the European fixture after winning their 31st Portuguese league title in Francesco Farioli's first season as head coach. They have taken 15 points from their first five league matches this term. Maresca also said Nico O'Reilly would probably be available after a late fitness issue kept him out of City's 1-0 win over Coventry, while Jérémy Doku's availability remained uncertain because of injury.