Semenyo ruled out for eight weeks as Manchester City assess Haaland

Antoine Semenyo will miss eight weeks with a knee injury, reducing Manchester City's attacking options while Erling Haaland is also being assessed over a foot problem. The Guardian reported that Semenyo was injured during Saturday's victory over Ipswich, with Haaland leaving the field in discomfort at the end of the same match.

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The two forwards' situations are different: Semenyo faces a prolonged absence, but Haaland has not been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League match at home to AEK Athens. According to BBC Sport, City coach Enzo Maresca said the striker could be available and would be assessed after Monday's training session. Maresca said Haaland had been doing relatively well on Sunday.

Semenyo's injury removes a player Maresca had identified as an alternative centre-forward when Haaland needs a rest. The coach said City would have to explore other solutions, with Phil Foden among the possibilities. BBC Sport reported that Maresca pointed to Foden's previous experience in the position, while stressing that Haaland remains the team's number nine.

The setback comes during a demanding October programme of seven matches in 21 days. The Guardian reported that Maresca made six changes for the Ipswich game, yet several players finished it with physical problems. Alongside Semenyo and Haaland, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly were among those seen limping away. That does not establish whether any of those three will miss City's next match.

All five players had featured at the World Cup, and many members of City's squad also had international commitments at the beginning of October, according to the Guardian. Maresca said the club was trying to manage fitness and keep players fresh, but described injuries such as Semenyo's as something those efforts could not always prevent.

The congested schedule has also limited time for tactical work on the training pitch. In the Guardian report, defender Marc Guéhi said that recovery and sleep were taking up much of the time between matches, alongside preparation for opponents. City are dealing with those demands after losing to Paris Saint-Germain last Wednesday, with Semenyo's extended absence now adding to the challenge of managing their squad.