Semenyo Injury Concern Overshadows Haaland Scare After Man City Win
Erling Haaland told Manchester City he was fine after limping off following a stoppage-time collision with Ipswich Town’s Jack Clarke, but Antoine Semenyo is the player facing the biggest injury concern after Saturday’s 3-2 win.
City will now assess the squad over the coming days after a bruising finish to the match. Haaland struck twice before leaving the field early and heading straight down the tunnel, having appeared to be in significant discomfort.
Quick facts
- Manchester City beat Ipswich Town 3-2 on Saturday.
- Haaland scored two goals before his late collision with Jack Clarke.
- Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic, Semenyo and Nico O’Reilly also required attention.
- City are six points clear at the top of the league.
- Enzo Maresca has won his first seven league matches in charge, a competition record.
Maresca said the early feedback from Haaland was encouraging, although he stopped short of giving a definitive fitness update. “We have to see,” he said. “Erling said he was OK. At the moment, I have no news.”
The City manager said the final 10 minutes produced a sudden run of injuries, with Nunes, Kovacic, Haaland, Semenyo and O’Reilly all affected. Nunes and Kovacic reported no major issue, while Haaland also indicated he was all right.
O’Reilly is still managing the back problem he suffered against Coventry. Semenyo remains the uncertainty, with Maresca confirming that the forward is the only member of the group whose condition will need to be monitored before a clearer diagnosis is made.
The win also delivered a landmark for Maresca. He is the first manager in the competition to open his spell at a club with seven consecutive victories, moving beyond the six-game starts previously recorded by Pep Guardiola at City, Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.
Maresca welcomed the record but pointed to the team’s daily work as the greater positive. He said results are central to management, while praising the players’ improvement, City’s control of the Ipswich game, their chance creation and their work without the ball.
Next up is Champions League action against AEK, followed by an away league trip to Aston Villa. City then finish October with two meetings against Brighton: first in the FA Cup fourth round and then in the Premier League.
