Pep Guardiola provides an update on Erling Haaland’s fitness ahead of Man City’s FA Cup tie with Salford, while John Stones edges closer to a return
Manchester City face League Two side Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, but much of the pre-match focus has centred on Erling Haaland’s fitness.
The Norwegian striker was substituted at half-time during City’s comfortable 3-0 Premier League win over Fulham in midweek. Pep Guardiola later confirmed the decision was precautionary after Haaland experienced discomfort during the first half at the Etihad Stadium.
Speaking in Friday’s press conference, Guardiola offered a cautious update on his leading scorer.
“He’s not 100% but we’ll see today how he feels,” the City boss explained. “It’s not a big issue, the doctor said to me, but he had some disturbances during the game and that’s why in the second half he didn’t play. We’ll see how his evolution is.”
When asked directly whether Haaland would feature against Salford, Guardiola remained non-committal.
“We will decide today,” he added, suggesting a late fitness call will be made ahead of the cup tie.
City are unlikely to take unnecessary risks given the opposition and the demanding schedule ahead. With the Premier League title race and European commitments still in play, managing Haaland’s workload will be crucial.
🚨 Liverpool injury update
Arne Slot seeks new right-back solution after Endo blow.https://t.co/QgZ4ihBcd9 #LFC #BHA #FPL #FACup
— BBSportNews (@thebbsportnews) February 13, 2026
John Stones pushing for minutes after injury setback
There was more positive news elsewhere in Guardiola’s squad. John Stones returned to the bench against Fulham, marking his first involvement in nearly two months after injury.
The England international has endured another frustrating campaign disrupted by fitness issues. His last appearance came away at Fulham earlier in the season, and Guardiola admitted patience is required as he builds back up to full sharpness.
“Last season too [he was unfortunate with injuries],” Guardiola said. “It is around two months since the last game he played. Fortunately he has got through two, three training sessions so we will see tomorrow if he plays and how many minutes he plays.”
Ruben Dias has already returned to the starting XI after recovering from the injury he sustained against Chelsea in January, strengthening City’s defensive options.
Savinho and Jérémy Doku, however, remain sidelined.
With squad rotation expected against Salford, Guardiola now faces a balancing act: protect key players like Haaland while maintaining momentum as City chase silverware on multiple fronts.