Erling Haaland is not playing for Manchester City against Brighton in the Carabao Cup fourth round. Manager Enzo Maresca has left the Norwegian striker out of the squad as part of a rest plan, and the club’s confirmed lineup shows no sign of him.
Haaland is one of five regulars who were handed three days off after City’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa. Maresca named the group himself: “After Villa, we gave five players three days off. Erling, Elliot, Gigio, Ruben and Josko. They are all on holiday. Three days off, energy, go, come back full of energy and then go again”.
The decision is also tied to the calendar. City face Brighton twice in four days, with the Premier League rematch at the Etihad on Oct. 31, and Maresca admitted that the short turnaround forced him to make changes.
Kaynak: World Soccer Talk