Norway boss explains Erling Haaland substitution amid injury concerns ahead of Liverpool clash

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken has explained the decision to substitute Erling Haaland in the 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday.

In the weekend prior to Manchester City’s visit to Liverpool as the Premier League resumes, the 26-year-old was withdrawn midway through the second half with the teams level at 1-1.

The Express noted that the striker gestured to the bench to suggest that was in discomfort, which prompted fears of an injury ahead of what’ll be a highly charged showdown at Anfield in six days’ time.

Norway boss explains Haaland substitution

Solbakken was inevitably asked about Haaland’s fitness after the match in Porto, and the Norway boss downplayed any concerns over an injury to the Man City forward, instead putting it down to fatigue at the end of a busy international schedule over the past fortnight.

The 58-year-old explained (via NRK): “It looked completely harmless, but I think it comes down to the big picture, that he was simply completely spent.”

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Haaland will likely be fit for Anfield showdown

Given his importance to his country, it was no surprise that Haaland was heavily utilisied in Norway’s four Nations League matches in this window, playing the entirety of three games and then 75% of the defeat to Portugal last night.

It’s therefore understandable that he would’ve been exhausted after such an intense workload, on top of the near-600 minutes that he’s already racked up for Man City since the start of the season.

Having almost a week off until the game at Anfield should give him sufficient time to recharge, and barring any injury problems which emerge in the coming days, we’d expect to see him in Enzo Maresca’s starting XI on Sunday.

While Haaland will very likely feature, Liverpool are set to be without one of their in-form attackers in Cody Gakpo after the knock he suffered for Netherlands last week. There’s also a a nervous wait on Alexander Isak after the thigh problem he picked up for Sweden against Romania.

The Dutchman probably won’t recover in time for Sunday, but hopefully the Reds will have their own Scandinavian striker available, with Man City likely to be able to call upon theirs.

The Norwegian might have started the season in typically red-hot fashion (seven goals in as many games), but we’re confident that the centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet can keep him quiet next weekend.