Norway’s Erling Haaland has had an incredible start to the season, aiming for his third consecutive hat-trick against Brentford this Saturday. After scoring in Man City’s opening win against Chelsea, he hit hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham before the international break. Haaland also played for Norway in their UEFA Nations League games, scoring in a 2-1 win over Austria, and returned to Manchester without any injuries.
However, Haaland might miss the Brentford match due to the death of close family friend Ivar Eggja, who was a big part of his life and helped him settle into different cities during his career. Haaland paid a heartfelt tribute to Eggja on social media, expressing how much he will be missed. City have said that Haaland has permission to sit out the game if he needs time to mourn, even though he was seen in training on Thursday.
If Haaland doesn’t play, Pep Guardiola may use a false nine in his place, with options like Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, or Kevin De Bruyne. Foden, who missed City’s last two matches due to illness, is back in training and could be ready for the weekend.
