Manchester City have received a mixed bag of injury news ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with AEK Athens, with Ghanaian winger Antoine Semenyo facing up to eight weeks on the sidelines while Erling Haaland could yet feature despite limping off at the weekend.
Semenyo, who joined City from Bournemouth in January, picked up a knee problem after coming on as a late substitute in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town . The initial concern within the City camp was that the injury could have been far more serious, but scans on Sunday delivered a measure of relief.
Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the timeline on Monday, telling reporters: “In the first moment, we expected an even worse injury so we were more worried. But after yesterday’s scan, we feel much better because it’s not as big as expected. It could be eight weeks” .
The Italian coach added that Semenyo could return around December, describing him as “a new player in terms of energy” when he eventually comes back .
A Blow to City’s Attacking Depth
For a player who has made 10 appearances in all competitions this season—scoring twice and providing three assists—the timing is far from ideal . Semenyo had been identified by Maresca as the primary back-up option to Haaland in attack, particularly after City opted not to replace Omar Marmoush during the summer transfer window .
“It is a collateral knee injury, something like this. It is not a muscle problem,” Maresca explained, offering some reassurance that the issue is not of the recurring soft-tissue variety that can plague wingers .
The Ghana international’s absence leaves City thinner in forward areas, though the imminent return of Haaland from his own knock will soften the blow.
Haaland Boost for AEK Clash
Haaland, who scored twice against Ipswich before limping off with a foot problem, was absent from the portion of Monday’s training session open to the media . But Maresca struck a cautiously optimistic tone when asked about the Norwegian’s availability for Tuesday’s European fixture.
“He can be available,” Maresca said. “We have a session now and we’ll see. He was quite good yesterday, better” .
The City boss, however, hinted that Haaland could be rested regardless, given the congested fixture list and the forward’s heavy workload. “Replacing Erling is always difficult. We have some different options and we’ll see tomorrow. It depends a little bit on the gameplan” .
Should Haaland sit out, Phil Foden is the most likely candidate to lead the line, having previously operated as a false nine under former manager Pep Guardiola . Rayan Cherki and Iliman Ndiaye are also options through the middle, though neither is a natural centre-forward .
The Bigger Picture
City sit level on three points with AEK Athens in the Champions League league phase, having beaten Porto before suffering a chastening 4-2 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last week . The visit of the Greek champions represents a chance to steady the ship in Europe, even as domestic matters remain serene with seven wins from seven in the Premier League.
For Semenyo, the focus now shifts to rehabilitation. At 26, and with a World Cup behind him, the winger will be desperate to return before the festive period and remind Maresca why he was brought to the Etihad in the first place. City, for their part, will simply be grateful the diagnosis was not worse.
