Manchester City fans have received a welcome boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Bournemouth, with manager Pep Guardiola confirming that both Erling Haaland and Rodri are fit and available. The news comes as a relief after Haaland sustained a knock in the closing stages of last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, while Rodri has been sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up earlier in October.
Haaland's injury occurred when he collided with the post while attempting to score a late equalizer against Aston Villa. The collision forced him to sit out of the Carabao Cup trip to Swansea City. Despite initial concerns, Guardiola has allayed fears, stating definitively that the Norwegian striker is "ready" to face Bournemouth. Haaland has been in sensational form this season, scoring in 14 of his 15 games for club and country, including 15 goals in 12 appearances for City. His return is a significant positive for City as they look to bounce back from their defeat at Villa Park.
Rodri's return is also a major boost for Guardiola's side. The Spanish midfielder has been absent since suffering a hamstring injury during the first half of City's 1-0 win against Brentford in early October. Rodri's importance to City cannot be overstated, and Guardiola acknowledged his significance to the team. While Guardiola indicated that Rodri may not be ready to start the game or play the full 90 minutes, he is expected to be involved in the matchday squad. "I think he will be ready to help us. I don't know if from the beginning but hopefully he can be with us," Guardiola said.
City are understandably cautious with Rodri's return, given his recent history with injuries. The 29-year-old endured a prolonged spell on the sidelines last season after tearing his ACL in September 2024 and also suffered a muscle injury in the Club World Cup.
The return of Haaland and Rodri provides a timely lift for Manchester City as they prepare to face a high-flying Bournemouth side. Andoni Iraola's Cherries have proven to be one of the surprise packages of the season so far, currently sitting second in the Premier League table with 18 points from their first nine games. Guardiola is wary of the threat posed by Bournemouth, acknowledging their consistency and toughness as opponents.
In other team news, Mateo Kovacic was absent for the Swansea City match due to not being fully fit, while Abdukodir Khusanov is ready to play a few minutes after recovering from an injury. Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri all started against Swansea after extended periods out, providing Guardiola with further options as City navigate a busy run of fixtures.
