Swansea City fans, brace yourself for a bit of reassuring news as we gear up for the Carabao Cup showdown this Wednesday against mighty Manchester City. The latest word on the grapevine is Manchester City's goal machine, Erling Haaland, might just sit this one out after his collision with the goalpost in Sunday’s defeat at Aston Villa.
Haaland, who has been nothing short of sensational this season with a jaw-dropping 15 goals in just 12 appearances across all competitions, found himself in a bit of a tangle when his effort was ruled offside and ended with him hitting the post. Reports suggest he’s been limping heavily since the incident. This could be a significant boost for the Swans, who’d appreciate not facing one of the world’s most formidable forwards.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City’s tactician, hinted at the possibility of resting the Norwegian prodigy, stating, "I haven't seen Erling today but it was a knock, and day by day it is better. We train this afternoon [Tuesday], we will find out how he feels and decide if he can play." It sounds like Guardiola is keeping his cards close to his chest, but a Haaland hiatus could certainly tip the scales slightly more in Swansea’s favour.
In Haaland’s potential absence, the spotlight might shine on the likes of Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki, who are warming up on the sidelines, ready to prove their mettle. And while Manchester City's bench depth resembles an embarrassment of riches, it’s always preferable to face the understudies rather than the star himself.
This clash against one of Europe's elite teams is a golden opportunity for Alan Sheehan's boys to demonstrate their mettle and why I keep singing about this season culminating in a grand silverware parade through the streets of Swansea. Remember, it was the 2012-13 season when we lifted the League Cup; could this be another fairy tale in the making?
Looking ahead, victory against Manchester City could set a fantastic tone for the season. And wouldn’t it just be sweet to have one over on Cardiff as well? Speaking of which, here’s today’s light-hearted dig at our dearest rivals:
Why did the Cardiff City fan wear glasses to the matches? So they could finally see their team score!
Stay tuned for more updates and classic digs as the season progresses! Let’s see if Swansea can again conjure some of that old magic against the giants.
