Erling Haaland has been left out of the Manchester City squad for their FA Cup fifth-round clash against Newcastle United on March 7, 2026, as part of a precautionary decision by manager Pep Guardiola.
According to reports shared by Fabrizio Romano via x handle, the Norwegian striker has no new injury concerns and is simply being rested to ensure he is fully prepared for Manchester City’s upcoming Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on March 11.
Romano reported;
Erling Haaland, left out of Man City squad today but no injury or problems. He’s just being rested by Pep Guardiola and his staff ahead of upcoming crucial games… …and Erling’s fully expected to start at the Bernabéu on Wednesday against Real Madrid.
Haaland had previously dealt with a minor ankle and knee issue picked up during training last month, which created uncertainty around his availability.
However, the forward returned to action and completed 90 minutes in City’s 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest on March 4, confirming that the problem was not serious.
The striker was also influential in Manchester City’s recent 2–1 Premier League win over Newcastle, where fans praised both Haaland and youngster Nico O’Reilly.
O’Reilly scored a brace and earned Man of the Match, while Haaland contributed with a strong all-round performance and assisted the decisive goal.
With Haaland rested for the FA Cup tie, City will rely on Omar Marmoush to lead the attack, supported by Savinho and Jérémy Doku.
Despite missing the cup fixture, softfootball reported that Haaland remains one of Europe’s most prolific forwards this season.
Across all competitions in 2025–26, he has recorded 29 appearances, 29 goal contributions, including 22 goals and 7 assists in the Premier League, along with 7 goals in the Champions League as Manchester City continue their pursuit of domestic and European success.
