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Manager Pep Guardiola has provided an injury update on Manchester City attacker Phil Foden after the 3-1 Premier League win at West Ham United on Saturday.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring for the visitors in the 10th minute. West Ham's equaliser came from an own goal by City defender Rúben Dias.However, Haaland struck again in the 30th minute before completing his hat-trick seven minutes from time.
Foden came off the bench at the start of the second half of City's 2-0 Premier League opening-day win at Chelsea. The Englishman, thiugh, reportedly didn't feel well and has missed City's last two league games against Ipswich Town and West Ham.
Addressing questions about Foden's absence, Guardiola said that he could return after the international break (via GOAL):
"Hopefully not (too long). Hopefully after the international break, he'll be ready. He played against Chelsea for 45 minutes, but then after he didn't feel good. He had tests and feels much better, but he still doesn't feel perfect.
"I prefer we (have) that time for him to recover and be fine and after, come back after the international break and be ready for those games," added the Spanish manager.
Foden has been named in interim Emgland boss Lee Carsley's squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Ireland and Finland. If he misses those games, he could feature for City against Brentford in the Premier League on September 14.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hails hat-trick hero Erling Haaland
Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Erling Haaland after the Norwegian striker's impressive start to the Premier League season. Haaland has scored in all three fixtures, including hat-tricks against Ipswich and West Ham.
Speaking about Haaland's exploits this season, the Manchester City boss said (via @FabrizioRomano on X):
"Erling Haaland, he’s just unstoppable. There is no central defender who can stop him, not even with a gun. It's impossible; he's so powerful!"
Pep Guardiola added about Haaland (via BBC):
"No words for him. All we can do is make him play better and better and give him as many balls as possible to the box. It's what we have to do. He scored three goals today, but he didn't lose one ball.
"Today is one of the games where he has played the best in all situations. When you see the games and see what we want to do, he understands because he is a smart guy."
Manchester City are set to face Watford in their EFL Cup opener on September 17 at the Etihad.
