Manchester City breathed a huge sigh of relief when Erling Haaland was named on the bench against AEK Athens.
There was a real worry that the Norwegian had picked up an injury after the 3-2 win over Ipswich, and he missed training on Monday in another concern for City fans.
However, the striker returned to the matchday squad for the 5-1 Champions League victory, but he was not used as Enzo Maresca’s men cruised to victory.
There were four big-name absentees, however.
Here is all the latest Man City injury news...
Antoine Semenyo
Ghana international Semenyo was seen in discomfort following the win over Ipswich at the weekend.
He had already pulled out of his country’s international camp over the recent window as a result of swelling on his leg, but he returned to face Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Ipswich, where he was introduced as a second-half substitute to replace Jeremy Doku.
There was more of a serious concern about the former Bournemouth winger ahead of the game against AEK, and it was revealed by Maresca that the forward would miss eight weeks with a knee injury.
'In the first moment, we expected a worst injury,” the Italian said on Monday.
“After yesterday's scan, we will feel better. It will be eight weeks, so when he is back in December, it will be like a new player. Not muscular. To lose Antoine, or any player, is not good.”
Potential return date: December
Mateo Kovacic
Croatia international Kovacic started alongside Ayyoub Bouaddi in the double pivot of City’s 4-2-3-1 against Ipswich, with Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez benched for the visit of the Suffolk side.
The Croat took a whack during the match and was replaced on 50 minutes by the British record signing, Fernandez.
Concern: Mateo Kovacic
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His injury didn’t look to be serious, with Maresca said plainly after the game: “Mateo said he was OK.”
However, he was not in the squad to face AEK, and that could raise some eyebrows.
Potential return date: October 24 vs Aston Villa (A)
Nico O’Reilly
Versatile left-back O’Reilly was also taken off against Ipswich, with it revealed that he was also nursing a niggle.
Maresca admitted that the England international had suffered a flare-up of the back problem that forced him to previously pull out of the game against Coventry during the warm-up.
“Nico, it’s still his back,” the City boss said on Saturday.
“If you remember, against Coventry in the warm-up, it’s the same problem.”
He was expected, like Kovacic, to return against Athens, but he did not.
Potential return date: October 24 vs Aston Villa (A)
Back problems: Nico O’Reilly
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Matheus Nunes
Midfielder-turned-right-back Nunes was another that was seen in pain after the Ipswich match, but he was banded in that same group as O’Reilly and Kovacic in that he was fit to face Athens.
“The rest are more or less okay,” Maresca had said of Nunes and Kovacic on Monday.
He was also not named in the matchday squad, prompting further questions to be asked of the Portuguese’s fitness.
Potential return date: October 24 vs Aston Villa (A)