Manchester City have been dealt a significant blow when their manager, Enzo Maresca, announced that the club were facing the prospect of losing to their injury-plagued star as Antoine Semenyo could be out for up to eight weeks due to a knee injury, and Erling Haaland was set to miss out on the Champions League clash against AEK Athens on Tuesday. Semenyo got the injury in the 3-2 win City had against Ipswich Town on Saturday. The Ghana international, who came off the bench briefly in the 77th minute, limped off after the game.
The injury was not the result of a muscle problem, but a problem with a collateral ligament, said Maresca, and the forward would need time to recover. The manager also proposed that Semenyo may be able to be back by December which should help City during the hectic winter campaign. Recovery is the most important thing, Maresca told reporters Monday. He admits the club had tried to work around the 26 year-old but it was not able to avoid the injury. Semenyo has scored two goals and helped on three in the English top flight this season, so City’s attacking options are a concern if he is ruled out. But Haaland’s availability is more promising in the meantime.
The Norwegian attacker was injured in stoppage time against Ipswich with a blow to his foot and ankle, and was initially thought to be too fit for the European match. Maresca said that the man had injured Haaland’s weekend and he had come through it, but his final availability would be determined by the team’s training session.
