Manchester City's aspirations for the current season have been dealt a significant blow with the news that star striker Erling Haaland is expected to be sidelined for up to seven weeks due to an ankle injury. The injury occurred during City's 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

Haaland, who has been instrumental for the team this season with 30 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions, suffered the injury following a challenge with Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook. Despite initially attempting to continue, the 24-year-old Norwegian was substituted in the 61st minute and later seen leaving the stadium on crutches.

Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed the severity of the injury in a press conference ahead of their Premier League fixture against Leicester City, stating: "The doctors told me between five and seven weeks. So hopefully, by the end of the season and for the [Club] World Cup, he will be ready." 

This timeline suggests that Haaland may miss the remainder of the Premier League season, which concludes on 25 May. His absence comes at a critical juncture, with Manchester City currently fifth in the league standings, trailing fourth-placed Chelsea by one point, with nine matches remaining.

The upcoming fixtures for Manchester City are as follows:

EPL Schedule

West Africa Time

Leicester City

Manchester City

Wednesday

7:45 PM

Manchester City

Manchester United

Sunday

4:30 PM

Crystal Palace

Manchester City

Sat, Apr 12

12:30 PM

Manchester City

Everton FC

Sat, Apr 19

3:00 PM

Aston Villa

Manchester City

Mon, Apr 28

8:00 PM

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Manchester City

Fri, May 2

8:00 PM

Manchester City

Southampton FC

Sat, May 10

3:00 PM

Guardiola acknowledged the challenge of replacing a player of Haaland's calibre, stating: "We don't have another player with his skills or his specific qualities—we know that. But we have to adapt. For many years, we've played in different ways up front, depending on the quality of the players. We are going to try to find a solution." 

In Haaland's absence, attention turns to other attacking options within the squad. Omar Marmoush, who replaced Haaland during the Bournemouth match and scored the winning goal, may be called upon to lead the line in the upcoming fixtures.

The injury also raises concerns about Haaland's availability for the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, scheduled for 26 or 27 April, and potentially the final on 17 May, should City progress. However, there is optimism that he will recover in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, which takes place from 14 June to 13 July.

Guardiola reflected on the broader context of the team's injury struggles this season, saying: "Sometimes there are years when these kinds of things happen. It happened all season. I would say that it could have been different if it was the end of the season (before the ... )."

As Manchester City prepare to face Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium, they do so with the knowledge that their quest for a top-four finish and potential silverware will have to be pursued without their prolific striker. The team's ability to adapt to this setback will be crucial in determining the outcome of their season.