Man City might have to make uncomfortable Erling Haaland decision - and Pep won’t want to

Erling Haaland has been in incredible goalscoring form for Manchester City and Norway this season but his workload could become a concern.

Erling Haaland starts games and Erling Haaland scores goals. That’s pretty much how it’s gone this season.

Haaland has been in incredible form for club and country this term and returns to Manchester on the back of leading Norway to their first World Cup in a generation.

The 25-year-old scored four goals across the final two qualifying matches as Norway completed a perfect record to seal a spot in North America next summer.

It’s a significant achievement for Haaland and a career ambition realised. The City star will now spearhead his country’s charge across the Atlantic but before then comes six months of intense club football.

City are showing signs of being potential challengers at home and abroad, with Haaland a key component. His goals, all round game and leadership qualities have shaped the new-look City side and he’s an indispensable and irresistible force at the top of the attack.

He’s missed just two matches - both Carabao Cup ties against lower league opposition - and rarely gets taken off before the final moments of the matches he does play.

Haaland has played more minutes than anyone else at City this term and, if things go according to plan for club and country, he could easily pass 70 games in 12 months from Club World Cup to actual World Cup.

It’s an incredible workload and the kind of numbers that prompted his City teammate Rodri to last year float the suggestion of player strikes.

The physical and mental strain on Haaland will be significant over the coming months and will be particularly acute at the World Cup.

It all adds up to a heavy load on the striker’s shoulders. Pep Guardiola has already said that he doesn’t plan on resting his star man.

"I’m so sorry for my colleague Stale Solbakken from the national team of Norway but I’m not thinking about that. Maybe at the end when we win the Premier League 10 points in front and 10 fixtures from the end he’ll take a rest," Guardiola joked earlier this month.

And with Haaland's natural understudy Omar Marmoush potentially missing 10 games over December and January while on international duty for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, there is no obvious opportunity to spare Haaland a top flight or Champions League fixture on the horizon.

For his part, Haaland is in the form and physical condition of his life and has rarely suffered from injury since moving to Manchester. But he’s about to experience a 12 months like no other, and while he may well power on until the summer, there is surely a chance or a concern that everything catches up with him come next season.

It's a question that was raised on the Talking City podcast this week with City writers Alex James and Tyrone Marshall.

"Is there a risk here that whether this season or early next season, everything catches up with him?" said James.

"There will be a mental pressure of being a figurehead for Norway and everything that comes with that. And he's part of the City leadership team, and I know he is an experienced player, but he won't have had anything like this before."

"He doesn't look like any of that phases him though," said Marshall. "Physically he looks, touch wood, indestructible at the moment. His fitness record at City is incredible. I think he's going to more than 70 games this season but I guess if City win the Carabao Cup he's unlikely to play and you almost say 'don't get involved in that competition.'

"You have seen Guardiola rest and rotate everyone, apart from Haaland.

"It does present a scenario of where Haaland plays 70 odd games and maybe we will see the impact of that next season."

Guardiola knows the problem is a possibility. But the here and now is Haaland, and that might trump any future fears.