Erling Haaland gave Manchester City a fresh injury scare on Sunday night as he limped off after asking to be substituted during Norway's 2-1 Nations League defeat by Portugal in Porto, just a week before City are due to travel to Liverpool.

Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken said the withdrawal had been agreed in advance because of the striker's heavy workload and downplayed fears of a serious problem. City's medical staff are expected to assess Haaland when he returns to England ahead of the resumption of the Premier League.

Haaland Asks To Come off in Porto

Haaland gestured to the Norway bench in the 67th minute, with the score at 1-1, after being seen limping. He lingered on the pitch while Strand Larsen, the Crystal Palace forward, prepared to replace him.

He then walked off unaided, smiled and embraced his replacement, before joining team-mates on the bench rather than heading straight down the tunnel. Solbakken also embraced him as he left the pitch. No diagnosis has been confirmed, and Solbakken has presented the change as planned rather than forced.

The Group A4 fixture was Norway's last of the international break and Haaland's departure overshadowed the contest.

Norway had led through Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer's dipping half-volley from the edge of the area on 36 minutes. Portugal levelled before Haaland came off and won the match in the 79th minute, 12 minutes after his departure. Gonçalo Ramos scored after João Félix headed across goal, the ball deflecting in off Ramos's calf.

The result kept Portugal, the title-holders, perfect in the group and sealed their place in the March quarter-finals. Norway had also lost to them in Oslo a fortnight ago, when Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the Portugal side and then abruptly left the squad.

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Solbakken Highlights Haaland Workload Concern

Solbakken said he had held a 'heart-to-heart conversation' with Haaland about his workload before the match. 'He was tired against Wales. We went through the possible options,' he said, in comments carried by Norwegian media. 'He plays pretty much everything on the club team.'

He estimated Haaland had played '65 minutes or something like that', and said Strand Larsen had been warming up 'extremely aggressively' so as not to be thrown on cold.

It is not the first time the coach has spoken publicly about Haaland's stamina. After Norway's 2-1 home defeat by Scotland in a Euro 2024 qualifier in June 2023, Solbakken said the striker had asked to be taken off and was 'completely empty'. On that occasion he said Haaland had 'only played 60 minutes several times before'.

The episode underlines the demands on leading players who combine club and international duty across congested fixture lists.

Man City Await Assessment After Norway Scare

City will want Haaland back in England quickly for assessment before the Premier League resumes. The timing is difficult, as the trip to Anfield is their first match after the break.

They face Liverpool on Sunday 11 October, then host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday 14 October. Haaland's availability for both will depend on those assessments.

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