Antoine Semenyo will be sidelined until mid-December after picking up an injury against Ipswich, leaving Manchester City without a recognised alternative to Erling Haaland, who is also in need of a rest. The 26-year-old Ghana international has five goal contributions in the Premier League this season, with only Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki managing more for City.
Injury adds to striker shortage
Semenyo's enforced absence deprives manager Enzo Maresca of his Plan B up front, even though the Blues can absorb his loss out wide. City were content to enter the season without a recognised alternative to Haaland after Omar Marmoush joined Tottenham on loan with a £60million obligation to make the move permanent next summer.
The Egypt international had fulfilled the back-up role over the past 18 months, but heading into the campaign, City staff were confident that Semenyo could lead the line should Haaland be injured or need a rest. Both circumstances have now seemingly befallen the Norwegian, who limped off after the weekend win over Ipswich. Even if that issue is not serious, it is clear the striker would benefit from a breather amid a hectic run of fixtures.
Haaland's workload and potential replacements
Haaland played a vital role for Norway in the World Cup and was involved in all four of his country's Nations League fixtures in the first international break of the campaign. Maresca made reference to the need to rest his star man in the build-up to the Ipswich contest and was able to replace him early at Anfield with City 3-0 up. The boss opted not to do likewise against the Tractor Boys, with Haaland staying on when the home side made a triple substitution with 15 minutes to play. The addition of 12 added minutes caused Haaland to chuckle to himself on Saturday as he was forced to remain on the pitch even longer to help City see out the contest.
It seems likely he will miss the AEK Athens contest tonight, and with Semenyo also sidelined, Maresca will have to find a temporary solution. There seem to be three main candidates, with Phil Foden, fresh from a goal at the weekend, perhaps the leading contender. He has played as a false nine for club and country in the past and will relish the opportunity to stake a claim for a regular spot in the City XI.
Other options for the false nine role
Iliman Ndiaye is the next most obvious solution, with the Senegal international another who has played centrally in the past, even if he is best suited to a wide role that means he can threaten from the flank as well as allowing his work rate in and out of possession to aid City in transition.
The third option is perhaps Rayan Cherki, who sat out the Ipswich game altogether and surely starts on Tuesday night. His quick feet, ability to play in tight spaces and eye for goal make him an appealing candidate, although it would perhaps necessitate Enzo Fernandez playing in the advanced midfield position, as he did in the second half of the defeat to PSG, to offer City the right balance.
None of those three options are perfect, but all are more than capable, particularly against an AEK side that City should have too much power for. It is a scenario City will not want to play out too often, but Haaland is the one player they cannot afford to over-play too often.
