Why Erling Haaland isn’t playing for Man City against Watford tonight

Erling Haaland has started the season in sensational form but isn’t part of the squad as Manchester City begin their Carabao Cup campaign against Watford this evening.

Haaland has scored an incredible 10 goals in just five Premier League matches this season, including hat-tricks against Ipswich and West Ham, but City will have to make do without him as they face Championship opposition in the third round of a competition that they dominated to the tune of four straight triumphs between 2018 and 2021 but haven’t won since.

The reason that their talismanic striker won’t be present is that he has been permitted to return to Norway for the funeral of close family friend Ivar Eggja.

Eggja, who passed away earlier this month at the age of just 59, was seen as an uncle and confidant by the City forward, was the best friend of his father Alf-Inge and was chief fixer for the Haaland family.

When Haaland moved to Manchester in 2022 after signing for Pep Guardiola’s side, Eggja organised a fully-furnished apartment for him to live in so the 24-year-old could focus on playing.

He had done the same at both of the Norwegian international’s former clubs RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, with Haaland admitting in an interview “if I had been all alone and had to choose my own apartment and go shopping in IKEA, I wouldn’t have scored three goals against Augsburg on my Dortmund debut.”

Following the passing of Eggja, Haaland wrote on Instagram: “You are a legend, Ivar. Words cannot describe how much you meant to me! Words cannot describe how much you will be missed!

“I don’t give a s***! I don’t give a s***! That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Thank you for everything, you madman. We will see each other again. Rest in peace, Ivar.”

Haaland has been in the headlines over the past few days for his actions during City’s dramatic and testy 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal at the weekend.

The striker threw the ball at the back of Gabriel’s head following the equaliser, while also yelling “Who the f*** are you?” at 17-year-old Gunners substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly and clashing with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta at full time, telling him to “stay humble”. Gunners legend Ian Wright called Haaland out for a “coward’s move” in reference to throwing the ball at Gabriel’s head.

When Eggja died earlier in September, there was speculation that Haaland would miss Man City’s match with Brentford that weekend due to compassionate leave.

However, he not only played but scored twice in a 2-1 win and produced a much more muted celebration than usual after the first goal – simply raising and arm and jogging back to the halfway line with his head bowed.

After learning of Eggja’s death, Haaland’s City team-mates supported him in training and sent flowers up to his private box for the Brentford match, with defender Manuel Akanji later explaining how important team spirit is in the squad.

“That’s what a team is for,” he said. “We stick together and try to help each other out. It was Erling in this moment but we try to help each other out, lift each other. It’s not just the team-mates, it’s the whole club.”

Although he will miss the Carabao Cup clash with Watford, Haaland is expected to be available for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Newcastle.