Why Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku were missing from Manchester City training on Thursday

Despite photographed working on the ball in Jeddah this week, Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku played no part in Manchester City’s training session on Thursday evening.

The Norwegian and Belgian forwards have been ruled out of competitive Manchester City action for a number of weeks, having sustained a foot stress and muscular problems respectively in recent matches.

As a result of a lack of fitness heading into the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, both Haaland and Doku were alongside long-term absentee Kevin De Bruyne in being removed from Manchester City’s 23-man squad list for the semi-final and final this week.

However, Manchester City supporters have been boosted by sightings of all three players in training in Saudi Arabia, whilst De Bruyne returned to full first-team training in Jeddah on Monday, and continues to work with the wider group towards achieving full fitness.

Despite Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland featuring in photographs of both men working on the ball earlier this week, neither player was present in first-team training ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup final against Fluminense on Friday night.

As per the information of the Manchester Evening News’ Tyrone Marshall, both Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland missed the group session, instead continuing to follow individual training programmes while with the first-team squad in Jeddah.

Both players trained with the ball at the King Abdullah Sport City complex on Wednesday, the Manchester Evening News details, while the rest of Pep Guardiola’s squad remained at their hotel for a recovery session after the semi-final win over Urawa Red Diamonds.

Absence from first team training on Thursday evening leaves the pair’s availability for Manchester City’s next Premier League game in doubt, as the reigning champions travel to face Everton on December 27.

Kevin De Bruyne is unlikely to be available for the contest, however the Belgian could have his eyes set on featuring in some capacity against Sheffield United in Manchester City’s final game before the turn of the year.

The Belgium international star has now featured for Manchester City since the opening game of the ongoing Premier League season, in a meeting with Burnley that saw the 32-year-old sustain the hamstring problem that led to surgery.