Haaland and Rodri both available for Man City, Guardiola confirms

Pep Guardiola has confirmed both Erling Haaland and Rodri will be available for Manchester City's Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Sunday.

Haaland is leading the Golden Boot race with 11 Premier League goals already this campaign – 64.7% of City's total in the competition (17).

However, he sustained a knock during last week's defeat to Aston Villa and was rested for a 3-1 win over second-tier Swansea City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

Rodri, meanwhile, has missed four matches with a hamstring issue, enduring a stop-start return since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ended his 2024-25 season.

But both players could feature when City welcome Bournemouth – who are flying high in second under Andoni Iraola – to the Etihad Stadium.

Asked if Haaland would be available at Friday's pre-match press conference, Guardiola responded with a straightforward: "Yes."

On Rodri, he added: "I think he will be ready to help us. I don't know whether he can from the beginning, but hopefully he can be with us.

"Everybody is desperate to play. He has been out a few times, and we all know how important he is for us."

Bournemouth have gone eight games unbeaten since a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool on the opening day of the season (five wins, three draws) – the longest ongoing run of any team in the division and their best-ever top-flight start after nine games.

The Cherries have also spent the shortest amount of time losing both overall (98 minutes, 13 seconds) and as a percentage of their Premier League gametime (10.9%) this season.

And Guardiola believes their rise is a testament to the continued competitiveness of the Premier League.

"I remember when I was in Munich or Barcelona, I always heard that in England, everyone could beat everyone," he said.

"Maybe Liverpool and ourselves in the past changed that dynamic because we were so consistent, arriving every season with 90 points, 90 points, 90 points, close to 100 points.

"But I think the Premier League has always been like this. At some point, like the NBA, there is not a dominant team.

"In the last five or six years, there is always one different team, and everyone can beat everyone.

"I think for the spectators and for the show of the Premier League, it is really, really good."