Erling Haaland missed Man City’s trip to Luton due to injury (Image: Getty)

Pep Gaurdiola has ruled out injured Erling Haaland for Manchester City’s next two games but says he can recover in time for the Club World Cup.

Haaland surprisingly missed Sunday’s trip to Luton Town as Guardiola said before kick-off that the big forward had suffered a foot injury.

City struggled in his absence and came from behind to beat the Hatters 2-1 at Kenilworth Road. This ended their four-match winning streak and left them fourth in the table, four points behind leaders Liverpool.

Immediately after the match, Guardiola was asked for more information about his Norwegian superstar’s fitness, telling MOTD: “We don’t know.” It’s his foot, we’ll see.

“Day after day, week after week.” Hopefully we can get him back [Club] World Championship.’

City take on Red Star Belgrade in a decisive Champions League match on Wednesday evening, before facing Crystal Palace on Saturday in their final Premier League match before heading to the Club World Cup.

The Citizens enter the competition in the semi-finals, which will be held in Saudi Arabia. The competition will take place on December 19, followed by the play-offs for the final or third place on December 22.

Jack Grealish scored the winning goal against Luton (Image: Getty)

And when Guardiola spoke to Haaland again at his post-match press conference, he expressed his confidence that the 23-year-old would be in the competition.

‘Tension [on the] Bone. Tension. Just stress,” said the manager.

“Please don’t ask that his foot is broken. It’s just a stress bot. He wasn’t ready for this game, I don’t think he will be ready for Crystal Palace.

“Hopefully he can be ready for Saudi Arabia. It will be decided week by week how he feels.”

The 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up leads the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot with 14 goals in 15 games, including 19 in 22 in all competitions.

“I think this is a game where we were desperately hoping that Erling Haaland would play man-to-man against the opposition,” Jack Grealish, City’s match-winner against Luton, told Sky Sports.

“Erling is brilliant up front and I don’t think many teams in the world can get behind a defender one-on-one because he is so strong, his pace…”