Erling Haaland returns to Manchester City starting XI to face Southampton

Erling Haaland has been named in Pep Guardiola's starting XI for Manchester City's Premier League fixture against Southampton at St Mary's.

Haaland had been out of action since sustaining an ankle injury during Man City's FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Bournemouth at the end of March and the 24-year-old was an unused substitute as Guardiola's side prevailed 1-0 over Wolves.

The Norwegian international is now set for a timely start as his side looked to consolidate their top-five standing while chasing silverware in the FA Cup, with their final date against Crystal Palace to be staged at Wembley next week.

A win for Man City on the Hampshire coast would move them level on points with Arsenal, who travel to Anfield on Sunday to face champions Liverpool.

Following their encounter with Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, Guardiola's men round off their season with fixtures against Bournemouth and Fulham and appear primed to feature in the UEFA Champions League again next season.

Despite a potentially positive end to an otherwise disappointing campign, Haaland insisted the squad had no excuses for their failings this term.

"You can find excuses, injuries, many injuries at bad times, but in the end we haven't been performing well enough," Haaland told ESPN.

"We haven't had fully the hunger inside us. I haven't been good enough. I haven't helped the team enough. In the end, we haven't been good enough."

It says a great deal about the impeccable standards Haaland has set that a return of 21 goals in 28 Premier League appearances is considered an underwhelming return.

Unless Haaland embarks on a sensational goal run in the remaining three fixtures, the forward is set to relinquish his Premier League Golden Boot crown to Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, who is on 28 for the campaign.

Jaquob Crooke

• Manchester City F.C.
• Premier League
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