Will Erling Haaland play against Brentford? Injury news, will he start for Manchester City, is he back - FPL

Earlier this week (31 January), Erling Haaland returned to action after almost two months out as defending champions Manchester City eased to a 3-1 win over struggling Burnley in the Premier League.

After missing 10 games with a bone injury, Haaland started the night on the bench and came on to replace Kevin De Bruyne in the 71st minute - himself making his first start since August.

Playing just 19 minutes of the game, Haaland's first attempt at goal was a mis-kick - hardly a headline-making comeback - and the 23-year old had no real major impact. It's clear Haaland's injury and the time away have had an effect.

So will the Norwegian striker - looking to add to the 19 goals in all competitions he has already scored this season and the remarkable 52 he netted last term - start for Manchester City this weekend as they travel to Brentford on Monday night (5 February)?

Or will he be kept on the bench once again? Here is everything you need to know.

Will Haaland start against Brentford?

Following City's 3-1 win over Burnley, manager Pep Guardiola said he was pleased with the way Haaland led the line after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Asked if the striker needed to be eased back in following the game, Guardiola said: “If it was 7-0 at half-time he would have played more minutes. If it was 0-0 maybe he wouldn’t have played a minute.

“I saw him sharp, the feeling that he was there. He didn’t have clear chances but he has three or four, and the moment when Jeremy (Doku) didn’t see him but he can score with his quality.

“It has been really good without him for the last two months but with him we are a better team and we are really pleased that he is back.”

Even in his brief appearance, Guardiola felt his influence on the team was clear. Speaking on 2 February, he said: “Every transition, every pass, all the players look at him. I know how important he is for us.

“We try for all the strikers to be happy, especially him, and it will depend how we play. If we play quite comfortable and good, he will get a lot of balls. This is what we want and after that he will do the rest.”

Asked if Haaland was now ready to start, Guardiola said at a press conference: “Yes, he’s ready. Everyone is ready right now because they are not injured as much. If they are on the bench, they are ready.”

At the time of writing, the Gameweek 23 Brentford game is still three days away, and a lot can happen between now and then. We'll update this article as and when more information on Haaland's fitness becomes available.

Should I get him in my FPL team?

Haaland is now the the focal point of this week's most sought-after fantasy football transfer, and if the forward isn't already part of your squad, now seems like the ideal time for his return - unless Guardiola hints at him not featuring in the upcoming match against Brentford in Gameweek 23 of course.

It's true that the Norwegian displayed signs of rustiness on Wednesday, but given City's favourable upcoming fixtures, excluding him from your Fantasy Premier League squad might prove to be a risky strategy.

With a double Gameweek 25 featuring home games against Chelsea and Brentford, Haaland becomes an obvious choice for deploying the triple captain chip if you still have it available.

How can I watch Brentford v Manchester City?

Whether Haaland is named in the starting XI or not, fans will be able to tune in to watch the game live on Sky Sports.

The game kicks-off at 8pm, with coverage and build-up beginning at 6.30pm.