Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has named three players who he believes are capable of stepping in for Erling Haaland when the Norwegian striker cannot play.

With City’s intense schedule and the absence of backup striker Julian Alvarez—who recently completed an £81 million transfer to Atletico Madrid—Guardiola is not expected to dip into the transfer market for a new forward. Instead, he has placed his trust in some versatile stars already within the squad.

Guardiola highlighted Phil Foden, James McAtee, and the returning Ilkay Gundogan as players who can deputize for Haaland.

This approach harks back to the two seasons prior to Haaland’s arrival when City often played with a false nine. In that period, players like Foden, Gundogan, and Kevin De Bruyne were frequently deployed in more advanced roles to lead the аttаck, with great success.

City’s tactical fluidity allows Guardiola to rely on a variety of players to step up in key moments, and these three names could play crucial roles as the club looks to compete across all competitions this season.