Bodø/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen has admitted he hopes Erling Braut Haaland will not be at his physical peak when Manchester City visit Aspmyra Stadium for Tuesday’s crucial Champions League clash.

The Norwegian champions are preparing to face City on artificial turf in Bodø, with Haaland returning to his homeland to once again spearhead Pep Guardiola’s attack. Guardiola has acknowledged that his star striker is feeling the effects of a demanding schedule, describing Haaland as “worn out” ahead of the trip north.

Despite the heavy workload, Haaland is expected to start, with Guardiola more likely to rest him in upcoming domestic fixtures against Wolves or Galatasaray, where Omar Marmoush could be called upon to fill in.

After City’s League Cup win over Newcastle on January 13, Guardiola hinted that his leading scorer was in need of a break. When asked whether Marmoush would travel to Norway, the City manager was non-committal.

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t know when Omar comes and Erling is going to play. We need Erling, and we need all of them,” Guardiola said. “Erling is so important for us. We are lucky to have him for what he has done.

“We’ll see what happens in the next game. We have to travel to Norway and go there and see how they recover — not just physically. I can smell how they feel.”

City’s injury problems have limited Guardiola’s rotation options, forcing Haaland to continue playing despite not being at his sharpest. That has been reflected in his recent output, with the striker managing just one goal in his last seven appearances.

Even so, Bodø/Glimt defender Odin Bjørtuft insists stopping Haaland will remain a daunting task, regardless of fatigue.

“I don’t think he looks exhausted,” Bjørtuft said at a press conference on Monday. “He’s still one of the best strikers in the world, and stopping him will be very difficult, especially on Tuesday.

“That challenge will be incredibly exciting. Playing against the world’s best footballers is the best learning experience you can get. Even if he hasn’t scored much lately, we all know how good he is.”

Knutsen echoed that sentiment, stressing that it is natural for any player to feel the strain after an intense run of matches.

“He is a human being too. We’ve felt the same ourselves,” Knutsen said. “Manchester City have had an extreme match programme for a long time. They’ve chosen to operate with a smaller squad, and when injuries arrive, you feel the pressure.

“That’s completely normal. We’re not preparing for a tired Erling Braut Haaland — but of course, we hope he’s a little tired.”