If Haaland isn’t available, Alvarez is first option’

Pep Guardiola has made it clear he has no reservations about playing Julian Alvarez if first-choice striker Erling Haaland is unable to play.

Haaland is a doubt for the trip to Leicester City, with Guardiola saying at lunchtime on Friday that he will be assessed “in a few hours”.

Should he miss out, the Manchester City boss looks likely to turn to Alvarez.

“Normally if Erling [Haaland] is not ready, Julian [Alvarez] is the first option,” said the Spaniard.

“How many minutes has he played? Play every 90 minutes and he will score goals.

“Maybe not like Erling, but I don’t judge. I know how many minutes he’s played, how difficult it is when you are not used to playing regularly, the impact in the game.

“Since day one, we are really impressed by many, many things with him. No doubt about that.”