MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo will be sidelined for up to eight weeks because of a knee injury, manager Enzo Maresca said Monday.

The Ghana international was hurt after coming on as a substitute in the 3-2 win over Ipswich in the Premier League on Saturday.

“In the first moment, we expected an even worse injury so we were more worried,” Maresca said. “But after yesterday’s scan, we feel much better because it’s not as big as expected.

“It could be eight weeks. So the most important thing for him is to recover and when he is back, probably in December, we have a new player in terms of energy.”

Semenyo’s absence robs Maresca of his most likely cover for Erling Haaland, should the star striker ever get injured or need a rest.

Man City winger Semenyo out for eight weeks with knee injury | iNFOnews.ca — Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo controls the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

That opportunity could come against AEK Athens in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Haaland hobbling off the field following the Ipswich game with a suspected ankle issue.

Maresca said “we’ll see” when asked if Haaland could feature against AEK.

Semenyo, who joined City from Bournemouth in January, hasn’t been as prolific this season. He has scored two goals in all competitions, both coming in the same match against Sunderland in the league last month.

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