May 9 (Reuters) – Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is in contention to start against Southampton this weekend, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday after the Norwegian striker recovered from an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for nearly six weeks.

With 21 goals in the Premier League, Haaland was a contender for the top scorer’s Golden Boot award but has slipped to third behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (28) and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak (23).

City are third in the standings with three games left, three points behind second-placed Arsenal and a point above Newcastle.

“(Haaland) is ready, he’s fit. If he starts, we decide (on Saturday),” Guardiola told reporters.

“Still Rodri is not available. Oscar (Bobb) and Nathan (Ake) started training with us but still not available.”

Southampton sit bottom of the table with 11 points and just two wins all season.

However, the already relegated south-coast club have nothing to lose and Guardiola is not taking them lightly as he looks to consolidate a Champions League spot with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all in the mix.

“We start 0-0 and it is a massive important game for us. Three games left. Huge respect for them,” he said.

On City’s current form, having won four straight games, he said: “It’s the best results we’ve got in a row. In the beginning of the season we did it. In terms of today, we can do better.

“The target when you’re not champions is to qualify for the next Champions League season. If we make three victories we’ll be there. It’s in our hands.”

Despite their troubles earlier this season, City could still finish second and win the FA Cup but Guardiola is not thinking too far ahead.

“I’m not thinking about that, I’m sorry to tell you. It’s just Southampton that’s on my mind and all week I’ve been thinking about them,” he said.

“The rest of the analysis, we will do it at the end of the season.” (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)