Twentytwo13

Is Omar Marmoush the answer to Manchester City’s problems?

Marmoush may be the key to helping City turn things around after sealing a £59.1 million move.

Manchester City knows the way to goal, with the talismanic Erling Haaland as the chief scorer. However, that has not stopped the club from signing Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush (main image).

The Eintracht Frankfurt striker was on fire. He scored 20 goals and had 11 assists in just 24 appearances for the German outfit this season.

He will compete with Haaland to be City’s central attacking figure, although many feel City should have gone for a midfielder, as Kevin De Bruyne has not been his usual self after several injuries.

City, however, has missed the skills of Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante, known simply as Rodri, who has not played since rupturing his ACL during a Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sept 22.

In his absence, City has imploded and is 12 points behind leader Liverpool, which has played a game less.

In Europe, the Manchester club has eight points from seven matches and lies 25th in the group table. It must beat Belgium’s Club Brugge on Jan 30 (4am) or face elimination from the knockout stage.

Rodri is expected back in the tail end of the 2024-2025 season, and many had expected City to move for Leon Goretzka, Martin Zubimendi, or Frenkie de Jong.

Instead, it has signed another striker, even though Haaland recently signed a nine-and-a-half-year contract extension that keeps him at the club until 2034.

Besides Marmoush, who cost £59.1 million, excluding add-ons, City has also bought centre backs Vitor Reis from Palmeiras (£29.6 million) and Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens (£33.8 million).

The club also agreed to allow its captain, Kyle Walker, to leave on loan to AC Milan. The Italian club has the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

So, can Marmoush be the key to helping City turn things around? He is the club’s only other genuine striker after selling Julian Alvarez in the summer.

Haaland has played every Premier League match this season and has only been substituted twice. Marmoush coming in gives him time to recuperate.

City could also switch to a two-up front system, while Marmoush is comfortable on both wings. His adaptability makes it difficult for defenders to predict where he will turn up during a match.

Expect more goals from City in the second half of the season, but whether it will be enough for a sustained push in the league and Europe remains to be seen.

Fixtures (Malaysian time)

Jan 25
Brighton vs Everton (11pm)
Liverpool vs Ipswich (11pm)
Southampton vs Newcastle (11pm)
Wolves vs Arsenal (11pm)
Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest (11pm)

Jan 26
Manchester City vs Chelsea (1.30am)
Tottenham vs Leicester (10pm)
Crystal Palace vs Brentford (10pm)

Jan 27
Aston Villa vs West Ham (12.30am)
Fulham vs Manchester United (3am)