Manchester City Star Ruled Out in Devastating Blow Before Crucial Derby Showdown
Manchester City's troubles ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby have been compounded by Omar Marmoush's knee injury picked up during international duty.
Egypt's World Cup qualifying match against Burkina Faso was barely five minutes underway when Marmoush was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge. The adaptable attacker attempted to continue playing but was ultimately substituted in the ninth minute.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed that Marmoush had sustained a "bruised knee ligament." The 26-year-old was subsequently seen using crutches and wearing a protective brace.
The extent of the injury remains unclear, though there are naturally concerns about his availability for this weekend's derby. City welcome United on Sunday in a match that carries significance beyond mere local pride.
Pep Guardiola's team have suffered a disappointing beginning to the season. For the first time in the Spanish manager's distinguished coaching career, his team has lost two of their first three league matches. Following a commanding 4–0 victory against relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers on opening day, City were comprehensively beaten by Tottenham Hotspur before surrendering a halftime advantage against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Marmoush started the Wolves triumph as a substitute before earning places in the starting lineup for the subsequent losses. The January signing from Eintracht Frankfurt enjoyed an impressive introduction to English football, accumulating seven Premier League strikes in 14 starts. During the same period, Erling Haaland managed only five goals.
All seven of Marmoush's league strikes have occurred at the Etihad Stadium, which will host what promises to be a crucially important derby encounter.
City currently find themselves positioned below United in the early league standings, yet the Red Devils remain perpetually close to turmoil. A last-minute penalty against Burnley was required to claim their first victory of a campaign that has already witnessed Ruben Amorim publicly contemplating resignation.