1 month ago
71
The good news for Manchester City is that if anything happens to Erling Haaland, they have a £59million back-up available in Omar Marmoush. The challenge will be keeping the Egyptian happy if Haaland goes through a full season without any fitness issues.
That is always the difficulty for clubs when they have a player who is so far ahead of the competition. Tottenham consistently had it with Harry Kane, although clearly there is a bigger attraction to being a squad player at the Etihad than there is at Spurs.
City have also faced it with Rodri. It can be hard to find a player who is good enough to step in but also happy to have spells where action is limited if they aren't required. When the big games come around next season, Haaland will be the starting striker, no questions asked.
Marmoush got plenty of playing time after his move from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. He played 1,700 minutes and scored eight goals, with three assists, in 25 appearances.
On eight occasions, he started with Haaland, and 12 times, he started as the long striker. A little like Julian Alvarez, he is a versatile forward who can not only fill in for the Norwegian but also play just behind him or even out wide.
City's issue is evident with what happened to Alvarez. He was an outstanding Haaland back-up and got a run in the team as Kevin De Bruyne's replacement. His form led to interest from Atletico Madrid and although the £82million or so City banked from his transfer looked an excellent deal, the Argentine has shone in Madrid and is now being linked with Barcelona. City also spent £59million of that fee on signing Marmoush.
The 26-year-old has had a good start to life at City and rotated with Haaland at the Club World Cup, but there's no doubt that when the real business begins, the former Borussia Dortmund striker will lead the line, and he isn't likely to be rotated too often.
That gives Pep Guardiola a dilemma in giving Marmoush the minutes to keep him happy. It is part of the reason the City manager wants a smaller squad. He hates leaving players out and having to disappoint them, but he clearly needs an alternative to Haaland.
Last season, Marmoush played behind Haaland six times and on the wing six times, but this summer competition for those roles has gone up a level. Kevin De Bruyne might have left, but Phil Foden looked to be getting back to his best in America and there is excitement around the £34million deal for Rayan Cherki.
Guardiola also regularly used Jeremy Doku and Savinho on the wings in the Club World Cup, and those two youngsters look set to get an extended chance this season.
That competition is a dream for a manager but can also be a hindrance. City need Marmoush to be there in case of emergency if Haaland isn't available, but to get the best out of him, they also need him to keep him active and close to the team. He might prove to be a versatile option if that is to be achieved.
---
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
English (US) ·