With a mouth-watering Manchester Derby coming up on Sunday, it appears one of Manchester City’s key attackers has sustained an injury playing for his national team.
According to a report in Talk Sport, Omar Marmoush was forced off with an apparent knee injury playing for Egypt and was substituted after going down.
As Egypt played Burkina Faso in a World Cup Qualifier the forward went down holding his knee after a late sliding tackle from a Burkina Faso midfielder.
The City midfielder was linking up with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, receiving in his own half before trying to dribble into the centre of the pitch and run at goal.
Marmoush’s trademark, close-dribbling style means it’s hard to take the ball away from him, but it also means he draws fouls because he’s so diminutive with the ball.
As he took a second touch after receiving from Salah, Mohamed Zougrana of Burkina Faso sent him to the ground as he held his knee in pain.
Salah went over to see how his countrymen was as it was extremely early in the match.
The challenge was made during the fourth minute but it took five more minutes for Marmoush to leave the pitch, indicating the injury is serious.
City are having something of an injury crisis at the moment with Marmoush joining John Stones, Phil Foden, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol and Abdukodir Khusanov on the treatment table.
Whilst it remains to be seen whether the players mentioned could return for the derby, City’s squad also is made up of players who are out for longer: Rayan Cherki, Kalvin Phillips and Mateo Kovacic are all set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
This is adding to the fact Erling Haaland needs stitches ahead of the big fixture.
Marmoush has impressed for City since arriving, racking up ten goal contributions since arriving for £60 Million from Eintracht Frankfurt in the January transfer window.
Pep Guardiola will be hoping that Marmoush can return as soon as possible with City playing Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal next.
