Omar Marmoush Injury Update
Omar Marmoush is now set to miss the eagerly anticipated Manchester derby against Manchester United on Sunday due to a worrying knee injury picked up barely minutes into Egypt’s 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw away to Burkina Faso he actually tried to play through it for a few minutes, too, in what felt like a gutsy, if ultimately doomed, bid to tough it out. @SalahUpdates posted on Twitter a clip capturing the moment Mohamed Salah went over to check on Omar Marmoush following his knee injury.
City’s own medical statement confirmed that the initial scan in Egypt suggests Marmoush is already ruled out for this Sunday, and the forward is flying back to Manchester for further assessment and rehab always feels a little bit like waiting for that dreaded next hospital update, doesn’t it? The timing is terrible considering Marmoush just started City’s last two matches, that 2-0 defeat to Spurs and the late 2-1 stumble at Brighton, meaning a paper-thin City attack just lost another weapon when they can least afford it. @cityreport_ reported on Twitter that Omar Marmoush has suffered a knee ligament bruise, according to Egypt’s national team doctors, and is set to undergo a scan tomorrow in Cairo.
Honestly, footballers’ bodies don’t get enough credit for what they put them through; the image of Marmoush hobbling off in Ouagadougou, probably full of adrenaline and disbelief, kind of sticks with you. And if that wasn’t enough injury news, there’s word that Rayan Cherki remains sidelined with a hamstring problem set to last six weeks, a spell that’s practically an eternity in this early, tension-packed Premier League stretch, plus the headache over Phil Foden, whose fitness remains up in the air after missing the Brighton game entirely.
There’s at least a bright spot for City with Erling Haaland, who just scored five (yes, five!) goals for Norway on international duty, like the football equivalent of your mate turning up to five-a-side and bagging all the goals while you’re arguing on WhatsApp about shoes, but still, the loss of Marmoush stings.
If there’s any comfort, it’s that City seem to rally when pushed into a corner; but, if recent results are anything to go by, the blue half of Manchester might need fresh luck, or maybe a few lucky knees, ahead of Sunday.
