Manchester City have confirmed that striker Omar Marmoush will miss Sunday’s Premier League derby against Manchester United after sustaining a knee ligament injury.
Marmoush was heavily tackled by Burkina Faso’s Mohamed Zougrana just four minutes into Egypt’s World Cup qualifier and lasted only nine minutes before being forced off. He initially attempted to continue before leaving the field.
Egypt’s team doctor said after the game that Marmoush had suffered a “contusion to the ligaments” and would undergo an X-ray on Wednesday in Cairo to assess the extent of the injury.
City confirmed on their official website: “Initial results on a scan performed in Egypt indicate he will not be available for the Manchester derby on Sunday, and he will now return to Manchester for more assessment and to begin his rehabilitation.”
While the injury appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario, an ACL rupture, Marmoush’s absence leaves Pep Guardiola with a crucial selection dilemma ahead of a high-stakes fixture.
Signed in January from Eintracht Frankfurt for €75 million, Marmoush is the club’s fifth most expensive player. He scored seven goals in 16 Premier League appearances last season but has yet to score in the current campaign.
City did not make major additions to their attacking line-up over the summer, signing only Rayan Cherki. With Marmoush sidelined, Guardiola must adjust his attacking strategy for a fixture that could significantly influence Manchester City’s season.