Man Metropolis vs Liverpool: How Pep Guardiola can use new weapon Omar Marmoush to harm Premier League leaders

“Just the beginning”. Omar Marmoush’s publish on X following his putting hat-trick towards Newcastle final weekend had a number of meanings. It introduced his official arrival to the Premier League. However greater than that, grew to become the image of Manchester Metropolis’s latest chapter. Pep Guardiola’s newest transform.

Marmoush was earmarked by the membership’s hierarchy as a participant who may make a right away distinction. An all-round ahead to rival one of the best in Europe.

Even earlier than his treble within the 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle – one of the vital eye-catching particular person performances of 2024/25 – his direct operating and intelligent motion with late arrivals into the field had brought about loads of issues throughout a 3-1 win over Chelsea.

His vitality and dynamism have been a welcome, albeit uncommon, supply of pleasure amid the mire of Man Metropolis’s dwindling season. Their dramatic downturn might need strong-armed motion within the January window however whichever method a £60m-spend on Marmoush is rationalised, it appears like good enterprise. This was no panic purchase.

The 26-year-old, coming into his peak years, is certainly one of few gamers with out the bodily exhaustion and psychological scars that seem like plaguing the remainder of Guardiola’s browbeaten champions. Marmoush appears recent, with untapped expertise, able to easing the burden in addition to carrying it.

The ahead can be an apparent trigger for concern for Arne Slot as he prepares a sport plan for Liverpool’s journey to the Etihad on Sunday, stay on Sky Sports activities. A fear for Trent Alexander-Arnold too.

Marmoush can dribble 1v1, make use of instinctive mixture play and fast switches, run from outdoors to in or hug the touchline, and has already struck up a great working partnership with Josko Gvardiol down the left. Metropolis’s choices to go brief or lengthy – or someplace in between – have elevated exponentially.

Michael Wimmer, certainly one of Marmoush’s former coaches at VfB Stuttgart, advised Sky Sports activities earlier this season that the Egyptian worldwide has distinctive “orientation skills”. What he meant was a capability to drawback remedy and adapt irrespective of how opposition groups arrange. He can play in between the traces, in tight areas, or exploit house behind.

His flexibility is more likely to be the issue that made him so engaging to Man Metropolis within the first place. Erling Haaland has scored 19 Premier League targets this season however he is usually minimize an remoted determine. Phil Foden, a shadow of his former self, has chipped in seven however the burden has been Haaland’s to hold. He wanted assist.

Take Metropolis’s most up-to-date victory over Newcastle as the proper instance of a load lightened. It was the primary Premier League sport this season through which Metropolis did not concede a single massive likelihood, whereas their Anticipated Targets confronted (0.48) was their third-fewest of the marketing campaign.

Marmoush took 4 pictures and scored with three of them, from an xG worth of 0.71. He was probably the most fouled (3) participant within the match and tore a really skilled Kieran Trippier to shreds, including much more nuance to Metropolis’s play.

Selection was evident in his ending, too, whereas a midfield masterclass from Nico Gonzalez helped stabilise and supply a platform from which to construct.

How would possibly all that assist this Sunday? Nicely, Pep has now been rearmed with the power to troubleshoot. Metropolis have had their wings clipped this yr – by the lack of Rodri, defensive accidents and the psychological pressure of unrelenting expectation – however the emergence of Egypt’s different celebrity ahead is a lifeline. Mo Salah might need to share his highlight.

“Nothing is eternal,” mentioned Pep on Wednesday after crashing out of the Champions League on the earliest level for 12 years. “It’s the year we’ve been the worst.” However whereas their limp exit to Actual Madrid can have harm it might additionally act as reduction. This Metropolis workforce, so early in its newest evolution, weren’t going to win Europe’s elite competitors this season.

Why lengthen the method?

Haaland’s absence – an unused substitute on the Bernabeu – was certainly acceptance of that truth.

Sunday twenty third February 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

All hope is just not misplaced within the Premier League, although. Since Christmas solely Liverpool and Arsenal have received extra factors than Manchester Metropolis.

The rivalry might carry much less jeopardy on this event given the hosts have lengthy been out of the title race however it nonetheless issues. Metropolis would take immense pleasure from placing a dent within the league leaders’ probabilities of stealing their crown, in addition to undermine any suggestion that Slot’s Liverpool have the credentials to rival Metropolis’s home dominance of the previous 5 or 6 years.

The Reds are within the midst of an energy-sapping run – 5 video games in a fortnight.

Their final eight league video games might need seen them stretch their unbeaten run to 22 however they’ve dropped eight factors within the course of.

They have been deservedly held to a draw at residence to struggling Man Utd of their first outing of 2025, got here from behind to safe a degree at Nottingham Forest, scored twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford, and run shut by each Bournemouth after which Wolves final weekend, in a second half the place they did not have a single shot – Wolves had 10.

Is Slot’s reluctance to rotate catching up with him? Alexander-Arnold is certainly one of 10 gamers to begin seven or extra of his facet’s eight league video games for the reason that flip of the yr. His reluctance to defend 1v1 is an issue, too, given Marmoush’s directness and capability to attract fouls.

Youri Tielemans scored Aston Villa’s equaliser within the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Wednesday by peeling off Alexander-Arnold, whereas Lucas Digne roamed free down the full-back’s left channel earlier than standing a ball up for Ollie Watkins to attain a second. He did atone by netting the leveller however was hooked quickly after.

The chance is there ought to Marmoush want to take benefit.

Pep is adamant he stays the fitting man to steer Manchester Metropolis into this new period. He continues to remind reporters that “we achieved something unique in our country and in Europe”. And now with the fitting mixture of time, persistence, and recruitment nouse, he is adamant he can do it once more.

Marmoush will little doubt show to be an enormous asset in that course of. How that helps within the right here and now, although, can be scrutinised on Sunday. Are we about to see the newest twist on this fascinating story?

Watch Manchester Metropolis vs Liverpool stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League this Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm