When World Cup-winning Argentine Julian Alvarez left Manchester City for Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2024, Pep Guardiola was left in the unfortunate position of having only one proven option to lead the line.
That option was Erling Haaland, which is better than most, but the Citizens do not – as good as their talismanic No.9 is – want to play the Norwegian in every game across multiple competitions.
Even the best in the business require the occasional rest.
Said selection poser appeared to have been addressed when snapping up Omar Marmoush during the January window of 2025.
He arrived for a fee of just under £60 million and settled quickly at the Etihad Stadium.
Omar Marmoush Offers An Alternative To Erling Haaland
The Egyptian may have missed out on major silverware in his debut campaign with City, but those betting on sports online have seen Guardiola’s side come back into contention for the most prestigious of domestic and continental honours.
They are 7/4 to reclaim the Premier League title, having surrendered that prize to Liverpool, and sit at 6/1 in the race to savour Champions League glory.
They are also 9/2 favourites to win the FA Cup in 2026.
City will need somebody other than Haaland to contribute on the goalscoring front if they are to get their hands on major honours.
That is where Marmoush, who found the target on eight occasions last season, is supposed to come in.
Pep Guardiola’s Stance On Manchester City Strikers
Guardiola maintains that the former Eintracht Frankfurt forward has a place in his plans, saying of the competition with Haaland for regular game time: “We know in many games we need both.”
City’s highly decorated coach has also said that having an alternative to one of the most prolific marksmen on the planet “is important”, with a change of approach required at times, with brute force not always the answer.
Unfortunately for Marmoush, Haaland has been so red-hot this season that he has barely gotten a look in.
With untimely injuries hindering his cause, late cameos off the bench have become an unfortunate theme.
False Nine: Attacking Options For Manchester City
There is also the Africa Cup of Nations to factor into the equation, with Marmoush set to be out of sight, and potentially mind, when representing his country at an international tournament.
Haaland will continue to carry the load for City, with Guardiola having the option to revert back to the ‘false nine’ approach that he helped to make famous if required.
While he may be short on natural strikers, he is not lacking in attacking talent.
Why Omar Marmoush Has Struggled To Convince In England
Marmoush, though, will be wondering where his face fits.
He is more mobile than Haaland – happy to run channels and drift wide as space opens up for those around him – but can be sloppy in possession, and that will forever infuriate a head coach who has always prided himself on ball retention.
Goals and minutes are required in order to build confidence, but it is difficult to see where either is going to come from, to the point that City may yet dip back into the transfer market for another alternative.
Marmoush started brightly in English football, but that spark is in danger of being extinguished.
He has become an odd man out at the Etihad, through no real fault of his own, and could find himself forgotten entirely as the shadow cast by Haaland looms ever larger.
