On the afternoon of September 10, the news that Omar Marmoush suffered a knee injury during the training session with the Egyptian team was a heavy blow to Pep Guardiola's attack in the Manchester Derby. According to The Guardian, Marmoush left the field early in the match against Burkina Faso and immediately returned to Manchester for in-depth check-ups. For now, he will definitely not be in the match against Man United.
A long list of injuries or fitness concerns at Man City is being listed. Notable cases include Rayan Cherki, Mateo Kovacic, Phil Foden, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones or Rico Lewis. In addition, many other cases are left open. In total, with Marmoush, the number could be as many as 13.
In attack, Marmoush and Cherki will definitely be absent. This is a big loss for Pep as they are all capable of making very impressive breakthroughs. Meanwhile, the situation of Phil Foden and Savinho has not been confirmed, further leaving Man City lacking options for creativity. The absence of wings forced Pep to rely more on Erling Haaland and other options such as Jeremy Doku or Oscar Bobb.
In defense, if Gvardiol, Stones or Lewis are not ready, this is a problem for the rotating defensive system because Pep often changes the central defender pair depending on the match. Before that, Man City loaned Inter Manuel Akanji. Currently, only Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake are the two true central defenders.
In midfield, this is the least affected area with only Kovacic sidelined. The Croatian midfielder is currently recovering from a bone injury in his heel in early June.
In such a context, Man City fans rely on Pep Guardiola, who is famous for his adaptability. Currently, the Spanish coach still has the reverse axis of the team ready to play, Haaland, Rodri, Reijnders and Dias.
However, the absence of creative players in the attack could force Pep to change his usual ball control style of play. Most likely, the Man City captain will have to reduce the intensity of his attack to ensure defensive balance, which will easily cause The Citizens to lose traditional possession.
One of the notable things is that Pep also has to consider the option after the match against Man United. The Spanish strategist needs to be careful in allocating his forces because after the Manchester Derby 4 days, they will face Napoli in the first round of the Champions League qualifying round.
In addition, Pep Guardiola and Man City are also facing great pressure on their performance as they have only won 3 points after the first 3 rounds of the Premier League. The injury storm that hit at this time has further complicated the situation of the Etihad team. What Pep needs to do is find an optimal starting lineup, which can both preserve the force and have good performances to reassure the fans.
The number of 13 players who may be absent due to injury is a warning bell that Man City is no longer allowed to operate at the perfect rotation as before. Therefore, the Manchester Derby will become a comprehensive test for Pep Guardiola and his students.
