Manchester City's Omar Marmoush sustained a knee injury while on international duty with Egypt, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming Manchester derby. The 26-year-old forward was forced off the pitch in the ninth minute of Egypt's World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso on Tuesday.
Marmoush suffered the injury following a challenge in the fourth minute of the match. He initially received treatment and attempted to continue playing but was eventually replaced. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) later posted a picture on their X account of Marmoush leaving the pitch with medics, stating that he suffered a bruised knee ligament. Egypt drew nil-all with Burkina Faso.
According to reports, initial assessments suggest the injury may not be serious. However, the Egyptian Football Association confirmed that Marmoush sustained a knock to his knee and will undergo further tests to determine the extent of the injury and potential length of absence. Egypt national team doctor Mohamed Abou El-Ela also confirmed that Marmoush sustained a knee ligament bruise and would undergo scans upon his arrival back in Cairo on Wednesday.
Marmoush's injury is a concern for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who is already dealing with several unavailable players. Rico Lewis, John Stones, and Nico O'Reilly were all forced to stay away from national team duties. Rayan Cherki is currently sidelined with a thigh injury, and Phil Foden is yet to return to full fitness. Oscar Bobb recently reassured supporters that his thigh scare was a false alarm after undergoing scans with Norway.
The timing of Marmoush's injury is particularly unfortunate, as he has been looking to build on a promising start to his career at the Etihad Stadium following his arrival in January. He has started in the club's past two top-flight matches against Tottenham and Brighton after coming on as a substitute in the opening-weekend win against Wolves. His versatility across the front line has proven valuable to Guardiola, especially with Cherki's injury.
If the scans reveal a significant problem, Marmoush could miss crucial upcoming matches against Manchester United, Napoli, and Arsenal. However, if the prognosis is positive, he may be fit to feature immediately upon his return to Manchester. Manchester City officials are awaiting the results of the medical assessments.
In addition to Marmoush's injury, Egypt has been hit with other injury concerns. Midfielder Hamdy Fathy has been ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso due to an instep injury sustained during Friday's victory over Ethiopia. Mohanad Lasheen is also struggling with a recurring back injury, making his participation uncertain.
