Man City picked up an emphatic win on Saturday beating Crystal Palace 5-2, with Kevin De Bruyne rolling back the years.
Manchester City fans were treated to a vintage Kevin De Bruyne performance against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Having announced his Man City departure ahead of the summer, De Bruyne scored and assisted in Man City’s 5-2 win over Crystal Palace, with Pep Guardiola’s side coming from two goals behind to win emphatically at the Etihad.
It’s certainly a positive as Man City chase a Champions League finish and also an FA Cup to leave a silver lining on this testing 2024/25 season. But it’s worrying too, as De Bruyne will leave a huge void in attack.
Pep desperately needs to find someone to replace De Bruyne’s presence and it’s reported that Man City could replace De Bruyne internally with the likes of Phil Foden, though Florian Wirtz continues to be linked with Man City.
Further up the pitch, Pep does have someone stepping up and looking like a star in the making in Omar Marmoush.
Gary Lineker drops verdict on Omar Marmoush at Man City
Marmoush was also on the scoresheet against Palace last time out. The Egyptian international, who Man City paid Eintracht Frankfurt £59million for in the January transfer window, has already scored six goals in 10 Premier League games, impressing the on-looking Man City faithful in the process.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Gary Lineker has hailed Marmoush’s start to life in the Premier League, even saying that the 26-year-old has already become an invaluable player for Man City. Lineker said: “I think since he joined, only Salah’s scored more. It looks a positive signing for City.
“I know they paid a few bob for him and he was already scoring goals in and he’s still finding his feet. But I see a player in there. I think he’s really talented. He’s got a good energy, which is something that City lacked in the first half of the season. And he’s clearly got technical abilities and he can score all sorts of different kinds of goals. And he’s got a hunger that I think has been invaluable, probably, for City over the last few weeks.”
Gary Lineker has just echoed what Pep Guardiola thinks of Omar Marmoush
Along with his clear eye for goal, Marmoush has obviously added some much-needed energy and life to the Man City attack, which at times this season has looked very one dimensional.
But Marmoush adds another dimension for sure and Pep has been impressed with Marmoush’s energy since his arrival at Man City, saying that he’s quickly understood the level of energy required to play for the club.
Pep said after the Palace game: “When a team likes to get the ball on the feet, he’s a runner, he’s understood the intensity we like to play with.”
Now playing in the no.9 owing to Erling Haaland’s ankle injury, if Marmoush continues to impress in that role then it could give Pep some food for thought going into the summer when Haaland returns.
Up next for Man City is a trip to Everton on Saturday.
