National federation confirms knee injury sustained by Manchester City star | OneFootball

Manchester City have sustained a fresh injury blow in the final days of the September international break, it has been confirmed.

The latest concern comes in the shape of Omar Marmoush, who was forced off inside the opening 10 minutes of Egypt’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso on Tuesday night.

His early substitution immediately sparked fears among both Manchester City and national team supporters, particularly given Pep Guardiola’s growing list of unavailable players heading into a demanding stretch of fixtures.

Initial optimism did emerge before half-time, with reports suggesting the problem may not be serious. Marmoush was later seen walking without difficulty and even smiling with teammates at the final whistle, despite sporting bandaging around his knee.

That optimism, however, has since been tempered by confirmation from Egypt’s footballing authorities.

Following the contest, the Egyptian Football Association have confirmed that Omar Marmoush has sustained a knock to his knee, with the Manchester City forward now due to undergo further tests to determine the extent of the injury and potential length of absence.

Additional confirmation from Egypt national team doctor Mohamed Abou El-Ela also confirmed Marmoush had sustained a knee ligament bruise, and would undergo scans upon his arrival back in Cairo on Wednesday morning.

The update marks yet another concern for Guardiola, who has seen several first-team players withdraw from their national team squads during this international period.

Rico Lewis, John Stones, and Nico O’Reilly were all forced to stay away from national team duties, while Oscar Bobb only recently reassured supporters that his thigh scare was a false alarm after undergoing scans with Norway.

For Marmoush, the timing could not be worse, with the 26-year-old forward looking to build on a promising start to life at the Etihad Stadium following his arrival during the last January transfer window.

His versatility across the front line has already proven useful to Pep Guardiola, especially with Rayan Cherki sidelined through a thigh injury and Jack Grealish having now left the club, albeit on an initial loan agreement with Everton.

Manchester City officials will now be eagerly awaiting the results of further medical assessments concerning their Egyptian star, with hopes that the issue is no more than a precautionary knock.

Should scans reveal a more significant problem, Omar Marmoush could miss crucial upcoming clashes against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal, further testing Pep Guardiola’s attacking resources.

If the prognosis is positive, however, Marmoush may yet be fit to feature immediately upon his return to Manchester. Either way, the episode highlights just how precarious City’s injury situation has become, with Guardiola left to balance short-term concerns against the longer-term need to manage fitness throughout a congested season.