Update: ‘Big credit’ – How Omar Marmoush has impressed Pep Guardiola at Man City News

Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush has hit the ground running at the club with seven goals in his last ten games.

Omar Marmoush has made a big impression on Pep Guardiola by keeping his cool in a difficult moment for Manchester City. Marmoush was an emergency signing in January, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for £59m to try to belatedly replace Julian Alvarez after the form of Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden dropped off.

City hadn’t thought they would need to replace Alvarez, but they hadn’t reckoned for the drop in performance of everyone behind Erling Haaland. With the team struggling to create goals, Marmoush caught the eye with a prolific record in the Bundesliga.

It was a struggle for the Egyptian when he arrived, going goalless in his first four appearances including a difficult afternoon at League One side Leyton Orient. The movement was there, it was just the goals weren’t coming.

That all changed in the space of 13 minutes against Newcastle as Marmoush introduced himself to the Premier League with a first-half hat-trick against Eddie Howe’s side. It is now seven goals in his last ten appearances after scoring to equalise against Crystal Palace in the 5-2 win.

Marmoush has a sense of goal, but he has also scored important goals. In the five games he has scored in, he has either levelled the score or given City the lead on four occasions.

“The numbers are really good. He arrived in the middle of the season, in a moment when we are not good,” said Guardiola.

“When everything is fluid and fine it is easy to adapt. But to come when the team is not playing good, that is a big credit.

“When the team gets the ball to feet, he makes the runs. He understood at the intensity you have to play.

“One goal again. He could score easily, in the first one, he was being pulled by the defender, for the last when the pass from Kevin, he could score three goals easily, like McAtee. He is one on one with the ‘keeper.

“That is what the team has to try and do. To deliver that. And then to score. The only way to score and create chances is to play good. Today (Saturday) we did it.”