Update: Omar Marmoush can help decide some Man City futures in transfer window News

Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush led the line well in Erling Haaland’s absence against Crystal Palace and will continue to do so

Saturday’s lineup against Crystal Palace had a fresh feel to it. Three academy starters – with one making his first in the Premier League for Manchester City – will certainly do that but it was also down to Omar Marmoush.

This was the first game since Erling Haaland’s injury really that the Blues have cut loose with the Egyptian leading their line. The win over Leicester was over almost before it had begun, while the derby at Old Trafford was, to borrow from Pep Guardiola, boring.

Here was a full-blooded attacking display, scoring five goals for the first time since they managed six at Ipswich back in January. After an horrendous start that saw them go two goals down, 21 shots with nine on target was an impressive return as they picked up an important three points.

It was an interesting team, not least because the wingers were all benched in favour of a Catalan Christmas tree with James McAtee and Kevin De Bruyne supporting Marmoush. It felt odd at the time, but it certainly worked.

And no surprise, given Marmoush is not the same kind of forward as Haaland so why should he have the team set up in a similar way? The January signing is a lot more active than City’s No.9, less of a focal point in the box but more a whirling bundle of energy that can drop with the team and then carry them up the pitch at speed.

With Haaland sidelined for most of the remaining games this season, it is basically Marmoush’s world that the rest of the team will have to revolve around. And with some uncertain futures heading into the summer transfer window, that throws up some interesting opportunity.

James McAtee was a big winner on Saturday, scoring on his first league start by latching onto Ederson’s through ball in a space that Haaland would have normally occupied.

Can he earn more starts before the end of the season and convince Guardiola to keep him, or is a summer move inevitable? Leverkusen are one of the teams interested in the 22-year-old, which adds to the intrigue around City liking Florian Wirtz.

Jack Grealish was overlooked again on Saturday but has shown some promise in a central role this season, and could also be used where McAtee was as a No.10. It looks like Grealish is running out of chances to show what he can do at the Etihad approaching the end of his fourth season, but he does at least seem more suited to that shape than Savinho or Jeremy Doku do.

Gundogan had one of his better games ahead of a big decision for him and City in the summer. He has triggered a one-year extension to stay next season, yet the best decision for all parties may be an exit.

Then there is Bernardo Silva, who has been linked with a move back to Benfica. The 30-year-old has faced some criticism this season in a year where he has been used more than nearly any other player, but is determined to show he still has a purpose for being in the team.

If the win over Palace showed the potential that can be had with Marmoush leading the line, how well players are able to link up and set up the Egyptian over the course of the rest of the season may help determine who stays and who goes at the end of it.

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