Erling Haaland (£14.8m) is back – and after unused substitute duty in Gameweek 35, a return to action is imminent.
For the legions of Fantasy managers who own Omar Marmoush (£7.6m), what impact will Haaland’s comeback have on the Egyptian?
We’ve taken a look at Marmoush and Haaland’s stats and output when the two have featured together as well as when it’s been Marmoush alone, in an attempt to determine whether the versatile Egyptian will fare better or worse when City’s no. 9 is back in action.
Haaland and Marmoush: Together in the Premier League so far
Gameweek 23
Marmoush’s City debut was a promising if ultimately uneventful one, taking up frequently advanced positions – often more so even than Haaland, who scored and assisted in this one – and having a goal disallowed for offside.
The Norwegian led the line as per usual, with the then-newcomer stationed on the left flank.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 90 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 bonus = 12 points
- 3 shots, 2 shots on target, 1 big chance; 3 chances created, 2 big chances created
- Marmoush
- Position: Left wing / forward
- 73 minutes = 2 points
- 2 shots; 1 chance created, 1 big chance created
Gameweek 24
A day to forget for City, with Haaland’s goal – from his only effort at the Emirates – merely a consolation.
Marmoush, once again stationed to the left of his centre forward but as more of a supporting striker due to Savinho’s (£6.2m) presence wider on the flank, came close to a first attacking return having taken all of City’s corners, but returned home empty-handed once again.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 90 minutes, 1 goal = 6 points
- 1 shot, 1 shot on target, 1 big chance
- Marmoush
- Position: Left-attacking midfielder / second striker
- 71 minutes = 2 points
- 1 shot; 3 chances created
Gameweek 25
A solitary assist for Haaland capped an underwhelming performance for the Norwegian in an impressive home win over Newcastle.
Instead, it was Marmoush’s time to shine. And shine he did, capitalising on the Magpies’ high line to score a hat-trick from that increasingly familiar left flank.
The Egyptian also continued to dominate City’s corner-taking duties as well as taking his share of free-kicks.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 86 minutes, 1 assist = 5 points
- 2 shots, 1 shot on target, 8 penalty box touches; 2 chances created, 1 big chance created
- Marmoush
- Position: Left wing
- 75 minutes, 3 goals, 3 bonus = 17 points
- 4 shots, 3 shots on target, 2 big chances, 5 penalty box touches
Gameweek 27
After missing the Gameweek 26 loss to Liverpool (more on that below), Haaland was back on both the teamsheet and the scoresheet to beat Spurs in Gameweek 27, with all three of his attempts being labelled big chances.
There was no such joy for Marmoush, who made it five league starts in a row but blanked for the second straight match (including that aforementioned Gameweek 26 outing).
He took up a more central starting role again here as Kevin De Bruyne (£9.4m) and Phil Foden (£9.1m) both dropped to the bench, lining up behind – but often pulling alongside – Haaland with Savinho to his right and Jérémy Doku (£6.2m) on the left, yet had a quieter night.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 90 minutes, 1 goal, 2 bonus = 8 points
- 3 shots, 3 shots on target, 3 big chances; 1 chance created
- Marmoush
- Position: Attacking midfielder / second striker
- 73 minutes = 2 points
- 1 shot; 1 chance created
Gameweek 28
Things went from bad to worse from an FPL perspective for Marmoush in Gameweek 28, when he was (tactically) benched for the first time in the league in City’s loss to Nottingham Forest.
Haaland blanked here too in his 90-minute run-out, with Marmoush restricted to a brief minute cameo, coming on for right-winger Savinho and registering no attempts on goal or chances created against a stifling Forest backline.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 90 minutes = 2 points
- 2 shots, 1 shot in the box; 1 chance created
- Marmoush
- Position: Substitute
- 26 minutes = 1 point
Gameweek 29
Both men were finally on the scoresheet in the same match, with Haaland converting an early penalty before Marmoush (temporarily) restored City’s lead with a long-range strike in an end-to-end outing against Brighton – which to date was the last time the two have played together.
Marmoush, again playing as somewhat of a second striker, was City’s top scorer in the match, registering an assist for having won the penalty that Haaland tucked away and earning three bonus points. Not for the first time we saw Guardiola’s marquee January signing playing off Haaland but frequently running beyond him to take up some threateningly advanced positions via his signature darting runs.
- Haaland
- Position: Striker
- 90 minutes, 1 goal, 1 bonus = 7 points
- 3 shots, 1 shot on target, 1 big chance, 5 penalty box touches
- Marmoush
- Position: Attacking midfielder / second striker
- 85 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 bonus = 12 points
- 2 shots, 1 shot on target, 7 penalty box touches; 2 chances created, 2 big chances created
Elsewhere, the duo started a fixture each of City’s Champions League knock-out play-off loss to Real Madrid, with Haaland leading the line in the first leg and Marmoush given the nod for the second leg with his teammate out injured.
Marmoush alone
Aside from an FA Cup fourth-round win over Leyton Orient (in which he registered five shots but failed to score), the first glimpse we got of Marmoush in a Haaland-less City was against Liverpool in Gameweek 26.
We have since seen the former Premier League champions in such a set-up in five straight matches from Gameweek 30-33. Here’s what we’ve observed from those six matches worth of evidence.
Gameweek 26
Haaland missed out through injury as City were comfortably beaten by eventual Premier League title successors Liverpool, in a match that saw Marmoush lead the line for the first time in Sky Blue in the top flight.
He had a goal ruled out for offside as well as a match-high four shots, but often drifted a little deeper and towards the left flank, with an average position further back than wingers Doku and Savinho.
- Marmoush
- Position: Centre forward
- 76 minutes = 2 points
- 4 shots, 2 shots on target; 1 chance created
Gameweek 30
After Haaland’s injury in City’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Bournemouth, Marmoush was back up top for the visit of Leicester and played a more traditional centre forward role in between Doku and Savinho.
He only scored once but was perhaps unlucky not to bag more, having managed a massive nine total shots, five of which were inside the box with three on target.
- Marmoush
- Position: Centre forward
- 90 minutes, 1 goal, 3 bonus = 9 points
- 9 shots, 5 shots in the box, 3 shots on target
Gameweek 31
An all around dull affair of a Manchester derby saw Marmoush named on the left up top alongside Foden, but the versatile Egyptian often dropped deeper with De Bruyne instead operating as something of a false nine in a narrow front three.
Still, Marmoush managed twice as many shots and shots in the box as either of his two attacking teammates but ultimately failed to convert any of those chances.
- Marmoush
- Position: Left forward
- 90 minutes = 2 points
- 4 shots, 3 shots on target, 2 shots in the box
Gameweek 32
This was a decent showing for Marmoush but he may be disappointed not to have left with more than his one goal, having been afforded three big chances of his own as well as creating two others.
His average position veered towards the left flank, just shy of the opposition penalty box, with De Bruyne again operating centrally and playing a pivotal role in City’s comeback against a poor Palace side.
- Marmoush
- Position: Left forward / left wing
- 81 minutes, 1 goal, 1 bonus = 7 points
- 3 shots, 3 shots on target, 3 big chances, 7 penalty box touches; 2 chances created, 2 big chances created
Double Gameweek 33 (part 1)
Not the best start to his first Double Gameweek as a City player – and a heavily-backed one at that.
Marmoush started up front but ended up with an average position just ahead of De Bruyne in something of a two-pronged attack, supported by Savinho on the left and Bernardo Silva (£6.1m) on the right.
Despite racking up some decent underlying stats, the afternoon ended in a blank for Marmoush with City’s saviours elsewhere on the day.
- Marmoush
- Position: Left forward
- 90 minutes = 2 points
- 3 shots, 3 shots in the box, 1 big chance; 2 chances created
Double Gameweek 33 (part 2)
Another blank in another City victory made it a thoroughly disappointing Double Gameweek 33 for Marmoush.
The Egyptian racked up six touches in Villa’s area, and three total shots, but only came close to a return with a late offside goal and a non-assist for City’s opener.
This was the third match in the row that Guardiola had started without his previously in-favour wingers, the Spaniard opting as he did in Gameweek 32 for a narrow front three of James McAtee (£4.6m), De Bruyne and the left-leaning – but positionally most advanced – Marmoush.
- Marmoush
- Position: Left forward
- 90 minutes = 2 points
- 3 shots, 2 shots in the box, 6 penalty box touches; 1 chance created, 1 big chance created
Gameweek 35
1-0 win v Wolverhampton Wanderers
A third blank in a row, with Marmoush this time switching to the right to accommodate a recall for Jeremy Doku (£6.2m) on the other flank.
De Bruyne was again the line-leading forward, with Haaland unused on the bench.
- Marmoush
- Position: Right forward
- 82 minutes = 2 points
- 2 shots, 2 shots in the box, 4 penalty box touches; 0 chances created, 0 big chances created
Summary: How does Marmoush perform with and without Haaland?
MARMOUSH WITH HAALAND
