‘Pep Guardiola repeatedly tore into annoying Man City star who wouldn’t obey him’
Manchester City suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the Etihad against former title rivals Liverpool, with frustrations boiling over on the touchline from Pep Guardiola.
Man City side fell to a frustrating 2-0 defeat at home after first-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominic Szoboszlai to put Liverpool 11 points clear at the top of the table.
Guardiola’s side remain in fourth place, and Man City fans were left frustrated with players such as Kevin de Bruyne after another lacklustre performance this season.
Omar Marmoush was given the nod to start in attack as Erling Haaland was once again absent due to injury, having also missed the recent defeat to Real Madrid.
Despite Marmoush impressing against Newcastle with a stunning hat-trick—a performance that had supporters urging Guardiola to start him against Real Madrid—his display against Liverpool was far less impactful.
Omar Marmoush struggles as Pep Guardiola shows frustration
According to The Times, Guardiola had spent much of the first-half “yelling and gesturing” at Marmoush as he was “seemingly annoyed at him being in the wrong positions” to cut off Liverpool’s attacking transitions.
The Egyptian international couldn’t match the influence of his compatriot Salah, who left the pitch with a goal and an assist, taking his tally for the season to an astonishing 51 goal contributions.
| Match stats vs Liverpool | Omar Marmoush |
| Goals | 0 |
| Expected assists | 0.11 (xA) |
| Accurate crosses | 2 |
| Possession lost | 14 |
| Offsides | 2 |
Marmoush frequently drifted towards the left flank, while Phil Foden occupied a more central role. However, Foden himself came under fire from City fans for a poor display in City’s second loss of the season to the Reds.
Since his £59 million move to City in the January transfer window, Marmoush has shown glimpses of his potential in limited appearances. However, adapting to Guardiola’s tactical demands remains a challenge, and he is still finding his place in the system.
Pep Guardiola must unlock Marmoush’s full potential
City’s investment in the forward is significant, as Marmoush will cost Man City around £100m throughout the deal as he signed a four-year-deal.
His impressive numbers in the Bundesliga were undoubtedly a key factor in City’s decision to sign him with 20 goals and 14 assists in all competitions before his move.
The ability to operate both as a centre-forward and a left winger provides Guardiola with tactical flexibility, but consistency will be crucial in determining his long-term success in the squad.
City must quickly bounce back from the Liverpool defeat as they prepare for a tough away fixture against Tottenham on Wednesday (26 February) in the Premier League.