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Guardiola counts on Marmoush return to manage Haaland ahead of Manchester derby
With the Manchester derby looming, Pep Guardiola faces midfield uncertainty and looks for relief for an increasingly overworked Erling Haaland.
Nico González remains a major doubt
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The Manchester City manager heads into Saturday’s clash with Manchester United carrying a key question mark in midfield. Nico González is still struggling with fitness issues, and Guardiola admitted he cannot yet guarantee the midfielder’s availability for the trip to Old Trafford.
“He’s injured. He didn’t recover well, tried to push through it and that set him back,” Guardiola said after Tuesday’s match. In his absence, Nico O’Reilly started as the holding midfielder, with Rodri coming on to play the final 40 minutes.
Haaland showing signs of fatigue
The workload of Erling Haaland is also becoming a growing concern. The Norwegian striker played the full 90 minutes, plus nearly 10 minutes of stoppage time, in the 2–0 win over Newcastle, and is expected to start again against United.
His sharpness, however, has dipped. Haaland has not scored from open play since the West Ham match before Christmas and looked short of his usual explosiveness after a congested run of fixtures, including FA Cup action against Exeter.
Marmoush seen as key rotation option
Aware of the physical toll on his striker, Guardiola is eager to welcome back Omar Marmoush, who is currently away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The winger has reached the semifinals and will face Senegal on Wednesday, before playing either the final on Sunday or the third-place match on Saturday. His return could provide Guardiola with a crucial option to rotate and finally give Haaland some rest.
Guardiola demands collective response
Despite injuries and fatigue, Guardiola stressed that mentality remains strong inside the squad. “The team is there. The spirit has always been there,” he said. “In the Premier League we face extraordinary opponents, and to stay in the race we need incredible performances in the run-in.”
The City boss acknowledged defensive challenges but underlined that success depends on the group’s response. “Win, and then win again. Hopefully Omar comes back soon to give Erling a breather,” he added.
As the Manchester derby approaches, Manchester City balance urgency with expectation. With midfield doubts and a visibly drained Haaland, Guardiola is banking on timely reinforcements — and a strong collective showing — to pass one of the season’s toughest tests.
