As the season enters its final 11 games, Manchester City is in a tight race to secure a Champions League spot for next season.
Despite a recent victory against Tottenham, where Erling Haaland scored the lone goal, Pep Guardiola’s squad is currently fourth in the league. However, the competition is fierce, with six clubs, including tenth-placed Aston Villa, within five points.
This Saturday, Manchester City will face Nottingham Forest, who are just above them in the standings. To secure a crucial win at the City Ground, it might be time for Guardiola to unleash a more consistent attacking threat.
Jack Grealish’s Inconsistent Performance
Jack Grealish played in the recent FA Cup match against Plymouth Argyle but hasn’t started a Premier League game since before Christmas. His recent form raises questions about his effectiveness in the team.
Critics have noted Grealish’s underwhelming performances this season, although injuries have been cited as a contributing factor. It’s been over a year since his last Premier League goal. He has scored twice this season, including a penalty against Salford and a goal against Paris Saint-Germain in January.
In his time at Manchester City, Grealish has scored just 16 goals in 151 appearances. This output is considered low for a £100 million signing, a record British transfer fee at the time.
Grealish himself has acknowledged this season as “the most difficult year of my life.” Some critics suggest he is not fulfilling his potential, describing his contributions as “beyond disappointing.”
Time for a Change: Omar Marmoush
Given Grealish’s current form, Guardiola might consider starting Omar Marmoush in attack this Saturday.
Manchester City’s Potential Grealish Replacement
Manchester City signed Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt in January for a reported £63 million. Despite only a few appearances, the Egyptian striker has quickly demonstrated his value to the team.
Marmoush, 26, recently scored his first senior hat-trick against Newcastle. Erling Haaland praised him as “something special” and “a fantastic player.”
Before joining Manchester City, Marmoush was in excellent form for Frankfurt, scoring 20 goals in 26 games. His consistent goal-scoring ability has been described as “relentless.”
Let’s compare their stats for the 2024/25 season:
| Jack Grealish vs Omar Marmoush 2024/25 Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Jack Grealish | Omar Marmoush |
| Appearances | 26 | 34 |
| Minutes | 1,319 | 2,630 |
| Goals | 2 | 23 |
| Assists | 5 | 14 |
| Goals – xG | -0.8 | +7.7 |
| Shots on target per 90 | 1.92 | 4.31 |
| Shots on target % | 30.8% | 44.8% |
| Take on success % | 52% | 42.9% |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 5.9 | 5.21 |
| Touches per 90 | 64.56 | 41.73 |
Marmoush outperforms Grealish in most attacking statistics, although Grealish shows better numbers in creative metrics per 90 minutes like take-on success, touches, and shot-creating actions.
However, Marmoush is significantly more effective in shots, shot accuracy, assists, and goals, notably exceeding his expected goals (xG) by a large margin this season. This overperformance is even higher than Chris Wood, who leads the Premier League in this metric and is a player Forest will field on Saturday.
Facing a Nottingham Forest team that is among the top in the Premier League for goals conceded, expected goals allowed, and clean sheets, scoring will be a challenge. Therefore, Guardiola should consider starting his in-form attacker, Marmoush, to maximize City’s offensive potential.
Vihaan Mehrotra