Man City Eye Foden as False Nine, Youth Prospects to Cover for Marmoush's Africa Cup Absence
Manchester City faces a potential fixture pile-up during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and is considering several tactical shifts and personnel changes to manage the absence of backup striker Omar Marmoush, who could miss up to 11 games.
Marmoush, who joined City in January and has been the primary understudy to Erling Haaland, is set to represent Egypt from late December 2025 to mid-January 2026. If Egypt reaches the final, the Egyptian forward will miss seven Premier League fixtures, two League Cup ties, one FA Cup match, and a Champions League game, totalling 11 crucial matches in 38 days.
The situation is complicated by the Egyptian national team's request for Marmoush to join early for a friendly on December 14th, conflicting directly with a Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
With the busy schedule making it impossible for Haaland to start every game, manager Pep Guardiola must find reliable cover. The Manchester Evening News suggests that Phil Foden is likely to feature as a false nine in some matches, a role he recently played for the England national team during the World Cup qualifiers.
Furthermore, two 18-year-old prospects may be called upon: Mukasa and Sangare. While Mukasa has played a striking role effectively in the League Cup, Sangare—a forward who joined from PSG last summer—has impressed with nine goals in 14 appearances for the youth team and could make his senior debut.
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