Erling Haaland believes new Manchester City signing Omar Marmoush “has something special” after the Egypt star’s debut during a 3-1 win over Chelsea.
Marmoush made an immediate impact, troubling Chelsea’s backline with his speed and attacking instincts. He appeared to have marked his debut with a goal in the first half, only for it to be ruled out for offside. Later in the game, a thunderous shot from Marmoush narrowly missed the target, further showcasing his intent.
After the game, Haaland expressed his admiration for Marmoush’s abilities and stated: “I think especially in the first half you can see he has something special. There’s a reason City brought him because he has something special. He got straight into the team and It’s about getting to know him as soon as possible because there are so many important games coming.
“It’s about giving him confidence and he’s going to be a fantastic player for us. It’s always nice [to have new faces]. I’ve been a new player before trying to come in with a different energy and different personality. It’s also nice to get to know new people and of course play with good players, that’s what you want.
“He had an amazing first half of the season for Eintracht Frankfurt and hopefully, he’s going to have the same season with us now for the second half of the season.”
The match began on a difficult note for City as Noni Madueke put Chelsea ahead in the opening minutes, capitalising on an error by City debutant Abdukodir Khusanov. However, Josko Gvardiol equalised just before half-time to steady the ship. In the second half, City took control of the game. Haaland scored a vital goal and later assisted Phil Foden to secure all three points.
The victory not only marked a strong team performance but also pushed City into fourth place in the Premier League standings.
Haaland reflected on the team’s resilience, stating: “I think it was a really good performance. We started really bad. But we kept going and I think we controlled a lot of the game.
“It was a great team performance. We have to keep winning games. That’s what we need to do. Today we showed great spirit. Now we have to keep going, the Champions League game is a must-win, and then we go to Arsenal. The schedule has plenty of games so we have to get ready as soon as possible and try to stay fit.
“I think Chelsea quickly went man against man and there was loads of space because their line was high. As you’ve seen before Ederson has given me a few assists and I know how precise he can be. So it’s about having the right timing between me and him. Sometimes even City can go direct and I think that’s a good thing. It was a good goal and an amazing pass from Eddie.”
With the win over Chelsea boosting their confidence, City now turn their focus to a crucial Champions League encounter against Club Brugge on Wednesday. Following that, they face a highly anticipated Premier League clash with Arsenal on February 2.
Goal.com
