Man City fans think star's time is up after turbulent Atletico Madrid performance

Manchester City supporters think a first-team player may not be good enough after watching his performance in their 3-1 win against Atletico Madrid.

City faced La Liga giants Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday (August 9), with Enzo Maresca fielding a strong side, with Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo, Ruben Dias and Gianluigi Donnarumma all getting the nod from the start.

Vitor Reis, Matheus Nunes and Josko Gvardiol made up the defence, while Mateo Kovacic and Tijjani Reijnders formed a partnership in midfield, with Savinho beginning on the right flank despite links with a move to Spurs.

After a relatively low-key first half with few chances, the Spaniards broke the deadlock on 43 minutes, with Morten Hjulmand’s pass finding 16-year-old Jorge Dominguez in space before the teenager coolly finished past Donnarumma to hand his side the lead.

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And despite the result being largely insignificant, with the match more about gaining fitness and trying new tactics, City fans could not help but voice their concerns over Omar Marmoush’s first-half performance, with the Egyptian struggling to impact the game in the first 45.

City fans baffled by Marmoush showing

One said: “How is this Omar Marmoush still in my club, Man City? Please sell that guy. Game looks like we’re playing without a 9.”

Another added: “Take Marmoush off for Mubama. Have to get rid; he just offers nothing.”

A third claimed: “We need to sell Marmoush. Can’t even feel his presence in the box at all.”

A fourth wrote: “Marmoush has no striker movements or positioning. He has no creativity for a 10 and no dribbling for a winger. We've been scammed, bro.”

As a fifth exclaimed: “Why does every manager insist on playing Marmoush as a lone striker? It's not what he played when he was at Frankfurt. All his best performances were him having a free role behind the striker or next to the striker. I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but it's killing him.”

While a sixth weighed in: “Omar Marmoush has cost City like 3 goals already. That fantastic run by Savinho was supposed to have been met by a player - Marmoush. That was a number 9 role and he should have been there.”

The Egyptian significantly improved during the second half, netting a quick-fire brace, with Semenyo providing two assists, but his overall performance has left major question marks.

Of course, Erling Haaland is expected to be Maresca’s main striker once he returns, with Marmoush likely to be handed a bit-part role.

Substitute Rayan Ait-Nouri made it 3-1 in second-half stoppage time.

Next up, City travel to Cardiff, Wales, where they will face Arsenal in the Community Shield on August 16.

Maresca’s side open their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth on August 23.