Omar Marmoush misfires at Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi struggles to find best role for Egypt star

“I just want to know what he is for us,” offers Mike, a Spurs fan ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The "he" being referred to is Omar Marmoush, the Egypt international recently signed in a big-money deal from Manchester City.

Ten games in, Spurs fans are trying to work out what they’ve got in the player who’d impressed so much before his move to England after showing prolific form for Eintracht Frankfurt.

A credible 16 goals in 62 appearances for high-scoring City saw another big-money move from Manchester to London.

“Is he a winger or a forward or a 10?” adds Mike. Against Leeds, Marmoush, 27, played wide and through the middle.

He’s started every Spurs game since he moved from City in August on a loan with conditions to buy deal for a reported £60 million.

All except the Manchester United away game last month, which proved to be a turning point in Spurs’ season. Without a win in their previous four games, which he’s started, Spurs played well at Old Trafford and were worth their draw.

Marmoush was on the pitch when Dominic Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equaliser at Old Trafford, and Solanke is the man who plays in a similar position, more usually as a nine. Against Leeds, Solanke was dropped to the bench, with Marmoush playing as the main striker.

“He’s a really good player, but he’s not a No 9,” says Jack, who watched Spurs home and away and was at Elland Road. “Marmoush doesn’t play with his back to the goal or hold the ball up. He’s good at running forwards with the ball or cutting in from the left. Or getting shots off, like the goal he scored against Coventry recently (a clinical strike from the edge of the box that earned a nomination for Tottenham’s October goal of the month). If Spurs want a more traditional No 9, Solanke is better – the team is better with him up front.”

Marmoush’s only goal so far has not been supplemented by any assists.

At Leeds, Solanke came on for the badly fouled Mathys Tel in the first half, meaning Marmoush shifted to the left of an attack which did little attacking.

Leeds were effective in stopping Roberto De Zerbi’s team playing De Zerbi’s way, pressing hard to stifle Spurs playing out from the back.

Spurs had more early possession, though Leeds were a greater threat – which was little surprise given Spurs have scored only two of their 10 league goals in the first half – yet Marmoush was a bystander in both positions as Leeds came out much stronger in the second half. No Spurs player had fewer touches than Marmoush, in a team which wins more duels than any other in the league and has some hugely skilful players, but is a low-scoring side.

Leeds 1-0 Tottenham - in pictures

Having lost their grip on the game, Spurs made three substitutions in the 64th minute. It was no surprise that Marmoush was one of them, as he came off for Dejan Kulusevski. He’d taken two of Spurs’ three shots, none of which came close to a goal. He was not on the pitch when Noah Okafor got a deserved late winner to move Leeds to eighth. Spurs are 10th, with more defeats than wins so far this season.

The Egyptian will have better days, and his manager has spoken positively about his pace, intelligence and ability to play in different attacking roles, noting that he and Savio now have greater responsibility as they are expected to rotate.

For Marmoush, he’ll travel with his country to an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Malawi on Friday, with the return game four days later. He’ll be playing for a new coach after Hossam Hassan was dismissed on Friday and replaced by Ali Maher. Marmoush, with 58 caps and 13 goals for his country since his senior debut in 2021, usually leads the front line with Mohamed Salah, and the pair have been effective. The Pharaohs currently sit at the top of Group B with four points, following a win against South Sudan and a draw with Angola in the first two rounds.

For his club, Marmoush needs to make his mark. He’ll be given plenty more opportunities to do so.