Salah-Marmoush, a duel of pharaohs in City-Liverpool

One has been called the 'Egyptian King' since he became an idol for Liverpool fans . The other is already considered the prince of Egypt . Pharaohs of football. Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush will face each other this Sunday in Manchester City-Liverpool , the Premier League's duel of duels in recent times, but Pep Guardiola 's team is now entering it at a very difficult time. Just after being left out of the Champions League after losing 3-1 (second leg) and 2-3 (first leg) against Real Madrid in the playoff. And Liverpool, as Premier League leaders, but a bit nervous.

Salah was born in 1992 in Nagrig, a village in the Nile Delta, where he built a hospital, a school, a stadium, as well as helping many families financially. Marmoush was born in 1999 in Cairo. Salah left his country for Europe, specifically for Switzerland, to sign for Basel at the age of 20 from Mokawloon . Marmoush, at 18, to join the Wolfsburg reserve team from Wadi Degla.

Marmoush is a centre forward, but can play in other attacking positions. Between Eintracht Frankfurt and his hat trick with Manchester City , he has scored 23 goals this season (and 14 assists). Salah is a right winger, but can also play in other positions. In all competitions, he has scored 29 goals this season and provided 20 assists.

They know each other very well. It is not in vain that they have played 26 matches together with the Egyptian national team . With good and bad moments. Things that unite. Together they lost on penalties against Senegal in the final of the 2022 African Cup of Nations.

Taking to the pitch for Egypt, Salah told Trezeguet of Marmoush , joking: "He's the golden boy." The Liverpool star told the Liverpool Echo last November that Marmoush "is a very important player for the national team and for the team he's in, with huge potential, but don't put him under pressure by comparing him to me."

And Marmoush, who on Wednesday delivered the free-kick from Courtois ' rebound that Nico Gonzalez took advantage of to score City 's only goal against Real Madrid (3-1), said about Salah in March 2024: "We are in touch, the Egyptian players who play in Europe support each other. I learn a lot from him on and off the pitch. He talks to us about his work ethic, the importance of rest... He is like an older brother to me."

They meet again. This Sunday. At the Etihad. In the Premier League. With City trying to put on a good performance and beat a Premier League leader who is coming off a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa and doesn't want to lose points against their great rival of recent seasons. After four consecutive Premier Leagues for Guardiola's men, they want to win this one. A duel of Pharaohs. A duel to score.