No Haaland? With Marmoush and others, Man City show no problems

NEWCASTLE, England — The question hovering over the FA Cup fifth-round tie at St James’ Park was simple: how would Manchester City cope without Erling Haaland? The answer, delivered with ruthless efficiency, was emphatic. Pep Guardiola’s side shrugged off the absence of their 52-goal talisman, overturned an early deficit and coasted into a record-extending eighth consecutive quarter-final with a 3-1 victory inspired by Omar Marmoush’s double.

Guardiola rang the changes — ten in total from the team held 2-2 by Nottingham Forest last Wednesday — and watched his reshuffled lineup survive a bruising opening half-hour before Savinho’s stoppage-time equaliser altered the entire complexion of the contest. The Brazilian’s calm finish cancelled out Newcastle’s early strike and, from that moment, the tie belonged to City.

Marmoush, handed the central role in Haaland’s stead, continued his personal annihilation of Newcastle. The Egyptian’s first arrived five minutes after the restart, a poacher’s tap-in that nudged City ahead. His second, a curling 20-yard rocket in the 68th minute, effectively ended the contest and took his tally to seven goals in six appearances against Eddie Howe’s men — half of his total since a £60 million switch from Eintracht Frankfurt 14 months ago.

Guardiola’s touchline theatrics underlined the fixture’s importance. The Catalan raged at a second-half decision so fiercely he nearly tore his coat, and later apologised to fourth official Lewis Smith after hurtling down the technical area to celebrate Marmoush’s sealer. Even substitute goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma sprinted the length of the pitch to join the delirium.

“I had the feeling he scored a lot of times against them,” Guardiola said of Marmoush, substituted moments after his second goal to a warm embrace. “He’s a top striker and the finishing, especially his second goal, is his biggest quality.”

The result keeps City on course for a third straight Wembley appearance and maintains a remarkable FA Cup run that has produced 19 wins in their last 21 ties, defeats coming only in the 2024 and 2025 finals. It also allows Guardiola to plan for Wednesday’s Champions League showdown at Real Madrid with key figures rested: Haaland, Marc Guéhi, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Rodri were all left out of the travelling squad, while returning injury victims Nico González, Jérémy Doku, John Stones and Nathan Aké logged valuable minutes off the bench.

“Everybody had to play,” Guardiola stressed. “When we are in all competitions we have to do it. If we lose, we lose — but it’s nice for them to be involved.”

The gamble paid off. City were briefly rattled by Newcastle’s press, yet Savinho’s leveller flipped the momentum and Marmoush took care of the rest. The Magpies, beaten by the same opponent in February’s Carabao Cup semi-final, have now shipped nine goals to the 26-year-old in four cup encounters.

City will discover their last-eight opponents in Monday’s draw, but the bigger picture is already clear: Guardiola’s squad, decrying suggestions the FA Cup is an afterthought, remain alive on four fronts and, crucially, in peak condition for the season’s decisive stretch.