| Cidades do meu Brasil

Story byOmar Marmoush (right) and Rayan Cherki both scored as City fought back from a goal down to win against Swansea - Getty Images/Peter CziborraRob StewartWed, October 29, 2025 at 11:36 PM UTC·

Erling Haaland will always be a tough act to follow on the goalscoring front, but Omar Marmoush made sure the mainstay of his team’s attack was not overly missed with the goal that edged Manchester City into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

While Haaland was back home putting his feet up as he recovers from clattering into a goalpost in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa, Marmoush was handed the task of shouldering the goalscoring burden which normally falls on the Norwegian.

It was not going to plan as Goncalo Franco put Swansea in command early on, but after Jeremy Doku equalised, Marmoush decided what turned into a game of attack and defence with a brilliant finish, before the outstanding Rayan Cherki had the final say.

But Marmoush not only rose to the challenge with his first City goal of the season, but also earned rare praise from his manager Pep Guardiola, which must reflect relief that he may have solved his side’s attacking conundrums.

Haaland is responsible for 11 of his side’s 17 Premier League goals this season, but Marmoush, on his return to front-line action following injury, will have won over doubters with a performance that owed as much to mental fortitude as to finishing prowess.

“It can’t have been easy for Omar with that system with centre defenders around him, but like it is with Erling, he knows perfectly how to be patient, how to be in small spaces, how to be consistent, to go to the men in behind,” Guardiola said.

“I’m happy for Omar because strikers like him need goals and so for his confidence it will be important. He has been injured a long time and, of course, playing in the position instead of Erling is important and having him back is so nice.

“We have players who have quality to play in small pockets, small spaces and we always try to bring players to do that and today we did it again. It’s not easy, but I love when we are able to do that.”

Guardiola was right to sing Marmoush’s praises. It looked like it was going to be one of those nights when nothing would go right for the forward who struggled with the physical challenge that comes with being a lone attacker and his inability to hold his own was a factor in Swansea’s opening goal.

The mid-table Championship side made a lively start and, after Marmoush was left isolated by his colleagues and outmuscled, before he knew it, Josh Key ran rings round Rayan Ait-Nouri and found the unmarked Franco, who curled delicious 20-yard effort beyond stand-in goalkeeper James Trafford.

Trafford came to Abdukodir Khusanov’s rescue when he surrendered possession with a smart save to deny Melker Widell before Swansea ran out of steam as City livened up and Cherki almost equalised when his shot rolled, seemingly in slow motion, against Andy Fisher’s post.

But the good fortune ran out when Doku cut in from the byline before letting rip with a shot that was deflected past Fisher after 39 minutes, as the hosts were punished for sitting back on a night when attack was very much the best form of defence.

Marmoush kept at it but nothing seemed to go his way and his attempt to lead a second-half breakaway, that came to nothing when he accidentally toe-poked the ball away, seemed to sum up his struggles.

Doku and Cherki looked head and shoulders above the rest and kept Swansea penned in their own penalty area, but Divine Mukasa, 18, was unable to take advantage and sliced a very good chance so badly wide it went out for a throw.

Marmoush’s persistence was rewarded when, after being teed up by Cherki, he turned and blasted a rising shot that sped past Fisher and then Cherki had the final say in the third minute of stoppage time when he applied the simplest of finishes as City toyed with their opponents.

Alan Sheehan’s side exit the competition with heads held high. “We’ve played an incredible team who drag you all over the pitch,” the Swansea manager said. “But I’m proud of the players for giving a wonderful account of themselves and doing everything together.”

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Visite Yahoo Sports para ler a matéria completa.

O Cidades do meu Brasil é apenas um agregador de notícias e não tem responsabilidade pelos textos publicados. O conteúdo de cada artigo é de responsabilidade exclusiva de seus respectivos autores e veículos de comunicação.