Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.
Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.
Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to City’s hopes of overturning a 3-2 deficit in the second leg of their play-off tie at the Bernabeu on Wednesday but Guardiola was not overly concerned.
The City manager said: “When he was down everyone was scared, but I think he stood up and he was smiling like always.
“I didn’t speak with him and I didn’t speak with the doctors, but the doctors didn’t come with bad news, so hopefully we’ll be fine.”
Until Haaland’s enforced departure two minutes from time, City had enjoyed one of their best afternoons of the season as they ruthlessly put one of their top-four rivals to the sword.
Unusually it was not the prolific Haaland, who was standing in as captain for the rested Kevin De Bruyne, who did the damage for City this time.
The day belonged to new signing Omar Marmoush, who scored a scintillating hat-trick in the space of 14 first-half minutes to effectively put the game beyond the Magpies.
They were his first goals for the club in his fifth appearance since his £59million move from Eintracht Frankfurt last month.
A very happy @OmarMarmoush 💫@okx 🤝 pic.twitter.com/bZ8aFhRjUA
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 15, 2025
Guardiola said: “The highlight was him, the three goals. We knew it.
“In Germany, with Frankfurt, he made good numbers and against (Leyton) Orient he had three clear chances but couldn’t score.
“We knew sooner or later if his dynamic with the group was good and the performance was good, he would show what he is.
“Hopefully, he can handle the biggest compliments that are coming because this is non-stop.”
City’s victory lifted them back into the top four, three points above Newcastle, who slipped to seventh after a lacklustre display.
Manager Eddie Howe was strong in his assessment of the visitors’ performance.
Eddie Howe on this afternoon''s defeat at the Etihad Stadium 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/uXn3wvsTJd
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 15, 2025
“It was painful to watch from the sidelines,” he said. “We were a yard off where we needed to be.
“We seemed to be reactive and we allowed their good technical players too much space.
“Now, they do have outstanding players. They’re still for me, with the ball, the best team in the Premier League.
“But we weren’t competitive enough, we weren’t in their face enough. We’re disappointed, very disappointed, with our general performance.
“I expected us to be really competitive but, in terms of trying to deliver a really competitive, energetic performance, it wasn’t there.”
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder hailed the “togetherness” of his side as they went top of the Championship after winning 1-0 at relegation-threatened Luton.Anel Ahmedhodzic’s goal with 11 minutes left proved the difference on the day as the Blades moved above Leeds – who play on Monday – to give their chances of automatic promotion another huge boost.Wilder said: &...
- 1 Jasper Moon’s header enough for Harrogate to see off Swindon
- 2 Kyle Finn rescues Tamworth at Woking
- 3 Morecambe boss Derek Adams delighted with strength of bench
- 4 Marco Silva reserves praise for ‘almost unstoppable’ Adama Traore in Fulham win
- 5 Kilmarnock beat basement side St Johnstone to move into top six in Premiership
- 6 Scott Parker frustrated after Burnley’s draw at Preston
- 7 Paul Cook left ’embarrassed’ by Chesterfield’s second-half display at Walsall
- 8 Referee’s ‘atrocious performance’ infuriates Rotherham boss Steve Evans
- 9 Defeat to Exeter ‘a big blow’, admits Cambridge boss Garry Monk
- 10 Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola plays down fears over Erling Haaland injury