New signing Omar Marmoush scored a scintillating first-half hat-trick as Manchester City rediscovered their spark in an emphatic 4-0 win over Newcastle.
The £59million January signing from Eintracht Frankfurt struck three times in the space of 14 minutes as the champions crushed one of their top-four rivals at the Etihad Stadium to climb to fourth in the Premier League.
Substitute James McAtee completed the rout when he volleyed in from a corner six minutes from time.
The only concern for City was an injury to Erling Haaland in the closing stages but the Norwegian was able to walk from the field.
Marmoush’s goals were his first for City in his fifth appearance and lifted spirits ahead of next week’s daunting Champions League trip to Real Madrid, where Pep Guardiola’s side will attempt to overturn a 3-2 deficit.
Playing in this manner, City will have genuine belief they can beat the odds at the Bernabeu.
Although Newcastle offered little, City looked more like the side that has won the past four titles than the one that has laboured through most of this campaign.
Certainly for an afternoon their defensive concerns – with Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all missing – were put aside as Marmoush took centre stage.
The Egypt international looked the antidote to City’s struggles as he made his mark in impressive fashion.
He served warning of his threat when he lashed over from a tight angle and then almost set up Haaland after pouncing on a defensive error.
FULL-TIME | Fantastic four! 🤩
🩵 4-0 ⚫️ #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/2JgLmFXKqM
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 15, 2025
His opener came after 19 minutes as he latched onto a long ball from Ederson, the ball bouncing invitingly over Kieran Trippier’s head.
With Martin Dubravka off his line, it sat up perfectly for Marmoush to lob into the unguarded net. Remarkably it was Ederson’s sixth Premier League assist – a new record in the competition for a goalkeeper – and his third this season.
Marmoush doubled the lead five minutes later, this time after a driving run from Ilkay Gundogan. Trippier was again the defender caught out as Marmoush cut inside and drilled a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
His treble almost came moments later after being slipped in by Phil Foden but this time Dubravka was equal to his effort.
Yet he was not to be denied for long as the tricky Savinho weaved his way into the area on the right and cut back for him to sidefoot home.
Aside from a deflected Alexander Isak shot, there had been little danger from Newcastle and the visitors were almost breached again when Savinho fired across the face of goal.
Haaland went close after the break as he headed at Dubrakva from a corner.
Newcastle had a rare chance when Lewis Miley forced a save from Ederson.
After a quiet second period, Marmoush was withdrawn to a good ovation after 76 minutes.
McAtee, who came on for Foden at the same time, soon made his mark as he turned in from a Haaland flick-on.
Haaland gave City a late scare ahead of the Madrid game when he went down clutching his leg but he walked off as he was immediately substituted.
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