Marmoush scores, Man City comes back 3-1 in Carabao Cup

In the 77th minute at Swansea, Omar Marmoush broke through from the right flank and finished decisively from a tight angle. That shot not only turned the game around for Manchester City but also ended a night that showed: even when the Egyptian striker shined, Pep Guardiola's team still lived by the breath of Erling Haaland.

Dramatic 3-1 comeback at Swansea

With a heavily mixed squad, Man City started the game shakily and soon paid the price. Home team Swansea took the lead after a great goal from Goncalo Franco, putting pressure on Guardiola's team right from the first half.

The visitors equalised thanks to a lucky moment from Jeremy Doku before half-time, a goal that put Man City back in control of the game.

The second half saw the great team in action. After a period of wearing down their opponents, Marmoush spoke up in the 77th minute, before Rayan Cherki sealed the 3-1 victory in injury time. A neat comeback, in the right Carabao Cup rhythm.

Marmoush makes his mark, but the story is still Haaland

The ideal scenario for Marmoush: Haaland was absent due to injury, opening up a starting opportunity. And he took advantage with a pivotal goal. After the match, Guardiola praised the importance of the striker finding his scoring touch after a long time on the sidelines.

The Spanish coach said:"Marmoush has been injured for a long time, and of course, playing in the position that Erling plays... but we know in many games we need both and having him back is fantastic". That praise also implicitly acknowledges Haaland's unshakable position in the system.

Guardiola highlighted the Norwegian's patience and ability to operate in tight spaces – qualities that remain the benchmark for any number 9 at the Etihad. When asked about Haaland's potential return at the weekend, he replied simply:"Yes, I hope so.".

Tactical perspective: the decisive moment

Marmoush’s goal perfectly illustrated the demands of the City striker: timing his sprint behind the defender and finishing decisively in tight spaces. Before that, Doku had helped the visitors break the deadlock with individual effort and a bit of luck – the kind of goal that opened the door in a deadlocked game.

In the final minutes, when Swansea pushed forward to find an equalizer, Cherki finished the score when the home team showed space, completing the comeback scenario.

Numbers speak for themselves.

• Score: Swansea 1-3 Man City (Carabao Cup).
• Goal order: Goncalo Franco opened the scoring; Jeremy Doku equalized before half-time; Omar Marmoush made it 2-1 in the 77th minute; Rayan Cherki sealed it in injury time.
• Erling Haaland has scored 11 goals in the Premier League this season; no teammate has more than one.

Impact and warning

Marmoush is a positive sign: Man City have a quality backup option when Haaland is absent. But the bigger picture remains questionable. Premier League figures show how influential Haaland is; without that source of goals, Man City could drop important points both domestically and in the Champions League.

That is the Citizens’ Achilles heel. To win major trophies, they need Haaland at his best. Marmoush’s goal is a new, useful piece of the puzzle – but not enough to replace the familiar heartbeat of the Norwegian goal machine.