Marmoush and Cherki strike for Manchester City to end Swansea’s resistance | Carabao Cup

For so long, Manchester City were stifled by Swansea City’s defensive blockade. Then, in the 77th minute, Omar Marmoush took matters into his own hands, rolling his marker and blasting a shot high into the roof of the net from a tight angle, paving the way to the Carabao Cup quarter-final, where they will host Brentford. Rayan Cherki, who teed up Marmoush, secured the win in stoppage time.

It was a timely moment for Marmoush’s first City goal of the season and he seized a rare window of opportunity. When the Egypt striker, filling in for Erling Haaland, received Cherki’s pass and swivelled on his heels, eluding the Chelsea loanee Ishe Samuels‑Smith, there was only one thing in his mind. For Pep Guardiola, the relief was palpable and he punched the air as Cherki made sure of victory.

Guardiola wrapped his right arm around Marmoush as left the field. “I’m happy for Omar because strikers need goals for their confidence,” the City manager said. “It is not easy against that system, five at the back, central defenders around.

“The second half was really good, we just missed the last pass, the last action. I’m really pleased to get the win because I know it is difficult to play away.”

Guardiola made 10 changes from the defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday, with Oscar Bobb the only survivor from their starting lineup, but the 18‑year‑old Divine Mukasa represented the only inexperienced player in the XI. James Trafford deputised for Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal and Marmoush, Cherki and Jeremy Doku were among those promoted from the bench.

Haaland, who is expected to return against Bournemouth on Sunday after colliding with a post in the closing stages at Villa Park, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders were given the night off.

At the same time Guardiola was mindful that this had the makings of an awkward contest, even if City’s previous visit was a routine 3-1 win in the same competition in 2021. Guardiola was apologetic after his side rallied from two goals down to win 3-2 courtesy of an offside Sergio Agüero goal en route to lifting the FA Cup in 2019. That night, a crisp first‑time Bersant Celina finish capped a slick team move that began with the goalkeeper and involved all but two players.

Guardiola presumably felt a pang of deju vu when Gonçalo Franco curled a delicious first-time strike into the top corner on 12 minutes here. Swansea began brightly and startled City when the wing-back Josh Key drove infield past Rayan Aït-Nouri and squared for Franco just outside the area. Franco dispatched a right-foot effort towards goal, watching his sweet strike all the way.

City had Trafford to thank for preventing Swansea from doubling their lead through Melker Widell after Abdukodir Khusanov gifted the forward possession with a sloppy pass.

Eight minutes later Doku, who enjoyed stretching his legs in Belgium’s World Cup qualifying victory against Wales this month, darted inside off the left flank and Cameron Burgess, Swansea’s hero in the last round, inadvertently helped the ball beat the goalkeeper Andy Fisher.

“I watched Doku against Wales and he was scary,” the Swansea head coach, Alan Sheehan, said. “City are incredible up close, they’ve got close to £1bn-worth of quality.”

Swansea were faced with the same problem as Wales: how do you stop Doku? He was electric down the left and early in the second half he jinked past Key and then weaved past Widell, but City could not breach Swansea. Marmoush sent another effort wide and Kaelan Casey, the Swansea centre-back on loan from West Ham, nipped in to deny Cherki a clean strike at goal. City were pushing all the right buttons, but Swansea defended in numbers to keep them at bay. The visitors racked up 798 passes, almost four times as many as their Championship hosts.

Josko Gvardiol arrived soon after the hour as part of a triple substitution and one of his first contributions was to register only a third shot on target as City dialled up the pressure.

At one point every outfield City player was at least 10 yards inside Swansea’s half, 10 white shirts and Fisher parked behind the ball. That theme continued throughout six minutes of stoppage time, when Cherki sealed victory after wandering into the area unchallenged.

“We went 1-0 up and had an opportunity to make it 2-0, but you have to be perfect against this kind of team,” Sheehan said. “They camp you into areas and in the end we ran out of a bit of steam.”