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Omar Marmoush struck twice as Manchester City beat Newcastle United 3-1 at St. James’ Park to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, with Pep Guardiola’s side overturning an early deficit and extending a dominant season record against Eddie Howe’s team in domestic cup competitions.

The victory followed City’s EFL Cup semi-final success over Newcastle last month, meaning Guardiola’s squad have now knocked Howe’s side out of two competitions this season, adding more pressure on Newcastle after another defeat despite a strong opening spell on home turf.

Marmoush has waited behind Erling Haaland for regular minutes this season, yet the City number seven used this FA Cup quarter-finals push against Newcastle to deliver a decisive performance that may influence Guardiola’s attacking selections during the closing stages of the campaign.

The forward’s record against Newcastle is strong since moving to England, with Marmoush now on seven goals from five appearances against the Magpies in all competitions, and 50% of Marmoush’s 14 goals for Manchester City have come against Howe’s side.

Newcastle started aggressively, forcing City into emergency defending, as Abdukodir Khusanov produced a last-ditch block to stop Harvey Barnes shooting, then Nico Gonzalez cleared a Nick Woltemade header off the line during an early spell that had the home support encouraged.

That pressure brought reward in the 18th minute when Barnes collected Sandro Tonali’s pass down the left, cut inside, and drove a precise effort into the top-right corner, giving Newcastle a deserved advantage and leaving Manchester City briefly unsettled in this FA Cup quarter-finals tie.

City responded before half-time, when a Jeremy Doku delivery travelled across the box to the far post, where Savinho arrived to finish from close range despite Aaron Ramsdale’s attempt to push the ball away, restoring parity six minutes before the interval and shifting the momentum.

FA Cup quarter-finals: Manchester City vs Newcastle key goals and statistics

Two minutes after the restart, Matheus Nunes broke into the area and cut the ball back, Ramsdale got a touch, but the loose ball fell kindly to Marmoush, who fired into the net from inside the box to complete the turnaround and put City ahead.

The same combination troubled Newcastle again as Nunes fed Marmoush outside the penalty area, and the Egyptian international unleashed a powerful right-footed strike beyond Ramsdale, stretching the lead to 3-1 and effectively sealing Manchester City’s safe passage into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Guardiola’s team have now beaten Newcastle four times in all competitions this season, matching previous campaigns when City recorded four wins over a single opponent, which came in 1988-89 against Plymouth Argyle, 2013-14 against West Ham, and 2022-23 against Chelsea.

City’s control showed in the data, as they produced 21 shots with eight on target and an expected goals figure of 3.43, while Newcastle managed 11 attempts, generating an xG of 1.14 against James Trafford’s goal, underlining why Manchester City were fully deserving winners.

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Guardiola’s players saw out the closing stages without major scares, managing territory and possession to limit Newcastle’s late response, and the seven-time FA Cup winners advanced with confidence towards the quarter-finals draw, having again demonstrated attacking depth and strong numbers in both finishing and chance creation.

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