For most of the match, Swansea City defended heroically against Manchester City’s nonstop pressure. Below you will see inormation about this news which has been summarized The Football Insight.
They sat deep, blocked space, and frustrated Pep Guardiola’s side, who struggled to create clear chances. City’s frustration was growing until Omar Marmoush delivered the moment they needed in the 77th minute. The Egypt striker turned sharply inside the box after receiving a clever pass from Rayan Cherki. From a tough angle, he smashed his shot into the roof of the net, leaving Swansea’s goalkeeper with no chance.
The relief on Guardiola’s face said everything as City finally took control of the game. Cherki then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, calmly finishing a loose ball in the area to secure a 2–1 victory and a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals where Manchester City will host Brentford.
Marmoush Steps Up in Haaland’s Absence
With Erling Haaland unavailable after a knock, Marmoush was given a rare starting opportunity. He made the most of it by scoring his first goal of the season at a crucial moment. Guardiola embraced him as he came off, praising his confidence and hard work.
The City manager admitted it was tough to break down Swansea’s five-defender setup, but he was pleased his team kept pushing until the breakthrough came. The final pass or finish was missing for much of the match, but when the chance arrived, Marmoush took it with style.
Guardiola made 10 changes from the weekend’s defeat to Aston Villa, giving minutes to players like Jeremy Doku and James Trafford while resting Haaland, Rúben Dias, and Bernardo Silva. Despite the rotation, City’s quality still showed in the key moments.
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Swansea Shock, City Respond
Swansea showed early ambition and stunned City by scoring first. After a strong run from Josh Key, Gonçalo Franco curled an incredible strike into the top corner after just 12 minutes. It brought back memories of Swansea’s strong performances against City in past Cup meetings.
City’s response came eight minutes later when Cameron Burgess accidentally diverted a cross past his own goalkeeper under pressure from Doku. The Belgian winger was a constant threat, dribbling past defenders with ease. Swansea nearly added a second before halftime, but Trafford made a vital save to keep City level. It was a reminder that Championship teams can still cause trouble for giants.
Pressure Too Much for Tired Swansea
In the second half, Manchester City completely controlled the match. At times, all 10 outfield City players stood inside Swansea’s half as they forced the hosts deeper and deeper. The home side defended bravely but simply couldn’t escape the pressure.
Kaelan Casey and his defensive partner made several key blocks, while Cherki was denied more than once. But eventually, the energy faded from Swansea’s legs. When Cherki found space late on, he calmly finished to end the contest.
Swansea’s coach Alan Sheehan praised his team for their effort but admitted that against a squad worth nearly £1 billion, perfection is the only hope and they couldn’t quite hold on. Manchester City march forward, hungry for more silverware. Follow footballcoasters.co.uk for weekly deep dives into football’s biggest story.