Marmoush fires City into FA Cup semis after Haaland limps off

Manchester City came from behind to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for a record seventh consecutive season with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday, but victory came at a cost as Erling Haaland hobbled off injured.

Haaland had seen a first-half penalty saved before Evanilson put the Cherries in front.

The Norwegian made amends by equalising four minutes into the second period before being forced off with an ankle injury.

His replacement, Omar Marmoush, took just two minutes to score the winner from a second assist by the impressive Nico O’Reilly as City booked a semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest.

“Seven times in a row reaching semi-finals in the FA Cup...this is outstanding. This generation of players, they have done this,” said City boss Pep Guardiola.

City have been a shadow of the side that won four consecutive Premier League titles this season and Guardiola said prior to the game that even FA Cup glory would not save a miserable season.

The English champions’ collapse in the Premier League began at Bournemouth back in November with a 2-1 defeat that kicked off a run of six defeats in eight games.

But Guardiola hailed the difference in attitude in his side between then and now.

“We came here (in November) with the flip flops on against a team that if you don’t compete, it is impossible,” added Guardiola.

Haaland should have punished a makeshift Cherries defence missing the suspended Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez with a hat-trick before half-time.

He headed wide his first chance from Matheus Nunes’ driven cross.

A Tyler Adams handball then gifted City the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot.

But for the third time in his last six spot-kicks, Haaland failed to find the net as Kepa Arrizabalaga made a fine save.

That miss seemed to be still in Haaland’s mind when he dinked over Kepa and over the bar with just the Spanish goalkeeper to beat moments later.

City were then hit with a sucker punch by Bournemouth on 21 minutes.

Nunes, deputising in an unfamiliar right-back role, gave the ball away to David Brooks, whose cross was turned across goal by Justin Kluivert and bundled in from point-blank range by Evanilson.

Guardiola responded by introducing 20-year-old midfielder O’Reilly as a makeshift left-back.

O’Reilly made an instant impact with a rampaging run down the left and inch-perfect cross as this time Haaland did not miss for his 30th goal of the season.

Moments later he was forced off in concerning scenes for Guardiola with City still involved in a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League in their last nine Premier League games.

But City’s January transfer window move for Marmoush is already looking a shrewd deal.

The Egyptian has now scored six times in 11 appearances since a £59 million ($76 million) transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt. If Kepa was a Bournemouth hero in the first-half, he was at fault for the winner as Marmoush’s effort slipped through his grasp from O’Reilly’s pass.

Earlier, Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa inspired a 3-0 win against Preston that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years on Sunday.

Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four.

Villa will face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley on the weekend of April 26-27.

Revitalised since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that made him one of England’s brightest stars prior to his steep decline over the last two years.

Amid concerns over his attitude and off-field behaviour, Rashford was deemed expendable by United manager Ruben Amorim, after also clashing with former Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag.

The 27-year-old hadn’t scored since netting for United against Everton on December 1.

Deployed in the central striker’s role that often seemed to dent his confidence at United, Rashford was too dynamic for second-tier Preston to handle in the latest sign that his career might not be destined to end in disappointment after all.

“It’s a great feeling, I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here,” Rashford said.

Agence France-Presse