(from L) Bournemouth's English defender #15 Adam Smith, Manchester City's Egyptian striker #07 Omar Marmoush, Bournemouth's Ukrainian defender #27 Illia Zabarnyi and Manchester City's Croatian defender #24 Josko Gvardiol fight for the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England. AFP
Just fourteen minutes into the first half, the 26-year-old forward opened the scoring for the Citizens after he received a precise pass from Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, he unleashed a right-footed long-range rocket, sending a looping, dipping strike into the top-left corner of the net.
This remarkable goal not only showcased his technical prowess but also reignited his scoring form after a six-game drought.
Marmoush had the opportunity to extend his assist tally to three this season when he delivered a perfect cross from the left flank to Kevin De Bruyne, who was positioned in front of an open goal but, surprisingly, the Belgian star rattled the crossbar from inside the six-yard box, missing a golden chance to double the score.
In the 38th minute, Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva added a second goal for the Sky Blues with a close-range left-footed strike, solidifying their lead.
Moreover, second-half substitute Nico Gonzalez added the third for the Citizens just a minute before the final whistle, after capitalizing on Matheus Nunes’s cross with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner, while Daniel Jebbison scored the condoling goal for Bournemouth six minutes into added time.
Marmoush’s goal marks a significant comeback for him, especially after he missed a crucial penalty in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace just three days prior.
This was his first penalty miss since joining the club in January, and it had cost City dearly as they lost the title to their rivals. However, his performance against Bournemouth serves as a redemption for both him and the fans.
With this goal, the former Eintracht Frankfurt forward has now tallied eight goals in 21 appearances across all competitions this season.
Marmoush completed the first half of the 2024–25 Bundesliga season as the second top scorer, behind Kane, with 15 goals, breaking his club's previous record for the Hinrunde set by Theofanis Gekas in the 2010–11 season.
The victory lifts Manchester City to third place in the Premier League standings with 68 points, 15 points behind champions Liverpool, as they aim to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League with one final game remaining in the season.
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