All Article Properties:
{
"access_control": false,
"status": "publish",
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "2596596",
"signature": "Article:2596596",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-18-pep-guardiola-praises-omar-marmoushs-seamless-transition-to-manchester-city-after-impressive-hat-trick/",
"shorturl": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2596596",
"slug": "pep-guardiola-praises-omar-marmoushs-seamless-transition-to-manchester-city-after-impressive-hat-trick",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 0,
"preview_limit": null,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"title": "Pep Guardiola praises Omar Marmoush's seamless transition to Manchester City after impressive hat-trick",
"firstPublished": "2025-02-18 14:33:22",
"lastUpdate": "2025-02-18 14:33:26",
"categories": [
{
"id": "29",
"name": "South Africa",
"signature": "Category:29",
"slug": "south-africa",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/south-africa/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
},
{
"id": "30",
"name": "Sport",
"signature": "Category:30",
"slug": "sport",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/sport/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"content_length": 4261,
"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January is generally viewed as a difficult time for soccer players to switch teams — especially if they are moving to a team in a different country. No one told this to Omar Marmoush though. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Egyptian forward has fitted seamlessly into the Manchester City set-up after leaving Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025. His first-half hat-trick in City’s 4-0 Premier League victory Newcastle United certainly points to this. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Marmoush did really well in Germany, a player with his quality and pace, I was pleased with the way he scored. Against Leyton Orient (in the FA Cup) he missed chances, but (against Newcastle) in the final third he was really good,” said City manager Pep Guardiola on the impact of his new recruit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We knew that sooner or later he would score goals, he is a good finisher. Of course, he has to improve,” Guardiola said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marmoush’s Premier League move was a great pre-birthday present for the Egyptian, who turned 26 on 7 February 2025. After some promising displays for his new team, it finally clicked for him on fifth outing for the English champions as he showed his true quality with his treble against the Magpies.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those three goals, which came in just 14 minutes, represented Marmoush’s maiden career hat-trick. Although it was a swift and sensational trio of strikes, former Liverpool and Southampton star Sadio Mane still holds the record for the fastest Premier League hat-trick. His 2014/15 season trio of goals for Southampton came in just two minutes and 56 seconds. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Comparisons</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, Marmoush has shown similar quality to his fellow African. He has even drawn comparisons to compatriot Mohamed Salah after his impressive displays in Germany, where he has also turned out for the likes of Wolfsburg, St Pauli and Stuttgart.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these comparisons, Salah has previously said his compatriot deserves to develop on his own, without being compared to him. Salah is currently one of the best players in the world and the greatest Egyptian to play in the Premier League. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are not many players from Egypt and the Arab countries who went to Europe and fought for success, and Marmoush is one of them,” Salah said.</span>\r\n\r\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2596343\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Soccer-Marmoush-City-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1943\" />\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I want people to stop comparing him to me, saying he will be the ‘new Salah and will do what he did and surpass it’. That will put him under pressure all the time and will not help the player,” Marmoush’s compatriot said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You compare him to a player who has been very successful over the past years, but he is still starting his career. Let him live his experience and be happy with it. Comparisons will not benefit him. Let him do something of his own and in his own direction, away from my career,” Salah said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being compared to Salah is obviously a compliment for Marmoush. But it can also have a negative effect. Just look back to Frenchman Samir Nasri, the former Marseille, Arsenal and City midfielder who was touted as the next </span><a href=\"https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/zinedine-zidane-handpicked-didier-deschamps-replace-france-boss-ex-real-madrid-coach-long-absence-game/bltd55f1d99e1e04abe\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zinedine Zidane</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Memorable career</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though Nasri had a memorable career, the label of being Zidane’s replacement constantly weighed heavily on his shoulders and probably deprived him of reaching his full potential — because people had already chosen his destination for him. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guardiola has warned Marmoush to take such compliments with a pinch of salt, as he will also have to do when he is inevitably critiqued. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2596099\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12823916-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1600\" /> <em>Omar Marmoush of Manchester City celebrates scoring against Newcastle United, in Manchester on 15 February 2025. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Adam Vaughan)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Hopefully he can handle the biggest compliments that are coming. It’s non-stop,” stated Guardiola. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s so simple, when you play well everyone adapts quickly, but when you don’t play well, you need time. It’s not difficult,” said the Spanish tactician. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“When we played against Chelsea, he played well and we won. He’s a player that we missed, his movements in behind and his pace. He likes to attack the space.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marmoush is still the second-highest scorer in the Bundesliga — with 15 goals to Harry Kane’s 21 (despite departing the league a month ago). </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Egyptian will be pivotal as City attempt to overturn their 3-2 </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-13-champions-league-playoff-fixtures-evenly-balanced-after-exciting-first-legs/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">European Champions League</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> playoff deficit to reigning champions Real Madrid on Wednesday, 19 February. </span><b>DM</b>",
"teaser": "Pep Guardiola praises Omar Marmoush's seamless transition to Manchester City after impressive hat-trick",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [
{
"id": "19802",
"name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"image": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sibembe.jpg",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/author/yanga-sibembe/",
"editorialName": "yanga-sibembe",
"department": "",
"name_latin": ""
}
],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "6178",
"name": "Sports",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sports/",
"slug": "sports",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Sports",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "8303",
"name": "Pep Guardiola",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/pep-guardiola/",
"slug": "pep-guardiola",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Pep Guardiola",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "49120",
"name": "sport",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sport/",
"slug": "sport",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "sport",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "53021",
"name": "soccer",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/soccer/",
"slug": "soccer",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "soccer",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "118108",
"name": "Manchester City",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/manchester-city/",
"slug": "manchester-city",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Manchester City",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "189850",
"name": "UEFA Champions League",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/uefa-champions-league/",
"slug": "uefa-champions-league",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "UEFA Champions League",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "347885",
"name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/yanga-sibembe/",
"slug": "yanga-sibembe",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "430197",
"name": "Omar Marmoush",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/omar-marmoush/",
"slug": "omar-marmoush",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Omar Marmoush",
"translations": null
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "82647",
"name": "Omar Marmoush of Manchester City celebrates after scoring the 3-0 goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Newcastle United, in Manchester, Britain, 15 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ADAM VAUGHAN EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos, 'live' services or NFTs. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January is generally viewed as a difficult time for soccer players to switch teams — especially if they are moving to a team in a different country. No one told this to Omar Marmoush though. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Egyptian forward has fitted seamlessly into the Manchester City set-up after leaving Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025. His first-half hat-trick in City’s 4-0 Premier League victory Newcastle United certainly points to this. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Marmoush did really well in Germany, a player with his quality and pace, I was pleased with the way he scored. Against Leyton Orient (in the FA Cup) he missed chances, but (against Newcastle) in the final third he was really good,” said City manager Pep Guardiola on the impact of his new recruit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We knew that sooner or later he would score goals, he is a good finisher. Of course, he has to improve,” Guardiola said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marmoush’s Premier League move was a great pre-birthday present for the Egyptian, who turned 26 on 7 February 2025. After some promising displays for his new team, it finally clicked for him on fifth outing for the English champions as he showed his true quality with his treble against the Magpies.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those three goals, which came in just 14 minutes, represented Marmoush’s maiden career hat-trick. Although it was a swift and sensational trio of strikes, former Liverpool and Southampton star Sadio Mane still holds the record for the fastest Premier League hat-trick. His 2014/15 season trio of goals for Southampton came in just two minutes and 56 seconds. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Comparisons</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, Marmoush has shown similar quality to his fellow African. He has even drawn comparisons to compatriot Mohamed Salah after his impressive displays in Germany, where he has also turned out for the likes of Wolfsburg, St Pauli and Stuttgart.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these comparisons, Salah has previously said his compatriot deserves to develop on his own, without being compared to him. Salah is currently one of the best players in the world and the greatest Egyptian to play in the Premier League. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are not many players from Egypt and the Arab countries who went to Europe and fought for success, and Marmoush is one of them,” Salah said.</span>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2596343\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Soccer-Marmoush-City-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1943\" />\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I want people to stop comparing him to me, saying he will be the ‘new Salah and will do what he did and surpass it’. That will put him under pressure all the time and will not help the player,” Marmoush’s compatriot said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You compare him to a player who has been very successful over the past years, but he is still starting his career. Let him live his experience and be happy with it. Comparisons will not benefit him. Let him do something of his own and in his own direction, away from my career,” Salah said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being compared to Salah is obviously a compliment for Marmoush. But it can also have a negative effect. Just look back to Frenchman Samir Nasri, the former Marseille, Arsenal and City midfielder who was touted as the next </span><a href=\"https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/zinedine-zidane-handpicked-didier-deschamps-replace-france-boss-ex-real-madrid-coach-long-absence-game/bltd55f1d99e1e04abe\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zinedine Zidane</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Memorable career</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though Nasri had a memorable career, the label of being Zidane’s replacement constantly weighed heavily on his shoulders and probably deprived him of reaching his full potential — because people had already chosen his destination for him. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guardiola has warned Marmoush to take such compliments with a pinch of salt, as he will also have to do when he is inevitably critiqued. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2596099\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2596099\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12823916-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1600\" /> <em>Omar Marmoush of Manchester City celebrates scoring against Newcastle United, in Manchester on 15 February 2025. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Adam Vaughan)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Hopefully he can handle the biggest compliments that are coming. It’s non-stop,” stated Guardiola. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s so simple, when you play well everyone adapts quickly, but when you don’t play well, you need time. It’s not difficult,” said the Spanish tactician. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“When we played against Chelsea, he played well and we won. He’s a player that we missed, his movements in behind and his pace. He likes to attack the space.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marmoush is still the second-highest scorer in the Bundesliga — with 15 goals to Harry Kane’s 21 (despite departing the league a month ago). </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Egyptian will be pivotal as City attempt to overturn their 3-2 </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-13-champions-league-playoff-fixtures-evenly-balanced-after-exciting-first-legs/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">European Champions League</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> playoff deficit to reigning champions Real Madrid on Wednesday, 19 February. </span><b>DM</b>",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/qS88M7w_GYS9tKYZrFWJGZkFqEA=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/iM6mC4LbRpnl4yUQ-YZ9zYemz_g=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/az9Wbg0ED3vIEKU1qlK_PT6ath8=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/XiCwhAumcVSDcRa7HXd88SPaiMM=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/6gE4nMGGdzqL3zTjxkTq5OHFIKE=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/qS88M7w_GYS9tKYZrFWJGZkFqEA=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/iM6mC4LbRpnl4yUQ-YZ9zYemz_g=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"url_large": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/az9Wbg0ED3vIEKU1qlK_PT6ath8=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/XiCwhAumcVSDcRa7HXd88SPaiMM=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/6gE4nMGGdzqL3zTjxkTq5OHFIKE=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12824292.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"summary": "Manchester City will need all of their star power as they attempt to overturn a 3-2 deficit against Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs.",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": null,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Pep Guardiola praises Omar Marmoush's seamless transition to Manchester City after impressive hat-trick",
"search_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January is generally viewed as a difficult time for soccer players to switch teams — especially if they are moving to a team in a different country. No one told this to",
"social_title": "Pep Guardiola praises Omar Marmoush's seamless transition to Manchester City after impressive hat-trick",
"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January is generally viewed as a difficult time for soccer players to switch teams — especially if they are moving to a team in a different country. No one told this to",
"social_image": ""
},
"cached": true,
"access_allowed": true
} 
Omar Marmoush of Manchester City celebrates scoring against Newcastle United, in Manchester on 15 February 2025. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Adam Vaughan)