FPL notes: Haaland injury update, Marmoush treble + mini-Rodri

The Gameweek 25 Scout Notes continue with Manchester City’s thumping 4-0 win over Newcastle United.

A lot of the pre-match talk was about Newcastle being able to exploit City’s soft underbelly but the Magpies were thoroughly outclassed. This was their 16th successive league defeat at the Etihad.

As for City, two new signings made a big contribution – and provided hope for the final third of 2024/25.

• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 25 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Pedro benched, Palmer poor + another Chelsea injury

HAALAND INJURY UPDATE

Erling Haaland (£14.7m) owners would have been a bit miffed that his solitary contribution in a 4-0 win was a flick-on for substitute James McAtee‘s (£4.6m) set-piece goal.

Frustration would have turned to concern when the Norwegian hit the deck, clutching his knee, when chasing the ball in the 86th minute. He was replaced a minute later.

Haaland was able to walk off unaided and Pep Guardiola didn’t seem too concerned after full-time, although there’ll likely be further assessment needed.

“When he’s down, everyone was scared. But I think he stood up and he walked [off] smiling like always. I didn’t speak with him, I didn’t speak with the doctors but if the doctor didn’t come with bad news, hopefully will be fine.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland, in his post-match presser

“When he came off he was walking well and had a little bit smile on his face. Okay, maybe it’s not as bad as maybe could be but I didn’t speak with the doctor.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland, to Match of the Day

There were other Manchester City injury concerns, too. Ruben Dias (£5.4m) and Nathan Ake (£5.3m) missed out altogether, with City saying they were “not fully fit”.

MARMOUSH HAT-TRICK

Was a future FPL star born on Saturday?

If you’d said before kick-off that a Manchester City forward would emerge from this game with a hat-trick, most punters would have put money on a Haaland treble.

Instead, it was Omar Marmoush (£7.0m) who emerged with the match ball.

The Egyptian, operating off the left flank again, had shown flashes of promise against Chelsea’s high line in Gameweek 23.

Newcastle didn’t heed that warning. City had attempted plenty of clipped through-balls to Marmoush against the Blues and did the same again on Saturday. You couldn’t get any more direct than his opener, the 26-year-old forward lobbing Martin Dubravka (£4.3m) after collecting a long pass from Ederson (£5.3m). Ederson is now the leading goalkeeper for assists in Premier League history, with six.

Encouragingly for when City encounter parked buses and deeper blocks in the future, Marmoush’s second and third goals were more about him finding a yard of space.

He was on corners and free-kicks, too, another string to his bow.

“Against Orient, he had three clear chances, couldn’t score, so we knew sooner or later when the dynamic, the group was good and the performance was good, he could show what he is. Hopefully, he can handle the biggest compliments that are now coming, because this is non-stop.

“Of course, it’s a player that we miss, his movements in behind, his space. He’s a guy, he likes to attack the space and help us to create more and more time. But when we play in the way we play today, everyone is better – even the manager.” – Pep Guardiola on Omar Marmoush

Predictably, FPL managers are flocking to recruit Marmoush despite the fact he has Liverpool next. There was a similar premature rush for Bournemouth assets ahead of their own Gameweek 24 meeting with the Reds.

Still, he’s a name very much on the watchlist for the weeks to come – especially in Gameweek 29 when four teams blank. The current paucity of attractive forwards helps his cause – as would a Haaland injury, if it materialises. A midweek elimination from the UEFA Champions League wouldn’t go amiss, either, so that the focus can return very firmly to the Premier League (and FA Cup).

Above: Omar Marmoush’s touch heatmap against Newcastle, also showing the four corners he took – the most of any City player

‘MINI-RODRI’ MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Nico Gonzalez (£6.0m) isn’t likely to court much FPL attention. But his capture in the January transfer window could ultimately benefit the City players we are interested in, especially defenders.

City’s woes have widely been attributed to Rodri‘s (£6.2m) early-season injury. Even Guardiola has said as much in recent weeks and months.

Gonzales isn’t Rodri but based on the evidence of Saturday, he looks better-equipped than the likes of Mateo Kovacic (£5.4m) and Ilkay Gundogan (£6.3m) to fill the injured Spaniard’s shoes.

Tidy on the ball (he made a game-high 100 successful passes), the 6’2″ midfielder was crucially also a physical presence in midfield, winning all of his tackles and breaking up play well. That a clean sheet was banked with such minimal fuss – Newcastle had only three shots – owed much to him. Gundogan, indeed, looked much more comfortable alongside Gonzalez, without as much defensive work to get through.

“He’s so young, 23. [He is a bit] like a mini-Rodri in terms of – it’s a big compliment – but he’s had the feeling for the presence… the duels. Of course, he is miles away from Rodri. Rodri is the best. But of course, I had the feeling, everyone had the feeling, that he’s going to help us in this part of the season.” – Pep Guardiola on Nico Gonzalez 

The real acid test is, of course, next weekend against the league leaders.

A shout-out to Savinho (£6.2m), too, who had Lewis Hall (£5.0m) on toast. The Brazilian, who assisted Marmoush’s third goal, now has eight attacking returns in his last five starts. As is the case with Marmoush, if you could ensure regular starts, there’d be a lengthy queue for his services.

EYES ON THE PRIZE?

Teams are often accused of being ‘on the beach’ towards the end of the season – but are Newcastle already on Wembley Way?

The Magpies reached the EFL Cup final in the last fortnight, which will be contested on the weekend of Gameweek 29.

Defeats to Bournemouth and Fulham preceded the semi-final, second-leg win over Arsenal. This surrender to Manchester City was even meeker.

It’s a convenient narrative to peddle but even Eddie Howe didn’t sound convinced that it wasn’t the case.

“If that is the case, we’re in trouble because our Premier League season will be over really by the time that final comes around. It can’t be the focus. It’s on the horizon. It should be a positive. It shouldn’t be a negative distraction for us. I’d encourage the players to look at it that way. It’s an excitement but we have to go back to work and work is the Premier League, the day in, day out. And we have to perform better. That’s three of our last four performances in the Premier League that haven’t been good enough.” – Eddie Howe on whether the cup final is a distraction

There is a bit of a historical precedent, too – look at Newcastle’s form around their last EFL Cup final appearance in an otherwise superb 2022/23 campaign:

Chris Wood (£7.1m) owners surely won’t be deterred by this defensive showing ahead of his trip to Tyneside next weekend. That’s now 11 goals conceded by Newcastle in their last four league fixtures.

Substitute Lewis Miley (£5.0m) was the only Magpie to emerge with much credit, having Newcastle’s only shot on target.

Despite the struggle, Alexander Isak (£9.5m) still nearly scored – a deflected effort went narrowly wide in the first half. The Swede moved to the left flank later in the game, with Callum Wilson (£6.9m) going up front.

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