**Gary Neville Slams Newcastle United After Man City’s Dominant 4-0 Victory with Omar Marmoush’s Hat-Trick**
In a display of utter dominance, Manchester City defeated Newcastle United 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, leaving fans and pundits alike in disbelief at the scale of the Magpies’ collapse. However, it wasn’t just the scoreline that captured attention; it was the glaring issues with Newcastle’s first-half performance that led to a scathing assessment from former Manchester United defender Gary Neville.
Neville, speaking as a pundit for Sky Sports, was visibly shocked by what he witnessed from Newcastle in the opening 45 minutes. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Neville remarked, referring to the complete lack of intensity and cohesion from the visitors. “From the first whistle, Newcastle were simply outclassed. It was like watching a team with no belief, no urgency. City were all over them from the start.”
Newcastle, who have been steadily improving under Eddie Howe, looked a shadow of the side that had challenged for European spots last season. Against the ruthless Manchester City, they appeared vulnerable at almost every turn. City’s press was relentless, and Newcastle simply had no answer. Whether it was poor positioning, lack of ball retention, or inability to deal with the high press, everything seemed to be going wrong for the Magpies.
The star of the show, however, was Manchester City’s new signing, Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian forward, who joined City in the summer transfer window, made an immediate impact in the game. Scoring a clinical hat-trick, Marmoush announced himself on the big stage and justified his manager’s faith in him. His movement, finishing, and overall presence caused nightmares for the Newcastle defense.
Marmoush’s first goal came in the 19th minute, a well-timed run into the box to meet a Kevin De Bruyne cross. With a calm finish, he slotted the ball past Nick Pope, who had little chance. The second goal came shortly before halftime, a powerful header from a corner, as Newcastle’s defenders once again failed to track him properly. The third goal was perhaps the most clinical, as Marmoush latched onto a through ball, brushed aside a weak challenge from Fabian Schär, and coolly finished past Pope to complete his hat-trick.
While the scoreline and Marmoush’s performance were impressive, it was the disorganization and poor tactical execution from Newcastle that Neville focused on. He pointed out that the Magpies’ midfield looked overrun, with Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali unable to assert any control. “They were outmuscled and outplayed in every department,” Neville added. “You just can’t expect to survive in the Premier League when you’re playing with that level of passivity.”
To make matters worse, Newcastle’s defense was porous, particularly in wide areas. Kieran Trippier, usually a solid figure at right-back, struggled to cope with City’s wingers, while the central defense looked completely out of sync. Manchester City’s relentless attacking pressure exposed the gaps time and time again, and Marmoush’s hat-trick was the product of such defensive frailty.
As the final whistle blew, leaving the Magpies with a demoralizing 4-0 defeat, Neville had no sympathy for Newcastle’s performance. “City were at their best, but Newcastle were atrocious. They didn’t come close to giving them a game,” he said.
For Eddie Howe and his players, it’s a tough loss to digest. The Premier League is an unforgiving environment, and a 4-0 defeat to one of the best teams in Europe will sting, especially when the team’s performance is so far below the level expected. With a difficult fixture list ahead, Newcastle will need to regroup quickly if they are to challenge for anything this season.
For Manchester City, the victory was another affirmation of their title credentials, with Marmoush’s hat-trick giving them an additional sense of firepower in their already formidable attack.
