Marmoush's 14-minute hat-trick lifts Man City back into EPL top 4

Omar Marmoush scored his first Manchester City goals with a first-half hat-trick to beat Newcastle 4-0 and fire Pep Guardiola's men back into the Premier League's top four on Saturday.

The Egypt forward was in scintillating form as City recovered from their late Champions League collapse to lose to Real Madrid 3-2 at home in midweek.

The English champions have a mountain to climb when they visit Madrid on Wednesday if they are to reach the last 16 of Europe's elite competition for the 12th consecutive season.

But Marmoush's explosion gives some cause for optimism as Newcastle were blown away inside the opening 33 minutes.

"We knew sooner or later he would score goals. He is a good finisher," said Guardiola.

"We (will) see how he handles the compliments."

The match had been billed as a clash between the Premier League's two top strikers as Golden Boot rivals Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak went head-to-head.

However, they were both overshadowed as Marmoush announced his arrival to the English game.

The 26-year-old scored 20 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt this season before making a £59-million move to Manchester in January.

City were keen to add more goal-scoring threats to support Haaland and the early signs are promising that the Norwegian and Marmoush can dovetail effectively.

Guardiola made six changes to freshen up his side between the Madrid doubleheader with Marmoush one of those to come into the side.

Ederson was at fault for City's late collapse from 2-1 to 3-2 down against the European champions on Tuesday but made amends with his third assist of the season.

Kieran Trippier was caught underneath the Brazilian goalkeeper's booming kick upfield and Marmoush had the simple task to lob the stranded Martin Dubravka.

It was 2-0 five minutes later when Ilkay Gundogan fed Marmoush, who cut inside the area before his deflected effort found the bottom corner.

Savinho's pace and trickery down the right was another major positive for Guardiola, and he created the third by skipping past Lewis Hall and squaring for Marmoush to fire home from close range.

Newcastle dip

City's fragility at defending leads this season was never seriously tested as the visitors suffered another damaging defeat to their chances of a return to the Champions League next season.

Either side of reaching next month's League Cup final, Eddie Howe's men have lost three of their last four Premier League games to slip to seventh.

"From the off we were lacking in duels, the physical side," said Howe. "Man City are so good in the build-up, to disrupt that you have to be exceptional physically and we weren't."

City, on the other hand, climb back into pole position for Champions League qualification despite their drastic dip in standards this season that will see an unprecedented run of four consecutive league titles almost certainly come to an end.

"The way we played, we remembered what we were and what we have not been this season," added Guardiola.

"We need to win these games to qualify for the Champions League. We have to make this kind of performance to send our people home happy."

James McAtee came off the bench to add the fourth six minutes from time when the midfielder turned in Haaland's flick on from a Gundogan corner.

But there was a worrying scene for City as Haaland, who captained his side for the first time in the Premier League, had to be replaced in the closing stages after receiving treatment on a knee injury.