Manchester City sauntered into the fourth round of the FA Cup as James McAtee scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 drubbing of League Two side Salford City at the Etihad Stadium.
Jeremy Doku weighed in with two goals while Jack Grealish ended his long scoring drought and youngsters Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly also struck in a one-sided encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
It was a brutal exhibition by a much-changed City, whose fans revelled in the beating dished out to their ‘Class of 92’-owned visitors.
Night to forget for Neville at rivals’ home
Jack Grealish is all smiles after his converted penalty
Gary Neville, one of that group of famous former Manchester United players, was taunted mercilessly as the goals flew in.
The England full-back turned pundit and businessman was not actually present to witness the rout, but colleagues Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes were on hand to see it unfold in agonising detail from the stands.
Ryan Giggs, the sporting director who also has a backroom role, was also at close hand in the technical area as the biggest game in Salford’s history quickly turned sour.
Doku celebrates scoring the opening goal against Salford City
City made nine changes from the side that overran West Ham last weekend and took the opportunity to hand a debut to 20-year-old Mubama and further experience to 19-year-olds O’Reilly and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.
Simpson-Pusey was one of only two specialist defenders in the side along with the experienced Nathan Ake but, with a bench stacked with quality, Pep Guardiola had plenty of insurance should things have gone wrong.
Yet Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden needed only to look on as City quickly established control.
Salford City couldn’t handle Doku’s direct running
The hosts took the lead after only eight minutes as Matheus Nunes seized possession and fed Grealish, who played the ball wide for Doku to sweep past Matty Young from a tight angle.
The second came after 20 minutes as Savinho played in Nunes and he pulled back for Mubama to slide in for a simple finish.
Salford had chances to reply as City eased off the pressure, with Kylian Kouassi shooting at Ederson after a good run and later fluffing a shot from an excellent cross by Hakeeb Adelakun.
McAtee celebrates scoring his side’s fifth goal
Kevin Berkoe also snatched at an effort but City simply moved up through the gears in response.
Doku weaved his way to the byline and O’Reilly firmly drove home his first senior goal before the break.
Grealish, without a goal in club football since December 2023, got back on the scoresheet four minutes after the break.
The England international might have scored from open play after Mubama raced onto a poor backpass to set him up, but he made no mistake from the spot after being felled by Ossama Ashley.
City’s fifth came from a fluid move soon after as Nunes released Doku and his first-time cross was deftly guided in by McAtee.
Things quickly started to spiral out of control for Salford, who conceded a second penalty when Doku’s shot struck the arm of captain Curtis Tilt.
Doku this time sent Young the wrong way, and the keeper was beaten again when substitute Foden’s driven ball was well-controlled and tucked away by McAtee.
McAtee completed his treble nine minutes from time when he turned in a Grealish cross.
Player of the match – James McAtee
McAtee’s display will have alerted potential suitors
Man City hat-trick hero James McAtee told BBC: “I was quite frustrated in the first half, wasn’t seeing much of the ball. When the first one went in, my confidence was up and I kept scoring.
“I’ve been here since I was 10 and it’s a special moment for me. Something I’ll remember forever. I don’t think I needed to prove myself but to get out there and show people what I can do, it’s a good moment for me.”
Robinson: A glimmer of what we want to be
Salford boss Karl Robinson told BBC: “You always know you’re at the mercy of the quality of the competition.
“Man City and Pep have never disrespected anybody and tonight they showed us why they are what they are and why he is who he is. It’s about dusting ourselves off, we’ve come on so much in 12 months and to be where we are in the league.
“We have one goal and that is to get out of this league. This is a glimmer of what we want to be and we know we’ve got so much to improve and we know where we want to be.”
