Manchester City eased into the FA Cup Fourth Round after running out 8-0 winners against League Two Salford City on Saturday.
Salford-born James McAtee bagged a second-half hat-trick on memorable night for the youngster as Pep Guardiola’s side avoided a major upset at the Etihad.
Strikes from Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly either side of a debut goal from Divin Mubama put City in a commanding position in the first-half, while penalties from Jack Grealish and the excellent Doku after the break, as well as McAtee’s goals completed the rout.
The game was given an added level of spice by the fact members of Manchester United’s ‘Class of ’92’ are co-owners of the fourth tier club. But there was to be no memorable win for the visitors as City dominated proceedings from the start.
The eye-catching scoreline will be a welcome confidence boost for Guardiola and his team, who have made a promising start to 2025 with three successive wins.
FULL-TIME | In the hat 🎩
🩵 8-0 🔴 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/uVvzcCGHIs
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 11, 2025
How the action unfolded
It took less than eight minutes for City to take the lead. Salford lost the ball in the middle of the pitch, Matheus Nunes fed Jack Grealish who in turn played in Doku who finished into the far corner of the net.
The five-or-so thousand travelling supporters remained in fine voice despite their team falling behind early and having just 18% possession in the opening quarter of an hour.
Kylian Kouassi then hacked the ball clear as Nathan Ake’s goal bound header was missed on the line by Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.
Five minutes later, City doubled their lead when 20-year-old debutant Mubama finished off a slick move from the hosts.
Savinho’s pass found the underlapping Nunes, who squared the ball to Mubama for a tap in.
A special moment for Divin Mubama as he marks his Man City debut with a goal! 🩵#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/K8mi3ITW4c
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
Kouassi then drew a save from Ederson after a mazy run but it was the Premier League champions who were in control.
The young Salford forward was again at the centre of the action when a neat set-piece move culminated in a ball into the box that the 21-year-old should have done better with.
The miss ultimately proved costly. Moments later City extended their lead to three when the excellent Doku beat his man before cutting back to O’Reilly, who swept the ball home confidently.
Two minutes after the restart, Salford were the architects of their own downfall when an under-hit backpass by captain Curtis Tilt was pounced upon by Mubama who laid the ball back to Grealish.
But before the England international could get his shot away, he was brought down by Ossama Ashley. Grealish picked himself up and dispatched the subsequent spot-kick for his first of the season and City’s fourth.
McAtee then made it five shortly after the hour mark, finishing well from Doku’s pinpoint cross. Doku then helped himself to a second when he tucked home from the spot after the ball was adjudged to have struck Tilt’s arm.
Tidy finish from James McAtee 👌#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/LnNwiBDhBC
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
McAtee added another goal after a fine pass from Phil Foden before completing his hat-trick to heap further misery onto the League Two outfit.
Salford had a couple of half-chances and gave a five-minute runout to 16-year-old Will Wright. But City saw out the remainder of the contest largely untroubled.
