Manchester City delivered a masterclass in the FA Cup fourth round, demolishing League Two side Salford City 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium, highlighted by James McAtee's impressive hat-trick performance.
The match quickly turned into a showcase of City's depth, with Jeremy Doku netting twice and Jack Grealish breaking his scoring drought. Young talents Divin Mubama and Nico O'Reilly also found the net in what became an overwhelming display of dominance.
The result carried extra significance given Salford's ownership by the "Class of 92" - former Manchester United players. While Gary Neville wasn't present, fellow United legends Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes watched from the stands as their team endured a difficult evening. Ryan Giggs, serving as sporting director, observed the proceedings from the technical area.
Despite fielding a heavily rotated squad with nine changes, including debuts for 20-year-old Mubama and appearances for teenagers O'Reilly and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, City's quality shone through from the start. Doku opened the scoring after eight minutes, followed by Mubama's debut goal. Though Salford created a few chances through Kylian Kouassi and Kevin Berkoe, O'Reilly's first senior goal before halftime set the tone for what was to come.
The second half turned into an exhibition, with Grealish converting from the penalty spot, followed by a flurry of goals from McAtee and another from Doku, who also scored from the spot after a handball. The rout was completed by McAtee's hat-trick finish from a Grealish cross.
Post-match, hat-trick hero McAtee, who has been with City since age 10, expressed his joy: "When the first one went in, my confidence was up and I kept scoring. It's a special moment I'll remember forever."
Salford manager Karl Robinson maintained perspective, acknowledging City's quality while focusing on his team's broader goals: "Man City and Pep have never disrespected anybody... 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."
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