James McAtee scored a hat-trick and Jeremy Doku produced a man-of-the-match display as Manchester City obliterated Salford City 8-0 in the third round of the FA Cup.
The visit of the Ammies saw Pep Guardiola finally grant Erling Haaland a hard-earned rest as Divin Mubama came in for his senior debut, and the 20-year-old justified his manager's call in a routine first half.
Mubama bagged a debut goal for the Premier League champions either side of strikes from Doku and Nico O'Reilly, as the hosts punished Karl Robinson's men for failing to make the most of a couple of promising openings.
The Citizens kicked the slaughter up a notch in the second half, where substitute McAtee struck a wonderful hat-trick, Jack Grealish ended a 13-month drought and Doku bagged his second from the penalty spot in the true definition of a demolition job.
As the visitors make the short trip home with their tails between their legs, merciless Man City will learn their fourth-round opponents when the draw is made on Sunday evening.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
For the first time since October, Man City have won three games of football in a row, and Saturday's visit of Salford was always going to be a case of just how many they would prevail by.
Guardiola will no doubt highlight his team's cohesion and desire to score again and again, but today was a day for a handful of individuals to steal the spotlight, many of whom desperately needed this injection of confidence.
Doku had a direct hand in four goals, McAtee's hat-trick will surely give Guardiola some food for thought, Mubama and O'Reilly both opened their City accounts, and Grealish scored in the first two weeks of 2025 after not managing a single strike in 2024.
A penny for the thoughts of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt as their side made a decent impression in the first half before being torn to shreds in the second, but the Ammies still believed that a consolation goal could have been theirs right at the death.
MAN CITY VS. SALFORD CITY HIGHLIGHTS
Jeremy Doku goal vs. Salford City (8th min, Man City 1-0 Salford City)
That didn't take long!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
Jeremy Doku slots in to open the scoring for Manchester City 🎯#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/ltHzcgOezh
Made by Matheus Nunes, dispatched by Jeremy Doku.
The former steals possession back for Man City in midfield and lays off Grealish, who in turn slips in Doku, and the Belgian's strike hits the goalkeeper's hand and the inside of the post before trickling in.
Divin Mubama goal vs. Salford City (20th min, Man City 2-0 Salford City)
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
A debut goal for the 20-year-old!
The effervescent Savinho - who has been a real livewire in recent weeks - plays the most delicate pass to find the run of Nunes into the six-yard box, and goalkeeper Matthew Young tries in vain to close him down.
The Portuguese midfielder clips the ball back across goal, and Mubama easily evades his man before tapping in a straightforward first City goal into an empty net.
Nico O'Reilly goal (43rd min, Man City 3-0 Salford City)
First Man City goal for Nico O'Reilly! 🙌#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/j9ifHxNBaw
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
Another first-time scorer in sky blue! Again, the hosts prove devastating down the wings, as Doku surges to the byline in the left-hand side of the box and cuts back for O'Reilly.
The 19-year-old has the time to take a touch and find the far side of the net through the legs of a Salford defender.
Jack Grealish penalty goal (49th min, Man City 4-0 Salford City)
Jack Grealish scores from the spot - his first competitive goal for Manchester City since December 2023.#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/5gkRN8YcfQ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
Not quite a first-ever goal in City colours, but a first since December 2023 for Grealish, who ends his 13-month drought with an emphatic spot kick.
The former Aston Villa man is scythed down in the area by Ossama Ashley, dusts himself down and coolly sends Young the wrong way; hard and low to the goalkeeper's right.
James McAtee goal vs. Salford City (62nd min, Man City 5-0 Salford City)
Tidy finish from James McAtee 👌#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/LnNwiBDhBC
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
An outpouring of emotion from the young McAtee, who has had to be incredibly patient for his moment in the City spotlight, but he takes his first goal at the Etihad with finesse.
The electrifying Doku is released down the right flank and sweeps in an inch-perfect cross for McAtee, who gets across his man and deftly finishes with a first-time effort from close range.
69th min: Man City 6-0 Salford City (Jeremy Doku)
There is no VAR in operation at the Etihad this evening, but referee Josh Smith did not need a second look to see that Doku's strike was blocked by the outstretched arm of Curtis Tilt - a stonewall pen.
Doku assumes the responsibility from 12 yards, and even though Young is a good yard or two off his line by the time the Belgian connects with the ball, Doku calmly slides in City's sixth.
72nd min: Man City 7-0 Salford City (James McAtee)
Seventh heaven for Man City and McAtee, as Phil Foden's scuffed shot lands at the feet of the midfielder, who had kept himself well onside and comfortably dispatches his second of the evening.
James McAtee goal vs. Salford City (81st min, Man City 8-0 Salford City)
A hat-trick for James McAtee! ⚽️⚽️⚽️#MCISAL #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/Pg1eILQEzy
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2025
Two London buses often come at once, but three from Manchester have come at once for McAtee, who will leave with the match ball under his arm after stretching to divert Grealish's delivery into the bottom corner.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JEREMY DOKU
© Imago
The calibre of opposition may have been far weaker than what he is usually used to, but Doku dazzled and delighted throughout the evening and deserved the standing ovation he received as he left the field midway through the second half.
The Belgium international had a direct hand in four of City's goals - two of his own and two assists - while also completing both of his dribble attempts in what was undoubtedly one of his finest performances in sky blue so far.
McAtee could not have been a closer second for this prize, but Doku's overall influence on the game just edges this vote for us.
MAN CITY VS. SALFORD CITY MATCH STATS
Possession: Man City 68%-32% Salford City
Shots: Man City 20-10 Salford City
Shots on target: Man City 10-2 Salford City
Corners: Man City 6-2 Salford City
Fouls: Man City 7-11 Salford City
BEST STATS
Jack Grealish scores his first goal for Man City in 392 days. pic.twitter.com/n0w6LzyH3h
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) January 11, 2025
2006 - James McAtee is the first Englishman to score an FA Cup hat-trick for Manchester City since Robbie Fowler against Scunthorpe in January 2006. Throwback. #MCISAL pic.twitter.com/JUT3fxUIDO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2025
8 - Manchester City have scored 8+ goals in an FA Cup match for the first time since January 1933 (a 9-0 win against Gateshead). Hateful. #MCISAL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
After discovering their fourth-round opponents tomorrow night, Man City hit the road for their next Premier League fixture on Tuesday evening, taking on Brentford at a Gtech Community Stadium renowned for goal-laden extravaganzas this season.
As for Salford, Robinson's men have a full week to recover from Saturday's humiliation before resuming their bid for League Two promotion at home to Fleetwood Town on January 18.
Ben Knapton
