Manchester Metropolis sauntered into the fourth spherical of the FA Cup as James McAtee scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 drubbing of League Two aspect Salford Metropolis on the Etihad Stadium.
Jeremy Doku weighed in with two objectives whereas Jack Grealish ended his lengthy scoring drought and kids Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly additionally struck in a one-sided encounter on the Etihad Stadium.
It was a brutal exhibition by a much-changed Metropolis, whose followers revelled within the beating dished out to their ‘Class of 92’-owned guests.
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Jack Grealish is all smiles after his transformed penalty
Gary Neville, one in all that group of well-known former Manchester United gamers, was taunted mercilessly because the objectives flew in.
The England full-back turned pundit and businessman was not truly current to witness the rout, however colleagues Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes had been available to see it unfold in agonising element from the stands.
Ryan Giggs, the sporting director who additionally has a backroom function, was additionally at shut hand within the technical space as the largest recreation in Salford’s historical past shortly turned bitter.
Doku celebrates scoring the opening objective in opposition to Salford Metropolis
Metropolis made 9 modifications from the aspect that overran West Ham final weekend and took the chance handy a debut to 20-year-old Mubama and additional expertise to 19-year-olds O’Reilly and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.
Simpson-Pusey was one in all solely two specialist defenders within the aspect together with the skilled Nathan Ake however, with a bench stacked with high quality, Pep Guardiola had loads of insurance coverage ought to issues have gone fallacious.
But Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden wanted solely to look on as Metropolis shortly established management.
Salford Metropolis could not deal with Doku’s direct working
The hosts took the lead after solely eight minutes as Matheus Nunes seized possession and fed Grealish, who performed the ball huge for Doku to comb previous Matty Younger from a good angle.
The second got here after 20 minutes as Savinho performed in Nunes and he pulled again for Mubama to slip in for a easy end.
Salford had possibilities to answer as Metropolis eased off the stress, with Kylian Kouassi taking pictures at Ederson after a very good run and later fluffing a shot from a wonderful cross by Hakeeb Adelakun.
McAtee celebrates scoring his aspect’s fifth objective
Kevin Berkoe additionally snatched at an effort however Metropolis merely moved up by means of the gears in response.
Doku weaved his option to the byline and O’Reilly firmly drove house his first senior objective earlier than the break.
Grealish, with no objective in membership soccer since December 2023, acquired again on the scoresheet 4 minutes after the break.
The England worldwide may need scored from open play after Mubama raced onto a poor backpass to set him up, however he made no mistake from the spot after being felled by Ossama Ashley.
Metropolis’s fifth got here from a fluid transfer quickly after as Nunes launched Doku and his first-time cross was deftly guided in by McAtee.
Issues shortly began to spiral uncontrolled for Salford, who conceded a second penalty when Doku’s shot struck the arm of captain Curtis Tilt.
Doku this time despatched Younger the fallacious approach, and the keeper was crushed once more when substitute Foden’s pushed ball was well-controlled and tucked away by McAtee.
McAtee accomplished his treble 9 minutes from time when he turned in a Grealish cross.
Participant of the match – James McAtee
McAtee’s show may have alerted potential suitors
Man Metropolis hat-trick hero James McAtee informed 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 have been right here since I used to be 10 and it is a particular second for me. One thing I am going to bear in mind ceaselessly. I do not suppose I wanted to show myself however to get on the market and present individuals what I can do, it is a good second for me.”
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Salford boss Karl Robinson told BBC: “You all the time know you are on the mercy of the standard of the competitors.
“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’ve one objective and that’s to get out of this league. It is a glimmer of what we need to be and we all know we have a lot to enhance and we all know the place we need to be.”
