Matchball for McAtee as City cruise into FA Cup fourth round

Manchester City F.C.

·11 janvier 2025

Matchball for McAtee as City cruise into FA Cup fourth round

James McAtee hit a hat-trick as City cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a sensational 8-0 victory over Salford.

McAtee, born in Salford, bagged a second half treble on a night when the Blues turned on the style at the Etihad.

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But that wasn’t the only storyline on the night with Jeremy Doku hitting a double, starlets Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly scoring their first goals for City while Jack Grealish fired home his first of the season.

The clinical victory, in the first-ever meeting between the sides separated by just four-and-a-half miles, ensured three wins in succession for the Blues.

The triumph also sees us into Sunday’s draw which takes place following the conclusion of the 15:00 (UK) clash between Arsenal and Manchester United.

WHAT HAPPENED

Pep Guardiola stressed in his pre-match interview that his FA Cup starting line-up, seeing players in unfamiliar positions, was necessary due to defensive absences in the squad like Ruben Dias and John Stones.

But his team, featuring strong experience and effervescent youth, blended beautifully as the Blues comfortably reached the fourth round of the competition.

And there was a wonderful storyline with young aces Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly bagging their first goals for the Club.

With Salford hoping for a giant killing, watched by Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt in the stands and Ryan Giggs on the bench, City began this tricky tie just as we would have wanted – with an early goal.

And what a lovely effort it was featuring a beautiful break and faultless finish.

Matheus Nunes, comfortable and confident in the middle ground, won possession and charged forward before playing the ball across to Jack Grealish. The classy winger then intelligently teed up Jeremy Doku who finished well on eight minutes from a tight angle in the left channel.

Matty Lund headed over moments later from a lovely left foot cross from Luke Garbutt as the visitors looked for an instant reply.

Then at the other end, it could – and probably should - have been two for City.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, looking for his first goal in senior football, didn’t get a strong enough touch after meeting Nathan Ake’s header into the box and Kylian Kouassi cleared the ball off the line.

But we soon doubled out advantage with Mubama benefitting from a wonderful move by the hosts.

Savinho, always looking forward, produced an intelligent ball into the path of the onrushing Nunes with the Portuguese playmaker crossing for Mubama to prod home.

Kouassi had a chance to reduce arrears for The Ammies but he – and the visitors – were made to pay for the wasted chance as Guardiola’s Blues bagged a third just before the break.

O’Reilly, impressing in the unfamiliar left-back role, got off the mark with a bullet drive after a incisive pass into his path by the ever-dangerous Doku.

Jack Grealish made it four shortly after the second half began, winning and scoring a penalty to bag his first of the season.

Then, in another superb subplot, James McAtee bagged his first Etihad goal courtesy of a tidy finish just past the hour mark from a classy cross from the right by dangerous Doku.

The Belgian winger bagged his second of the night with a calm, composed finish from the spot on 68 minutes, the penalty coming after a handball in the box by captain Curtis Tilt.

McAtee then doubled his tally on 72 minutes with a close-range left-foot finish after meeting substitute Phil Foden’s strike from distance while the attacking midfielder completed his hat-trick on 81 minutes much to the delight of the Etihad crowd.