Matchball for McAtee as City cruise into FA Cup fourth round

McAtee, born in Salford, bagged a second half treble on a night when the Blues turned on the style at the Etihad in the world’s oldest cup competition. 

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 debut 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.

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 Divin 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.

Nico 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 Doku.

Jack Grealish made it four shortly after the second half began, winning and scoring a penalty to open up his account for the season.

Then, James McAtee bagged his first Etihad goal courtesy of a tidy finish just past the hour mark following a classy cross from the right by 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 who went home thrilled with a top-class display.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: JAMES McATEE

What a wonderful night for our hugely likeable Academy graduate James McAtee.

The 22-year-old, facing his hometown club, scored his first-ever goal at the Etihad for his boyhood club to make it 5-0.

If the game had ended at that point, he’d had driven home and enjoyed an emotional evening with family and friends.

But there was more to come as he added two more to bag a terrific treble.

There were huge smiles on the faces of fans as they exited the stadium after the 8-0 triumph.

But they were nothing in comparison to the beam etched across the attacking midfielder’s face as he strode off the pitch on full-time to celebrate with his teammates in the dressing room.

TEAMS

CITY XI: Ederson, Simpson-Pusey, Ake (46’), Nunes, Gundogan (C), O’Reilly, McAtee, Doku (Kovacic 74’), Grealish, Savinho (Foden 55’), Mubama

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Haaland, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Lewis

SALFORD CITY XI: Young, Berkoe, Ashley (Watson 58’), Fornah, Lund (McAleny 70’), Tilt, Mnoga (Taylor 58’), Kouassi (Stockton 70’), Garbutt, Adelakun (Wright 87’), Shephard

Subs: Jones, Chester, Malcolm, Heys

MANAGER VERDICT

“It’s another game. We cannot deny that we need victories. That’s the third in a row.

“Of course we are away from being close to the top of the league but some players are recovering. Still we have big, big problems in the back four.

“Everyone made incredible contributions, starting from our striker Divin.

“We scored a lot of goals - for a long time it didn’t happen.

“It was just one game. We need it for our mood and now we have really tough games away in the next few days.”

McATEE REACTION

“I was quite frustrated in the first half because I wasn’t seeing much of the ball.

“When the first one went in I was just relieved and then my confidence was up, then it kept coming to me and I kept scoring.

“I’ve been here since I was 10 or 11, so scoring my first goal here is a special moment for me and I will remember it forever.

“To get out there and show people what I can do is a good moment for me and I’m happy I did well.”

WHAT IT MEANS

City are in the draw for the FA Cup fourth round.

It takes place on Sunday following the conclusion Arsenal and Manchester United’s tie which kicks-off at 15:00 (UK).

Presented by Kelly Somers, the draw will be conducted by Martin Keown and Mark Schwarzer and shown live in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

WHAT NEXT

City travel to the capital to face Brentford in our next game as we return to Premier League action.

We face the Bees at the Gtec Community Stadium on Tuesday 14 January, with a 19:30 (UK) kick-off.

Thomas Frank’s men exited the FA Cup this weekend, going down to Championship side 1-0 in the third round of the competition.