Man City 8-0 Salford City: James McAtee shows his star quality with hat-trick in FA Cup thrashing of Class of 92' rivals as several Etihad youngsters impress in dominant win
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Perhaps Gary Neville intuited what was coming when the biggest day in his decade as a co-owner of Salford City finally dawned. The driving force and spokesman of the club’s Class of ’92 ownership group, was not present to see his team schooled by a Manchester City side which included only two recognised defenders.
![[James Mcatee (left) scored a hat-trick while Jack Grealish (middle) also scored in the cup win]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/19/93995923-0-image-a-1_1736624342584.jpg)
Neville was on a skiing holiday, as Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt took up their positions in the directors’ box. He missed a masterclass in which City’s Jeremy Doku, to coin a term once reserved for Ryan Giggs, tore Salford apart. Giggs more than made his own presence known, loitering on the pitch before kick-off, stepping into the technical area and engaging in the kind of greeting with Pep Guardiola that is usually reserved for a manager.
![[Ryan Giggs (left) more than made his own presence known, loitering on the pitch before kick-off, stepping into the technical area and engaging in the kind of greeting with Pep Guardiola that is usually reserved for a manage]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/19/93996199-14274265-image-a-20_1736625070562.jpg)
Unconventional conduct from a director of football – his job title at Salford – and surely not settling for Robinson, whatever the manager might say to the contrary. It made no difference. Salford were operating under the misapprehension that you can leave a player with the same space to operate in that is safe in League Two, where they have made a decent promotion run in recent months.
![[Guardiola locked in conversation with Jack Grealish who scored on his return to City's starting Xi]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/19/93995973-14274265-image-a-21_1736625077021.jpg)
Manchester City 's resurrection to silverware contenders took a celebrated leap in the FA Cup as Pep Guardiola 's dominated a 8-0 thrashing of local lower league rivals, Salford. James Mcatee (left) scored a hat-trick while Jack Grealish (middle) also scored in the cup win.
![[Jeremy Doku scored twice as City secured safe passage to the fourth round of the FA Cup]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/19/93995963-14274265-image-a-22_1736625086035.jpg)
