A young Manchester City squad made light work of Salford City at the Etihad Stadium, with three players scoring maiden goals in a huge 8-0 win.
It took only eight minutes for Jérémy Doku to give the hosts the lead before Divin Mubama made it two on 20 minutes. Two would become three before the halftime, with Nico O’Reilly netting his maiden goal for the club.
Jack Grealish’s penalty early in the second half extended to lead to four. Cometh the hour, come James McAtee, himself scoring his first Etihad goal. A second City penalty was won and converted by Doku for six.
McAtee wasn’t done yet either, scoring twice more to secure his first career hat-trick. The scoreline read 8-0, thoroughly reflecting the action on the pitch; it was men against the boys in the Class of 92.
As it happened
It would’ve been one hell of a story, wouldn’t it? Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt all returned to Manchester at the home of their former rivals, the United legends all having had a stake in Salford City since 2014. A win would’ve been the peak of their achievements after rising from the Northern Premier League to League Two in their time at the club. But you can’t always get what you want.
Manchester City may not be in their finest form, but three leagues still separate them from their unlikely spiritual rivals – and at the Etihad Stadium, it showed.
It took eight minutes for the hosts to take the lead, as possession turned over in midfield and City mounted not a four versus three, but a five versus three. Matheus Nunes played the ball over to Jack Grealish, who in turn did the same for Doku. The Belgian wasted no time, slotting home past Matt Young with his first touch.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn 20 minutes, it was two, this time Mubama scoring his first goal for The Citizens. Savinho played O’Reilly in behind before the academy graduate squared the ball to the striker with a gaping goal to slot home into – the perfect way to mark his debut.
To Salford’s credit they might’ve put a dent in the lead right before halftime; first, Hakeeb Adelakun played a tremendous cross into the box which fellow striker Kylian Kouassi just couldn’t latch onto, and Kevin Berkoe would slice an effort horribly wide not 30 seconds later. Sadly, for them, those chances were all but as close as they’d come.
Even worse, they would concede a third almost immediately; O’Reilly, first provider, was now on the scoresheet, burying a finish into the bottom corner from a tricky angle.
Embed from Getty ImagesThree would’ve been quite respectable for the visitors. It wouldn’t be three for long though.
In the second half, City exploded with ruthless intent. Grealish won and converted a penalty only four minutes into the half, his spot kick sent in the opposite direction to young. Just past the hour mark, McAtee would score his first home goal for the club he’s been with for 12 years, his finish little more than a tap in.
On 69 minutes, five became six, Doku this time the man to win and score a penalty. It was captain Curtis Tilt who gave away the first after wiping out Grealish, and he’d double up here, too, handballing a goal bound shot from the Belgian. For his part, his penalty was slotted to Young’s right; again, he guessed wrong.
To quote The Simpsons: “Stop, they’re already dead.” But City didn’t stop.
McAtee made it a brace for himself in the 72nd minute, intercepting a Phil Foden shot and slotting home into the bottom corner. Nine minutes later, it was a hat-trick, this another tap in to an empty net with Grealish providing his second assist. The scoreline read 8-0: an unusual sight to behold.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was a quite frankly brutal night for the visitors, the biggest benefit being the old cliché; this was a learning experience, one under the brightest of lights too.
As for City, well this was just another day at the office. Despite the disparity between the two sides, the performances of his young players may well give Pep Guardiola something to think about in terms of his selections for the rest of the season.
The Class of 92 came to the home of their enemies hoping for the upset to beat all upsets. Instead, they left with their heads hanging. When it comes to the red half of Manchester, when it rains, it pours.
The lineups
MCI: Ederson; Aké, Simpson-Pusey, O’Reilly; Grealish, Gündoğan, McAtee, Nunes; Doku, Savinho; Mubama
SAL: Young; Garbutt, Tilt, Shephard; Fornah; Berkoe, Ashley, Lund, Mnoga; Kouassi, Adelakun
FEATURED IMAGE: Bardhok Ndoji