Pep Guardiola has insisted that Manchester City remain a far cry from their peak performance, even after they demolished League Two side Salford 8-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Despite the scoreline, the City manager recognized that the victory could provide a much-needed morale boost following a disappointing end to 2024.
James McAtee was the star of the show, clinching a stunning second-half hat-trick as City cruised into the next round with an authoritative display at the Etihad Stadium.
This triumph marks City’s third consecutive win across all competitions, a feat they had not achieved since October.
Guardiola, whose squad is set to face a challenging run of away fixtures against Brentford, Ipswich, and Paris Saint-Germain, remarked, “It’s just a single game, but we cannot overlook our need for victories. This is the third in a row.”
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He continued, “Of course, we are still far from where we want to be, particularly defensively; we have significant issues at the back. But the players put in tremendous efforts, and scoring so many goals like this hasn’t happened for us in a while. It’s crucial for our morale, and it makes the supporters happy. Now we’re heading into some incredibly tough matches ahead. We must continue our momentum.
Jeremy Doku also shone brightly, contributing two goals to the scoreline, while Jack Grealish found the net for the first time in club football since December 2023.
In addition to McAtee’s success, debutant Divin Mubama and young talent Nico O’Reilly also registered their names on the scoresheet, but McAtee’s treble, scored in just 19 minutes of the second half, stole the headlines.
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Even as Guardiola celebrated McAtee’s achievement, he emphasized the need for the midfielder to raise his game further. “It’s not that I’m displeased with his hat-trick—scoring three goals is no small feat—but there’s more he can give. That was not his best performance. He is an exceptional player with exceptional talent, and his work ethic is absolutely remarkable,” said Guardiola.
For Salford, the match served as a sobering reminder after they had enjoyed a six-match winning streak in League Two, triumphantly entering the promotion race without conceding a single goal.
Manager Karl Robinson reflected, “I told the players that if someone had said we’d concede eight goals over seven games, I’d have accepted that. I just didn’t expect them all to come in one match! I’m incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved. I knew what we were up against with this club and how highly they regard their opponents and their manager, who demands high intensity from his players. We’re undoubtedly facing challenges.
“While I’ll look back on the match and see some avoidable errors, I believe City didn’t even have to work overly hard for some of their goals. But I refuse to let this experience be a negative as we move forward. Our goal remains to escape our current league, and we’ve positioned ourselves quite well to do just that.”
