James McAtee revelled in his “special” first senior hat-trick during Manchester City’s rout of Salford City, saying it is “something I’ll remember forever”.
The academy graduate, who has been with the club since the age of 10, bagged a second-half treble as Pep Guardiola’s side stormed to an 8-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
McAtee is the first Englishman to score an FA Cup hat-trick for City since Robbie Fowler against Scunthorpe United in January 2006.
He has had to be patient for his first-team opportunities with the Citizens, having spent the last two seasons on loan at Sheffield United. And the 22-year-old was delighted to have grabbed his chance with both hands.
“I was quite frustrated in the first half, wasn’t seeing much of the ball,” he told BBC Match of the Day. “When the first one went in, my confidence was up, and I kept scoring.
“I’ve been here since I was 10, and it’s a special moment for me. Something I’ll remember forever. I don’t think I needed to prove myself, but to get out there and show people what I can do, it’s a good moment for me.”
“I’m so happy for him, he’s a special player,” Guardiola added. “Scoring a hat-trick is not easy. He started a little bit flat, but afterwards, he had incredible sense in front of goal. He had the right tempo, he changed the rhythm to score.
“Of course, [McAtee] can play better. He scored three goals, but he can play better. [The] first half was not his best, but his work ethic, his composure and his rhythm… he’s a special player. “I’m really, really pleased he’s here with us.
“He’s been at City for a long time, a City supporter, and he was one of the biggest talents at the academy from the generation of Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Liam Delap. He played with these guys and was the captain of them.
The Spaniard also paid tribute to Jack Grealish, who scored his first goal since City’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in December 2023.
“He made a good assist as well, not just the goal,” Guardiola said. “He scored a goal, made two assists. Jack’s a special player, not always one to score a lot of goals, but it depends on him.
“If he can perform well, he’ll take the opportunity to keep going and going.”
