James McAtee shone with a clinical hat-trick, and Jack Grealish ended a year-long goal drought as Manchester City demolished Salford 8-0 in the FA Cup third round.

Grealish, who hadn’t scored for City since December 2023, broke his barren spell early in the second half, winning and converting a penalty to make it 4-0. Pep Guardiola’s side had already asserted their dominance, wrapping up the match before halftime.

Jeremy Doku set the tone with a curling effort to open the scoring, followed by Divin Mubama’s debut tap-in and Nico O’Reilly’s composed finish, giving City a comfortable 3-0 lead at the interval.

Grealish’s penalty just after the break sparked a relentless second-half display. McAtee’s sharp near-post finish brought up his first of the night before Doku added his second with a calmly slotted penalty after Curtis Tilt handled his shot.

City’s hunger showed no signs of waning. McAtee doubled his tally by capitalizing on a deflected Phil Foden shot, and later completed his hat-trick with a composed strike to seal a commanding victory.

Guardiola’s team was unyielding throughout, delivering a statement performance against the League Two side as they progressed emphatically into the next round.

The action began early as Al Okhdoud’s Godwin shocked the home crowd with a 6th-minute strike, giving the visitors an unexpected lead. Al-Nassr appeared to respond quickly when Sadio Mane found the back of the net in the 16th minute, but his goal was disallowed.

Persistence paid off in the 29th minute when Mane finally got on the scoresheet, leveling the game at 1-1. Al-Nassr’s relentless attack continued, and a penalty awarded in the 39th minute set the stage for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar calmly converted the spot-kick in the 41st minute, putting Al-Nassr ahead 2-1 before halftime.

The second half saw Al-Nassr dominate possession and create opportunities. Sadio Mane sealed the victory in the 88th minute with a clinical finish, making it 3-1 and ensuring all three points for the home side.

This victory reinforces Al-Nassr’s strong start to the season as they aim for dominance in the Saudi Pro League. The combination of Mane and Ronaldo proved decisive, demonstrating their value in critical moments.

Key Moments of the Match:

• 6’: Godwin gives Al Okhdoud an early lead.
• 16’: Mane’s goal is disallowed for Al-Nassr.
• 29’: Mane scores to equalize for Al-Nassr.
• 39’: Penalty awarded to Al-Nassr.
• 41’: Ronaldo converts the penalty, putting Al-Nassr ahead.
• 88’: Mane scores again to seal the 3-1 victory.

Al-Nassr fans will celebrate this commanding performance as the team builds momentum for the rest of the season.