Manchester City 8-0 Salford

JAMES MCATEE SCORED a second-half hat-trick as Manchester City powered into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a ruthless 8-0 demolition of League Two neighbours Salford.

Jeremy Doku weighed in with two goals while Jack Grealish ended his long scoring drought and youngsters Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly also struck in a one-sided encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

It was a brutal exhibition by a much-changed City, whose fans revelled in the beating dished out to their ‘Class of 92’-owned visitors.

Gary Neville, one of that group of famous former Manchester United players, was taunted mercilessly as the goals flew in.

The England full-back turned pundit and businessman was not actually present to witness the rout, but colleagues Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes were on hand to see it unfold in agonising detail from the stands.

Ryan Giggs, the sporting director who also has a backroom role, was also at close hand in the technical area as the biggest game in Salford’s history quickly turned sour.

City made nine changes from the side that overran West Ham last weekend and took the opportunity to hand a debut to 20-year-old Mubama and further experience to 19-year-olds O’Reilly and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.

Simpson-Pusey was one of only two specialist defenders in the side along with the experienced Nathan Ake but, with a bench stacked with quality, Pep Guardiola had plenty of insurance should things have gone wrong.

Yet the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden needed only to look on as City quickly established control.

The hosts took the lead after only eight minutes as Matheus Nunes seized possession and fed Grealish, who played the ball wide for Doku to sweep past Matty Young from a tight angle.

The second came after 20 minutes as Savinho played in Nunes and he pulled back for Mubama to slide in for a simple finish.

Salford had chances to reply as City eased off the pressure, with Kylian Kouassi shooting at Ederson after a good run and later fluffing a shot from an excellent cross by Hakeeb Adelakun.

Kevin Berkoe also snatched at an effort but City simply moved up through the gears in response.

Doku weaved his way to the byline and O’Reilly firmly drove home his first senior goal before the break.

Grealish, without a goal in club football since December 2023, got back on the scoresheet four minutes after the break.

The England international might have scored from open play after Mubama raced onto a poor backpass to set him up, but he made no mistake from the spot after being felled by Ossama Ashley.

City’s fifth came from a fluid move soon after as Nunes released Doku and his first-time cross was deftly guided in by McAtee.

Things quickly started to spiral out of control for Salford, who conceded a second penalty when Doku’s shot struck the arm of captain Curtis Tilt.

Doku this time sent Young the wrong way, and the keeper was beaten again when substitute Foden’s driven ball was well controlled and tucked away by McAtee.

McAtee completed his treble nine minutes from time when he turned in a Grealish cross.

Leeds United 1-0 Harrogate

Leeds United's Josuha Guilavogui and Harrogate Town's Josh March (right) battle for the ball. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Largie Ramazani’s second-half header sealed Leeds a 1-0 win and ensured they avoided an FA Cup upset against Yorkshire rivals Harrogate.

Ramazani’s solitary effort settled the first-ever competitive meeting between the two sides and was all Leeds had to show for their dominance against the League Two side at Elland Road.

Leeds struck the woodwork once in each half through Mateo Joseph and Manor Solomon but struggled to carve out clear chances against their resilient visitors, who are 69 places below them in the Football League standings.

Sky Bet promotion-chasers Leeds have been famously dumped out of the Cup by Crawley, Newport, Sutton, Rochdale and Histon since 2008, but despite the narrow scoreline against Harrogate, they comfortably avoided another embarrassment.

The hosts made eight changes after last week’s 3-3 draw at Hull – only captain Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rothwell and Solomon retained their places – while Harrogate stuck with the same side which won last week at Barrow.

Simon Weaver’s team, in their fifth season in the Football League, halted a seven-game winless run in that match, which had left them in a relegation battle.

They came under heavy pressure in a goalless first half but were organised and resilient as they soaked up all Leeds had to offer before the break.

Harrogate striker Josh March’s penalty appeal, after he had gone to ground under Josuha Guilavogui’s challenge, did not move referee James Bell before the visitors dropped deeper and deeper into their own half.

Leeds created their first real chance in the 25th minute when Harrogate skipper Warren Burrell blocked Solomon’s goalbound effort and Joseph’s low shot struck a post after his marauding run had carried him to the edge of the area.

Harrogate’s first corner, in the 52nd minute, was met with huge cheers from their 4,000 travelling fans, while at the other end Solomon’s curling effort skimmed the crossbar.

The visitors threatened to take a shock lead when March fired straight at Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow after James Daly had charged down Ampadu’s clearance.

But Leeds made the breakthrough just before the hour-mark. Solomon skipped down the left and his inch-perfect cross was neatly headed home by the unmarked Ramazani.

Darlow came to Leeds’ rescue by thwarting March following Jack Muldoon’s flick-on in a rare Harrogate attack, while Joseph flashed a shot over the bar and Belshaw saved well from substitute Dan James to prevent Leeds adding to the score.