Manchester City vs Salford City LIVE: FA Cup result and reaction as hosts smash eight past outmatched visitors | OneFootball

Jack Grealish has a weight lifted as Man City show some of the old ruthless spark

Jack Grealish needed that. It is not how he imagined his 13-month Manchester City goal drought would end – a penalty in an 8-0 FA Cupwin over fourth-tier Salford City in a non-contest where a burgeoning youngster, James McAtee, netted a hat-trick – but a weight has been lifted off his shoulders nonetheless.

Despite Pep Guardiola making an uncharacteristic number of changes to his starting XI, City showed zero mercy, as they often do against lower-ranked opponents in cup competitions, with Grealish the beating heart of the champions’ attempts to rediscover their unrelenting streak that has helped them dominate English football for so long.

That is now 25 wins in a row for the champions against lower-ranked sides since they were burned in defeat to Wigan in the Callum McManaman FA Cup final shock to the system, with the aggregate scoreline now reading 96-8 in that time.

Jack Grealish has a weight lifted as Man City show some of the old ruthless spark

Man City 8-0 Salford City: Grelaish ended a lengthy goal drought and James McAtee scored a hat-trick as Pep Guardiola’s much-changed side hammered their League Two opposition in the FA Cup third round