Manchester City’s third win on the bounce was all the sweeter due to their victims having unbreakable Manchester United connections. Salford City, owned by the Class of 92, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Phil and Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, were always primed to be easy fall guys and with 65 places between them and England’s champions, Karl Robinson’s men were cuffed aside as if in an exhibition.

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The victory was decorated by a hat-trick from the Salford-born James McAtee and Jack Grealish’s first goal for more than a year, plus two from Jérémy Doku, the second a 69th-minute penalty after the Belgian’s shot was handled by Curtis Tilt. McAtee’s second featured a sharp finish, after receiving Phil Foden’s drilled delivery inside Salford’s area, while his third was a predator’s stab from Grealish’s cross.

Towards the close, delirious supporters performed the Poznan in the stands, which is outed only for special moments.

Afterwards, Pep Guardiola showed a nice touch by inviting Salford’s players into City’s dressing room. The manager downplayed this kindness. “It happened before in the Cup – this was to change the shirts, it’s normal.”

Of McAtee, he said: “A special player. I’m not denying I’m not happy he scored a hat-trick – but he can play better, especially in the first half.

“But his work ethic is unbelievable and he can play in the middle, can play outside, on both sides. I’m really pleased, in general, how he played.”

With City’s confidence still hardly robust, Doku’s opener inside 10 minutes was welcome. Ossama Ashley’s miscontrol allowed Matheus Nunes to pilfer the ball near halfway. The Portuguese ran forward, scattering red shirts, and his pass left to Grealish was as well timed as the No 10’s shift of the ball the same way. Doku’s finish ricocheted off Matty Young’s left post.

City’s second came from Divin Mubama on his debut. The 20-year-old August signing from West Ham, operating as a No 9, jogged in as Nunes and Savinho fashioned a one-two, the former’s cross from the right giving the Newham-born youngster a tap-in.

At a break in play, Robinson and Giggs, the club’s director of football and the manager’s match-day assistant, had a chat with a few players. But what could this brains trust offer other than an imploration not to panic?

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Like Liverpool in their 4-0 downing of Accrington Stanley earlier in the day, City cruised in low gear, able to step it up at will. In case of emergency, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Foden and Josko Gvardiol could be called on from the bench.

There was a scare when Nathan Aké missed a clearance by his goal but Kylian Kouassi scuffed the chance from close range. Seconds later, Matty Lund was in but instead of shooting he turned and fed Kevin Berkoe and he, too, failed to connect cleanly.

In the posh seats Butt and Scholes “oohed” but dismay followed. Nico O’Reilly, one of City’s three centre-backs, was initiator and executioner. He fed Doku, carried on moving and received the Belgian’s return inside the area. His coolly rolled finish was, like Mubama’s, a first City goal.

Four minutes into the second half, a loose Tilt back-pass was collected by Mubama, who found Grealish. Ashley chopped him down as he tried to shoot and the referee, Josh Smith, awarded the penalty. Grealish steered this in for a first goal since 16 December 2023.

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What greeted Salford next was the sight of Foden entering the fun for City, with Savinho removed.

Guardiola’s current mantra concerns how his unit has “lots of work” remaining to regain their former ascendancy, and to see McAtee hit a pass straight to an opponent and O’Reilly leap in the air and miss a regulation header would have displeased him. So, too, Mubama being overpowered by Tyrese Fornah, which allowed a rare Salford foray.

But these were minor quibbles. City’s uber-professional approach was evident in their fifth, which came from the lethal right boot of McAtee, whose run into the area impressed too. And that was before City’s grandstand finish.

Robinson said: “I have told the players if someone had told me we would concede eight goals in seven games I would have taken it. I just didn’t expect it to be all in one match.”