Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland respond to James McAtee after Man City development
James McAtee was delighted on social media message after scoring in Man City’s brilliant win against Crystal Palace.
Man City pulled off a stunning comeback at the Etihad Stadium, despite falling 2-0 behind inside the first 21 minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne had an unbelievable display, and led the fightback with a superb strike to get City back into the game, before Omar Marmoush levelled the score before the break.
The momentum carried into the second half, with Mateo Kovacic, Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee all finding the net to secure a memorable 5-2 victory.
It was a landmark moment for McAtee, who marked his first Premier League start for City with a goal – selected ahead of big names like Jack Grealish and Phil Foden.
After John Stones shared a message for the Man City fans following the result, McAtee was quick to follow up with his own reaction, continuing the wave of positivity around the squad.
James McAtee impresses on first Man City start amid transfer interest
The English midfielder shared a celebratory Instagram post after the win, writing: “Comeback, top performance from the boys.”
His message received plenty of love from teammates, with Erling Haaland reacting with applause emojis and Josko Gvardiol calling him “Macatoni” in a light-hearted reply. Jack Grealish and John Stones also showed their support by liking the post.
Despite the strong bond within the squad, Mick Brown, former Manchester United and Blackburn chief scout, exclusively told Football Insider that Manchester City are open to offers for McAtee at the end of the season.
Crystal Palace, West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen all expressed interest in McAtee in January, but were unable to secure a deal as the midfielder remained at City, contributing in a rotational role.
Even with limited minutes, he has made an impact, scoring seven goals in just 811 minutes across 24 appearances this season.
| Season statistics | James McAtee |
| Appearances | 24 |
| Starts | 7 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 0 |
Man City step up pursuit of Florian Wirtz as De Bruyne exit looms
With De Bruyne confirming he will leave Man City, the club appear ready to look beyond internal options like McAtee for a long-term successor.
Man City fans have urged the club to sign Florian Wirtz, with the Bayer Leverkusen star reportedly high on City’s list as a potential replacement.
City must move swiftly, especially as Bayern Munich, led by Vincent Kompany, are also monitoring Wirtz closely.
For McAtee, he could join De Bruyne in leaving the club this summer, but for now he must try and continue his form whenever given a rare opportunity.