In a ruthless display of attacking football that bridged the gap between the elite and the EFL, Manchester City dismantled League One’s Exeter City 10-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The headline of the afternoon belonged to Antoine Semenyo, who marked his debut with a goal and an assist just 24 hours after completing his £65 million move from Bournemouth.
The victory, City’s first in four outings, matched their record-breaking 10-1 win over Huddersfield Town in 1987 and secured safe passage into the FA Cup fourth round.
Despite only arriving in Manchester on Friday, the Ghanaian international was thrown straight into the starting XI by Pep Guardiola; who was watching from the stands due to a touchline ban. Operating on the left wing, Semenyo’s physical presence and directness added a new dimension to a City side that had struggled for clinical edge in recent Premier League draws.
Semenyo’s impact was felt early in the second half when he delivered a pinpoint cross for Rico Lewis to volley home. Just five minutes later, the 26-year-old opened his personal account, racing onto a through-ball from Rayan Cherki to slot past Joe Whitworth.
"Antoine is settling well; he’s a humble guy," said City assistant Pep Lijnders. "He brings something to the frontline that we really need. He can attack quickly, he wants to chase, and he doesn’t stop."
While Semenyo took the headlines, the afternoon was a showcase of City's squad depth and academy talent.
The breakthrough: 20-year-old defender Max Alleyne opened the scoring in the 12th minute, prodding home his first senior goal following a scrambled clearance.
The milestone: Captain Rodri, continuing his recovery from long-term injury, doubled the lead with a trademark 30-yard "missile" in the 24th minute; his first goal since May 2024.
The own-goal: Exeter’s defensive resolve crumbled before halftime as Jake Doyle-Hayes and Jack Fitzwater both inadvertently turned the ball into their own net, making it 4-0 at the break.
The second half became a procession. Following the strikes from Lewis and Semenyo, Tijjani Reijnders curled in a magnificent seventh, followed by a fine header from Nico O’Reilly.
The most emotional moment for the visitors came in the 90th minute when 19-year-old George Birch blasted a consolation into the top corner, providing a moment of magic for the 7,800 traveling Exeter fans. However, Rico Lewis had the final say, lashing home in stoppage time to reach double figures.
Exeter manager Gary Caldwell, who famously beat City in the 2013 FA Cup Final as a player, was gracious in defeat.
"The respect they showed was outstanding; they did what Man City should have done to us," Caldwell remarked. "It was a humbling experience, but our season will not be defined by this."
