Manchester City vs Exeter City; The FA Cup Third Round
Manchester City vs Exeter City. The FA Cup Third Round.
Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City 10
- M Alleyne (12th minute)
- Rodri (24th minute)
- J Doyle-Hayes (42nd minute own goal)
- J Fitzwater (47th minute own goal)
- R Lewis (49th minute, 91st minute)
- A Semenyo (54th minute)
- T Reijnders (71st minute)
- N O'Reilly (79th minute)
- R McAidoo (86th minute)
Exeter City 1
- G Birch (90th minute)
Man City 10-1 Exeter: Antoine Semenyo scores debut goal as Pep Guardiola's side record their biggest FA Cup win since 1987
Match report from the FA Cup third round tie between Man City and Exeter at the Etihad Stadium; Antoine Semenyo scores on his debut as Pep Guardiola's side advance to the fourth round with their biggest win in the tournament since they beat Huddersfield by the same scoreline in 1987
Saturday 10 January 2026 19:22, UK
Antoine Semenyo made a goalscoring debut as Manchester City hit double figures in a 10-1 thrashing of Exeter in the FA Cup third round.
Rodri also struck his first goal for 20 months and Rico Lewis netted twice as Pep Guardiola's side demolished the League One outfit at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Youngster Max Alleyne began the rout with his first senior strike and there were two own goals before Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O'Reilly and 17-year-old Ryan McAidoo got on the scoresheet.
Exeter's one bright moment was a superb late consolation strike from George Birch.
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After faltering in the Premier League with three successive draws, and with a Carabao Cup semi-final to come in midweek, this was as comfortable an afternoon as City could have hoped for.
It was their biggest win since beating Huddersfield by the same scoreline in 1987. City also beat Burton by nine goals in a 9-0 victory in 2019.
Guardiola may not have been on the touchline as he served a one-match ban but it was clear from the teamsheet he meant business.
The City boss did make six changes but his line-up was a strong one with Semenyo straight in for his debut following his £64m move from Bournemouth and Rodri and Erling Haaland among the starters.
There was just a sprinkling of inexperience with McAidoo making his first appearance and Alleyne retaining his place from midweek.
Exeter almost made a dream start as Liam Oakes outjumped the City defence at an early corner but his header was palmed over by James Trafford.
Their hopes of causing an upset ended there.
City's opener came on 12 minutes as the visitors failed to clear in a crowded area and Alleyne, who began the month on loan at Watford, prodded home.
The hosts doubled their lead 12 minutes later as Rodri sent a 25-yard piledriver flying into the net after a Semenyo shot was blocked.
It was his first goal since May 2024 and a notable milestone in his continuing recovery from a long-term injury nightmare.
Two more goals followed in quick succession before the break. Both were recorded as own goals, though there was debate for the first over whether Jack Fitzwater's header had rebounded in off team-mate Jake Doyle-Hayes or City's Nathan Ake.
There was also uncertainty over which Exeter player got the final touch to the second own goal with Fitzwater and Doyle-Hayes in close proximity as a Reijnders cross was diverted in.
Fitzwater this time took the rap but what was clear was that the game was as good as over.
The second half was a procession. Lewis made it 5-0 early in the second half when he volleyed in from a Semenyo cross and the Ghana international scored himself soon after when he raced onto a long ball and slipped past Joe Whitworth.
Reijnders curled in a seventh from the edge of the area 20 minutes from time and substitute O'Reilly added another with a fine header from a Lewis cross.
McAidoo hit the ninth from just outside the area before Birch rattled a shot into the top corner to give the Grecians at least one moment to savour.
City were not done and Lewis lashed home a bouncing ball in stoppage time.
Lijnders: We want to reach more cup finals this season
Man City assistant Pep Lijnders:
"We want to reach finals this year and we are on our way. We play now the semi-final for the League Cup.
"We go further here in the FA Cup and we are in the Champions League in a good position. We want to build on that.
"But for us the most important thing, Pep says it all the time, we want to grow, we want to build, we want to make the next step as a team.
"For that we need to keep working hard and take nothing for granted. With this we will grow and we will make the next step.
"I think (there were) a lot of good performances today. When the team plays like that it becomes easier for the individual but Antoine is settling well.
"He is a humble guy. He brings something to the front line that we really want and we need.
"He can attack quick, he wants to chase, he is a guy who doesn't stop. He can adapt quite quickly to our style."
Caldwell: Man City did what they should have done to us
Exeter manager Gary Caldwell:
"If that early chance [from Liam Oakes] had gone in, it might have annoyed them and they might have scored more!
"It's a lesson that when one of the best managers of all time needs to win a game, he picks a team to win it.
"The respect they showed was outstanding - they did what Man City should have done to us.
"It was a really humbling experience but our season will not be defined by this. It will be defined by the remaining league games."
