FA Cup: Semenyo shines as Man City thrash Exeter 10–0

Antoine Semenyo marked his Manchester City debut in style as the Premier League champions crushed League One side Exeter City 10–0 to reach the FA Cup fourth round and equal the club’s biggest ever win.

Semenyo, who completed a £65m move from Bournemouth on Friday, was handed a starting role straight away and quickly showed his quality, scoring a goal and providing an assist in the second half.

Manchester City were simply too strong for their opponents, as Pep Guardiola named a powerful starting line-up despite watching from the stands due to a one-match touchline ban after picking up three yellow cards this season.

Academy product Max Alleyne set City on their way to an emphatic victory by opening the scoring on 12 minutes, sticking out a left leg to poke in a finish which crept over the line.

Just 12 minutes later, the game was effectively over as a contest as Rodri, who captained the side, smashed home a 30-yard thunderbolt, while Jake Doyle-Hayes and Jack Fitzwater both netted unfortunate own goals before the break.

Exeter, buoyed on by a 7,800-strong following, could have taken a shock lead inside the opening five minutes but Liam Oakes’ rising header at the far post was pushed over by James Trafford’s sharp, reflex save.

The scoreboard became a miserable sight for Exeter in the second half as City racked up six more goals.

Rico Lewis poked home from Semenyo’s cross and the Ghanaian rolled home a lovely finish after being put through, while Tijjani Reijnders’s curling effort, Nico O’Reilly’s header and Ryan McAidoo’s drilled strike ensured City advanced into the next round, the draw for which takes place on Monday.

Exeter’s George Birch, 19, made sure he had a moment to remember at Etihad Stadium by hammering in a consolation for the away side late on, but there was still time for Lewis to smash in the 10th.

It matched a 10-1 victory over Huddersfield Town in a second-tier league match in November 1987 – and coincidentally, the scoring sequence was exactly the same: City leading 4-0 at half-time, went 9-0 up before a late goal from the visitors, with just enough time for the home side to reach double figures.

This was a first meeting between the two sides and City came into it needing a morale-boosting victory after falling off the pace in the Premier League. They got precisely that with an unforgettable scoreline.

Semenyo’s signing adds a different dimension to City’s attack and he showed the versatility that he will add to the frontline by starting on the left. He had a quiet first half, but came to life in the second with a goal to follow-up his assist.

Despite the early scare through Oakes, City ran riot in the contest – defender Alleyne netted his first goal on only his second appearance, while Rodri added a tremendous, long-range strike to settle any nerves and put City in total command.

Exeter were panicking every time the ball came into their box and captain Doyle-Hayes saw the ball bounce off him and into the net, while Fitzwater inadvertently put through his own net from Reijnders’ low cross.

Winger McAidoo, who was also given a debut on the opposite flank to Semenyo, also impressed with an eye-catching performance from the right-hand side.

The 18-year-old, signed from Chelsea’s academy two years ago, gave Exeter left-back Oakes a torrid afternoon with his tricky and darting runs – he scored the goal his showing deserved with a confident finish into the bottom corner late on.

Lewis’ double and Reijnders’ beautiful finish made it 16 straight home victories for City in this competitions, a run dating back a decade.

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell was part of the Wigan Athletic squad who stunned City in the 2013 FA Cup final and his current crop may have had thoughts of delivering another shock FA Cup story had Oakes converted early on.

Birch smashed in superbly in front of his own fans in the 90th minute, but the visitors were thoroughly thrashed and totally outclassed and they have now been beaten in their past 11 FA Cup ties against top-flight sides.

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