Manchester City produced a ruthless FA Cup display as Pep Guardiola’s youthful side hit double figures in an extraordinary 10-0 win over Exeter City, with £65 million signing Antoine Semenyo making an instant impact by scoring and setting up a goal.
City set the tone from the outset and never let up, piling on the pressure and turning the tie into a one-sided contest long before the final whistle. Their energy and movement overwhelmed Exeter, as Guardiola gave minutes to a number of young players alongside senior faces.
Semenyo, brought in for big money, looked sharp throughout and quickly showed why City moved to land him. The forward got off the mark in City colours with a goal and also registered an assist as the visitors kept the tempo high and the quality even higher.
The goals kept coming in waves as City’s attacking play clicked, with Exeter unable to stem the flow. Guardiola’s side continued to press, pass and run aggressively, squeezing the life out of the game and forcing mistakes, while maintaining their standards in front of goal.
By the time City reached ten, the result had long been beyond doubt, but their focus did not drop. The performance underlined the depth Guardiola has at his disposal and offered a clear reminder that even a youthful City line-up can be relentless when given space to play.
For Semenyo, it was the perfect start: a goal, an assist and a statement contribution on a night City made FA Cup history in emphatic fashion against Exeter.
