Antoine Semenyo Scores on His Debut as Manchester City Beat Exeter in Style

At a glance

Rampant Man City put 10 past sorry Exeter
Antoine Semenyo handed City start after £65m move from Bournemouth
Ghanaian provides assist for Rico Lewis and scores in second half
PLAYER RATER

Antoine Semenyo scored on his debut as a rampant Manchester City showed no mercy by putting 10 past sorry League One side Exeter City to match the club’s biggest victory and reach the FA Cup fourth round in ruthless fashion.

Forward Semenyo was thrown straight in to the starting line-up after completing his £65m move from Bournemouth on Friday and he started to repay a chunk of that fee with a goal and assist in the second half.

Boss Pep Guardiola, in the stands as he served a one-game touchline ban for receiving three yellow cards this season, picked a strong starting 11 that proved too powerful for a side two tiers below them.

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.

Analysis: Semenyo makes dream debut

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.