Relentless City Put Exeter to the Sword in 10-Goal FA Cup Onslaught

Manchester City's frustration from three consecutive winless matches found its outlet in devastating fashion as they dismantled League One minnows Exeter City with a 10-1 battering in the FA Cup.

With Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, assistant Pep Lijnders orchestrated a masterclass in attacking football, fielding a star-studded lineup that included Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland. Three of that quintet made their mark on the scoresheet in a display that left little doubt about City's intentions.

The Citizens' precision in front of goal was clinical, matching their tally of 10 goals with 10 shots on target—though two own goals padded the scoreline. It was the sort of performance designed to sweep away cobwebs and restore confidence in one fell swoop.

Lijnders outlined the gameplan with characteristic clarity: "We know Exeter well. We had two days to prepare, and analysed it. From the first minute we showed a high press and we went after them, we respected them. It was a good performance and for the fans and the amount of goals. We kept pushing. A really good game for Man City."

The most eye-catching performance came from new arrival Semenyo, who celebrated his debut with a goal and an assist while earning SofaScore's highest rating of the evening at 9.5. Lijnders revealed the club had tracked the forward "a long time" before bringing him in, and suggested he is "settling in well" at the Etihad.

The respite from such a commanding victory will be brief. City face Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final on Tuesday before travelling to Manchester United next weekend—a fixture where they won 3-0 in their previous meeting, though the Red Devils claimed one victory and drew the other last season.

Newcastle themselves arrive with recent pedigree against City, having claimed a 2-1 win when the sides met in November. Still, few sides could ask for better preparation than a 10-goal demolition, regardless of the opposition's standing.