There was no magic of the FA Cup for Exeter City
16:59, 10 Jan 2026Updated 17:03, 10 Jan 2026
Goal celebrations for Rodri of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Round 3 match between Manchester City and Exeter City at The Etihad Stadium on 10 January 2026 in Manchester, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
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Goal celebrations for Rodri of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Round 3 match between Manchester City and Exeter City at The Etihad Stadium on 10 January 2026 in Manchester, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)(Image: Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
There was no magic of the FA Cup for Exeter City as their cup run came to an end as Manchester City swatted the League One side away in ruthless style. 4-0 up at half-time, the Premier League team ran out 10-1 winners as a Grecians side found gulf in class too steep against their star-studded opponents.
There was nearly a dream start for the Grecians with only five minutes gone when Liam Oakes rose highest from a corner, but his header was tipped over. But it took 11 minutes for Man City to take a lead. It was scrappy and from a set piece as Max Alleyne’s finish just had enough power to squeeze in off the post.
Midway through the first half it was two. There was nothing City could do about it as the ball broke to Rodri 30 yards from goal and the Spaniard lashed in a first time strike which clipped the inside of the post.
Nathan Ake – albeit he knew nothing about it – when a clearance from a corner hit him and trickled in made it 3-0. And it was 4-0 at half-time when Jack Fitzwater in attempting to clear a cross could only divert it into his own net.
Rico Lewis made it five moments into the second half as City had no intention of taking their foot off the gas. Antoine Semenyo on his debut then made it six with a smart finish as the goals kept coming.
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(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Tijani Reijnders made it seven when he curled in from the edge of the area to extend the misery for the visitors. Nico O’Reilly made it eight when he headed home from a corner with still ten minutes to go. And then Ryan McAidoo made it nine with still three minutes to go when the youngster smashed home from the edge of the box.
But the travelling fans had their moment in the 90th minute when George Birch strode forward and from 25 yards smashed a strike into the top corner to make it 9-1. The joy lasted only seconds though as straight from kick-off, City went forward, and Lewis scored his second.
It was Manchester City’s joint biggest win ever, level with the 10-1 victory over Huddersfield Town in 1987. It was Exeter’s worst defeat ever, surpassing the 9-0 defeats to Northampton Town in 1958 and Reading in the EFL Trophy in 2023.
Gary Caldwell made two changes from the side which drew 2-2 at Huddersfield Town last Sunday. Out went Jack McMillan, who had suffer a knock in training this week, with Jake Doyle-Hayes replacing him. The other saw Jack Aitchison preferred to Akeel Higgins.
Josh Magennis was fit enough for a spot on the bench, while with nine subs allowed, Tom Dean and the recalled George Birch were also involved. With club captain Pierce Sweeney suspended, Ed Turns wore the captain’s armband.
Pep Guardiola meanwhile was taking no chances with his Manchester City side with a galaxy of stars selected. Erling Haaland, Rodri and the debuting Semenyo were among those named from the off in a starting eleven costing just the £354million.
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(Image: Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
It had already been an afternoon of shocks even before most of the 7,800 Grecian army who had made the journey up to Manchester had arrived inside the stadium, with sixth tier Macclesfield Town having beaten Premier League Crystal Palace, the FA Cup holders. The magic of the cup was very much alive with Exeter hoping to bridge the 54 place gap to their hosts.
It was the Exeter fans making all the noise at kick-off – but Man City who had the ball as a pattern of patient possession while City dropped deep immediately emerged, but it was Jayden Wareham who had the first shot, seeing an effort deflected wide. Oakes rose highest from the corner, but James Trafford tipped it over.
It took 10 minutes for the hosts to have their first effort when Haaland saw a shot deflected behind by Luca Woodhouse. But from the resulting corner, they went ahead. Exeter couldn’t clear their lines, Haaland and Rodri set up Alleyne, and the teenager’s scrambled finish squeezed in off the post, and just over the line, despite Joe Whitworth’s attempts to claw it away. It was his first goal for the Citizens.
Exeter were battling away and fashioning some moments, one when Ethan Brierley slid in Wareham, but Alleyne was strong to make the challenge to stop him getting the shot away. At the other end, Semenyo found Reijnders in the box, but Fitzwater did well to snuff out the danger.
But on 24 minutes, it was two. Semenyo’s shot from distance was blocked, but it rebounded straight to Rodri. The former Ballon d’Or winner let fly first time from 30 yards, and the thunderous strike when in off the post to double the lead. It was his first shot since his ACL injury which ruled him out of the whole of last season.
Ryan McAidoo curled narrowly wide as he looked to make it three, as now, Guardiola’s side were starting to purr and knock the ball around with ease. Haaland then forced Whitworth into a sprawling save, before Ryan Cherki went down under a challenge from Woodhouse on the follow-up. Goal kick said referee Adam Herczeg – replays suggested maybe it should have been a penalty.
Just before half-time it was three, and another slice of luck for the Premier League outfit. Cherki swung in a corner which Fitzwater half headed away, but it the back of Ake’s leg and trickled over the line. The Dutchman knew nothing about it and sheepishly celebrated.
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(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
There was time though for City to nearly pull one back. Ilmari Niskanen was played through on goal, but the Finn dragged his strike from the edge of the box just wide of Trafford’s goal. And still, it was four at the break. Reijnders was played down the right, he cuts it back from the byline, and Fitzwater trying to clear it could only divert it into his own net. It was 4-0 at half-time, but was not a 4-0 game.
Caldwell made one change at the break with Magennis replacing Wareham. Guardiola made three with Ake, Rodri and Haaland rested, and youngsters O’Reilly, Stephen Mfuni and Divine Mukasa given a chance to show their talent.
Moments into the half though and it was five. Semenyo fizzed in a low cross from the left and Lewis from close range was able to poke home to extend the advantage as it was becoming a long afternoon for the Reds.
And it soon got longer as on 54 minutes, it was six, and a debut goal for Semenyo. Cherki slid the ball forward, the Ghanaian got the wrong side of Fitzwater, and he slotted the finish through the legs of Whitworth. Higgins and Carlos Mendes Gomes then replaced Reece Cole and Aitchison on the hour, while Guardiola threw on Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku for Alleyne and Semenyo.
The chances kept coming, with Lewis and Mukasa coming close for the Citizens, while Fitzwater nodded wide from a free-kick for the Grecians. But with 20 minutes to go, it was 7-0. Doku laid the ball off to Reijnders who got in on the act as he curled in a glorious effort from the edge of the box.
In the 79th minute, it was eight. A short corner was played back to Reijnders, he clipped it in, and O'Reilly rose highest and his header beat the dive of Whitworth to go in off the post. It was the first time Man City had ever scored eight in the FA Cup.
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(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Former Man City academy graduate Ed Francis, alongside Birch, came on for City’s final changes, replacing Oakes and Brierley. But the scoring didn’t stop, and it in the 86th minute, it was nine, as McAidoo had loads of time and space on the edge of the box to fire home.
But Exeter had their moment in the 90th minute when Birch strode forward and from 30 yards, smashed home a strike into the roof of the net. Both sets of fans had been chanting ‘we want 10’ – and Man City got their tenth in stoppage tome when Lewis poked home from close range to complete the scoring.
Exeter City are back in action on Saturday in League One when they host Stevenage.
Exeter City: Joe Whitworth, Ed Turns, Jack Fitzwater, Luca Woodhouse, Ilmari Niskanen, Ethan Brierley (Ed Francis, 83), Jake Doyle-Hayes, Liam Oakes (George Birch, 83), Reece Cole (Carlos Mendes Gomes, 58), Jack Aitchison (Akeel Higgins, 58), Jayden Wareham (Josh Magennis, 45)
Subs: Jack Bycroft, Jack McMillan, Tom Dean,, Sonny Cox,
Booking: Woodhouse
Manchester City: James Trafford, Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Max Alleyne (Bernardo Silva, 63), Nathan Ake (Stephen Mfuni, 45), Rodri (Nico O’Reilly, 45), Tijani Reijnders, Ryan McAidoo, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo (Jeremy Doku, 63), Erling Haaland (Divine Mukasa, 45)
Subs: Gianluigi Donnarumma, , Nico Gonzales, Matheus Nunes, Phil Foden,
Exeter City will be looking to cause one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history when they travel to Manchester City today.
The Premier League side are one of the best teams in European football, with their embarrassment of riches, world-class players and state of the art stadium and facilities – and it will be a world apart from life for the Grecians.
A loud and proud contingent of 7,800 Exeter City fans are making the trip up to Manchester today to see if Gary Caldwell’s side can cause the shock. And while it may seem unlikely, the Exeter City players believe that they can claim victory.
Pep Guardiola’s side are likely to make a raft of changes – but one of them is likely to see new £65m signing Antoine Semenyo come into the side.
The match kicks off at 3pm. Follow all the updates in the live blog below.
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