Shivam Pathak
Jan 10, 2026, 06:37 PM
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Manchester City are one of those sides that always come up when you flick through football's thick record books -- likely under a heading that contains "most" or "highest".
Their latest show of abundance came in the form of a 10-1 thrashing of Exeter City in the third round of the FA Cup.
It's the third time the Citizens have won by a nine-goal margin in the competition.
ESPN have crunched some of the numbers about City in the domestic cup competition and elsewhere.
Pep Guardiola saw one of his teams score 10 goals in a competitive match for the first time in his managerial career. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Making use of every finger (and thumb)
Today was the first time in Pep Guardiola's managerial career that one of his sides have scored 10 or more goals in a competitive match.
Curiously, however, the Spaniard wasn't on the touchline to revel in the record -- having had to watch the Exeter tie from the stands with suspension.
He saw yellow for a touchline outburst against Brighton midweek, meaning he reached three for the season in domestic competitions so far -- earning him a one-match ban.
Nonetheless, City's win today made them the first English top-flight side to score 10+ goals in a match in any competition since Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 in the League Cup in September 1986 -- and first to do so in the FA Cup since Tottenham Hotspur beat Crewe 13-2 in February 1960. Incredibly, Erling Haaland wasn't responsible for any of them.
Exeter's 90th-minute consolation meant that City weren't to further their club record of a nine-goal margin of victory in the FA Cup. It was the first time they'd managed it, however, in 92 years.
Manchester City's largest FA Cup wins
2025-26, R3 -- 10-1 vs. Exeter City (h)
1932-33, R3(r) -- 9-0 vs. Gateshead (h)
1929-30, R3(r) -- 10-1 vs. Swindon Town (h)
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Three firmly remains the magic number
City's flex of muscle today was their 11th consecutive FA Cup third round victory by three goals or more.
The last they won a third-round tie by fewer than three was in the 2014-15 competition, where just one goal separated them with Sheffield Wednesday.
Manchester City's FA Cup third round results - since 2015-16
2025-26 -- 10-1 vs. Exeter City (h)
2024-25 -- 8-0 vs. Salford City (h)
2023-24 -- 5-0 vs. Huddersfield Town (h)
2022-23 -- 4-0 vs. Chelsea (h)
2021-22 -- 4-1 vs. Swindon Town (a)
2020-21 -- 3-0 vs. Birmingham City (h)
2019-20 -- 4-1 vs. Port Vale (h)
2018-19 -- 7-0 vs. Rotherham United (h)
2017-18 -- 4-1 vs. Burnley (h)
2016-17 -- 5-0. vs. West Ham United (a)
2015-16 -- 3-0 vs. Norwich City (a)
Antoine Semenyo returned a goal and an assist on his City debut -- the third time this season he has managed it across all competitions. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Other curiosities
Antoine Semenyo got on the scoresheet on his debut at the Etihad, not after providing an accidental assist -- his blocked effort fell into the path of Rodri who fired home from outside the area.
Intent aside, it means Semenyo has a goal and assist in three different games in all competitions this season, the joint-most by a Premier League player.
The seven-time FA Cup winners benefitted from two unfortunate Exeter own goals in the first half, which came in the space of about five minutes.
Remarkably, though, it's not the first time this has happened to City this season. Burnley's Maxime Estève scored a pair at the wrong end in September's Premier League clash, which ended 5-1 in City's favour.
City now have 18 different goalscorers in all competitions this term, after Ryan McAidoo and Max Alleyne both struck in the Exeter City clash -- the former making it a senior debut to remember.
ESPN Global Research contributed to this report.