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16 hours ago
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After 52 minutes, joy for Antoine Semenyo on his Manchester City debut. Rayan Cherki’s pirouette presaged him threading the ball in behind Exeter’s defence for the wideman to run in and beat Joe Whitworth to cap a memorable display.
A little later Semenyo was replaced to an ovation and, from his seat in the stands, the suspended Pep Guardiola, in a flat cap and winter coat, surely approved as much as he did of the final score.
By the end Tijjani Reijnders’ curled finish, Nico O’Reilly’s flicked header, an 18-yard finish by another debutant, Ryan McAidoo, and Rico Lewis’s second completed City’s goal-plunder, while the substitute George Birch, 19, smashed home a memorable first Exeter goal for their consolation.
As he sought, at the fourth attempt, to win a first game of 2026, Guardiola sent out an XI that included Rodri, Erling Haaland, Cherki, Nathan Aké and the two debutants: the right-back, McAidoo, 17, and the £62.5m man, Semenyo, who operated on the left.
Exeter, 14th in League One and unbeaten in their last three games, had never faced City in their 125-year history. They started like a train – Jayden Wareham roved in, shot, and James Trafford tipped over for a corner. In this came from the right and Trafford’s reflexes again saved City, the goalkeeper palming Liam Oakes’ header away.
In Guardiola’s absence Pep Lijnders was City’s touchline chief and he had a smirk for Gary Caldwell when Exeter’s manager complained to the fourth official, Sam Mulhall, about a corner claimed by Lewis.
The Dutchman was far happier when Max Alleyne prodded the opener home. McAidoo, a bright presence, scooped in a cross. Near goal, Aké headed to Haaland, he tapped the ball to Abdukodir Khusanov, who rolled it across, Jack Fitzwater hashed the clearance and the 20-year-old Alleyne, in only a second City appearance, scored.
Caldwell deployed a 5-4-1 that had to prosper from scant possession. After Wareham nicked the ball near halfway, play went right then left, but Jack Aitchison was flagged offside.
Semenyo took out a page advert in the local newspaper to thank Bournemouth fans after his three years there, which was as classy as the raking pass that allowed Reijnders to bob and weave in the Grecians’ area.
The 26-year-old’s next contribution was an inadvertent assist. His effort cannoned back to Rodri and the Spaniard fired a missile beyond the diving and helpless Whitworth, low into the keeper’s right corner.
Already Exeter were a raggedy bunch, chasing blue shirts about as if dazed and befuddled. Semenoyo hit an instant pass to Haaland, he shot, Whitworth parried the ball across the area, and Cherki’s dummy was bought by Luca Woodhouse, who felled the Frenchman. Adam Herczeg ruled no penalty, which appeared a wrong decision, but with no video assistant referee the decision was final.
By half-time City led 4-0. The hapless Fitzwater headed Cherki’s corner from the left against Aké and the ball bounced in. Then Reijnders’ cross from the left was turned past Whitworth by Fitzwater, whose afternoon was becoming a nightmare.
Before this, Ilmari Niskanen broke through from right-wingback but steered his effort wide, so Exeter wandered off for the interval staring at a serious hiding.
Haaland, Aké and Rodri were replaced by Divine Mukasa, Stephen Mfuni and O’Reilly, and City continued on. Semenyo this time curved a cross over from the left and Lewis’s volley gave Whitworth no chance.
Further City goals came for Semenyo, Reijnders, O’Reilly, McAidoo and, after Birch’s, Lewis, as Exeter were imperiously swatted aside by Guardiola’s ruthless unit.
