Manchester City have written themselves into the FA Cup history books with a devastating 10-1 victory over League One side Exeter City at the Etihad Stadium. The emphatic win on Saturday 10 January 2026 represents the biggest triumph by a top-flight club in the competition for 66 years, since Tottenham's 13-2 win over Crewe Alexandra in 1960.
A Historic Night at the Etihad
Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, City were utterly relentless from the outset. The scoreline eclipsed any modern FA Cup result and, according to data from Opta, marked the first time an English top-tier team has scored ten or more goals in any cup match since Liverpool's 10-0 League Cup victory against Fulham back in 1986. The result was a brutal demonstration of the gulf between the Premier League champions and their third-tier opponents.
Goals Galore From All Quarters
The goals were shared around the team, with several players grabbing the headlines. Notably, Antoine Semenyo marked his debut following a £64 million move from Bournemouth by finding the net. He was joined on the scoresheet by emerging academy talents Max Alleyne and Ryan McAidoo, while established first-team figures Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nico O'Reilly also contributed.
Rico Lewis enjoyed a particularly productive evening, scoring twice. Exeter's ordeal was compounded by two own goals, from Jake Doyle-Hayes and Jack Fitzwater. The travelling supporters did have a late moment of joy when George Birch fired in a spectacular consolation in the 90th minute, but City instantly restored their nine-goal margin as Lewis netted his second in stoppage time to make it ten.
Haaland's Unusual Blank
In a remarkable subplot to the goal-fest, star striker Erling Haaland failed to get on the scoresheet despite starting the match and playing the entire first half. His inability to find a way through amidst the avalanche of goals was a surprising footnote on a historic night for the club. The performance underscored the incredible depth and attacking threat running throughout Guardiola's squad, capable of delivering a record-breaking result even without a contribution from their most prolific forward.
This historic FA Cup victory sends a powerful message to the rest of the competition and secures Manchester City's place in the next round in the most emphatic fashion imaginable. The result will be talked about for years to come, not just for the sheer number of goals, but for the manner in which a blend of experienced stars and promising youngsters combined to create a genuine piece of football history.
