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, approved, too.

Tijjani Reijnders’ curled finish, Nico O’Reilly’s flicked header, an 18-yard shot 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.

Pep Lijnders, who replaced Guardiola on the touchline, said: “Antoine is settling well, he’s a humble guy. He brings something to the front line, what we really need. He can attack quickly, wants to chase, he’s a guy who doesn’t stop. You see today that he can adapt quite quickly to our style.”

City are at Newcastle for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. “We want to reach the finals this year,” said Lijnders. “We play the semi-final for the League Cup. We go a round further in the FA Cup and are in the Champions League in a good position.”

Lijnders was asked if Guardiola relayed instructions from his vantage point. “What do you think?” he said.

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.

Max Alleyne (second left) watches his shot give Manchester City the lead. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Exeter, 14th in League One and unbeaten in their past 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. This came in from the right and Trafford’s reflexes again saved City, the goalkeeper palming Liam Oakes’s header away.

Lijnders 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, on his 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. Semenyo 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.

George Birch scores for Exeter, making it 9-1 – but Rico Lewis had the last word. Photograph: Peter Powell/Reuters

Before this, Ilmari Niskanen broke through from right wing-back 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. Caldwell said: “When the team sheet came in, it was an experience we didn’t envisage.”