Antoine Semenyo Shines On Manchester City Debut As Lijnders Praises Quick Adaptation

Manchester City’s 10-1 win over Exeter City in the FA Cup has highlighted Antoine Semenyo’s instant impact, as the new signing scored on debut and added an assist, while Pep Lijnders praised how quickly Semenyo has fitted into the squad and into City’s attacking system.

The victory also carried major historical weight, with City becoming the first English top-flight club to hit double figures in a match since Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 in the EFL Cup in 1986, and the first side to score at least 10 in an FA Cup tie since Tottenham defeated Crewe 13-2 in 1960.

Exeter’s defeat was the heaviest in the club’s history and the first time the Grecians, who sit 14th in League One, had conceded 10 goals in a single fixture as a Football League team, underlining

the scale of City’s dominance in the third-round clash.

Semenyo’s performance drew extra attention because the forward only completed a move from Bournemouth to Manchester City on Friday, less than 48 hours after scoring a stoppage-time winner against Tottenham on Wednesday in his final appearance for the Cherries before the transfer.

City agreed a fee of 65m to secure Semenyo, overcoming competition from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs, and the 24-year-old repaid that investment immediately by starting against Exeter at the Etihad Stadium and registering both a goal and an assist.

By scoring and setting up a goal on debut in all competitions, Semenyo became the first City player to do so since Sergio Aguero achieved the same feat against Swansea City in August 2011, adding another statistical landmark to an already dominant FA Cup performance from the holders.

The Ghanaian forward has enjoyed a productive campaign overall, with 11 goals and four assists from 22 matches in all competitions this season, and those numbers helped persuade Manchester City’s recruitment staff, who had tracked Semenyo for a long spell before finalising the high-profile transfer.

Pep Guardiola served a one-match ban against Exeter, so assistant coach Pep Lijnders led the team from the touchline and spoke afterwards about the impact of the club’s latest attacking option. "Antoine is settling in well," Lijnders said, via the club’s website. "He’s a humble guy, we followed him for a long time, and he brings something to the frontline that we want and need. He can attack quickly, he wants to chase, he doesn’t stop. You saw that he can adapt quickly to our style, so it’s nice to have him with us. Overall, I think we have a really special group with experienced players that take the lead of the team – the way they guide the others. New players are settling in and the energy – I’m not just talking about the games but especially in training – it is special. "

Manchester City, Antoine Semenyo and domestic cup ambitions

Lijnders also outlined how City’s strong squad environment and experienced core are helping new arrivals such as Semenyo settle on and off the pitch, with high-intensity training sessions seen as a key factor in keeping performance levels consistent across the Premier League, domestic cups and the Champions League.

Manchester City now turn attention to the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Newcastle United on Tuesday, with Lijnders making clear that both domestic cups hold major importance this season while the club also remains active in the Champions League and well placed in the Premier League title race.

Speaking about those targets, Lijnders underlined the mindset demanded by Guardiola and the coaching staff. "We want to reach finals this year, and we’re on our way, playing the semi-final in the League Cup. We want to go further in the FA Cup, and we are in the Champions League, and in a good position," he said. "We want to build on that. The most important thing, Pep says it all the time. is that we want to grow and make the next step as a team. We need to keep working hard and take nothing for granted. We’ll approach the next game as a final, and that will be Newcastle. With tha,t we will grow and make the next step. "

Semenyo’s immediate influence, City’s historic 10-goal display and the stated aim of progressing deep in every competition underline the club’s current momentum, and the forward’s early adaptation gives Guardiola and Lijnders another option as they prepare for Newcastle and the challenges that follow across a demanding schedule.