Manchester City Record Perfect Ten Victory

In football, the term ‘Perfect Ten’ is often used to describe a player wearing the iconic number ten jersey. However, on 10 January, Manchester City delivered an actual “perfect ten” in literal terms, scoring ten goals in their FA Cup third-round clash against Exeter City.

The match, played at the Etihad Stadium, ended with an astonishing 10–1 scoreline, mirroring the date itself—10/1—making the victory even more symbolic. While City dominated proceedings with relentless attacking play, Exeter managed to score a consolation goal, preventing a completely shutout defeat.

Seven City players contributed to the scoring, despite the absence of the team’s usual ‘goal machine’, Erling Haaland. Rico Lewis netted twice (49th and 91st minutes), while Exeter unfortunately contributed two own goals. The remaining six goals were scored by Max Ahrlina, Rodri, Antony Semenyo, Tyrese Reinders, Nico O’Reilly, and Ryan McCaid.

Rodri’s goal was notable as it was his first for City since May 2024. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Semenyo created history of his own: having joined City from Bournemouth just the day before, he scored within 24 hours of his debut and also registered an assist. This feat recalls Sergio Agüero’s debut in 2011 against Swansea, where he also scored and assisted, marking a 14-year echo of that achievement.

As a team, Manchester City set a remarkable record. No English top-flight team had scored ten goals in a single competition match since 1986, when Liverpool defeated Fulham 10–0 in the League Cup. Although larger margins of victory exist in English football—Tottenham famously beat Crewe 13–2 in 1960—the numerical symmetry of the scoreline with the calendar date is exceptionally rare.

The goalscorers and their respective contributions are summarised below:

From now on, if anyone asks when Manchester City secured their third-round FA Cup victory in the 2025–26 season, there is no need to check a calendar. The scoreline alone tells the story—10 January, 10–1—a perfect and historic ten.