Having signed off at Bournemouth in fairytale vogue, Antoine Semenyo began life at Manchester Metropolis in a equally dreamy method simply 4 days later by stealing the present in a record-equalling win for the membership.
The ahead accomplished a switch from the Cherries on Friday and, though it was Exeter Metropolis in entrance of him for his debut, the 26-year-old duly impressed in a 10-1 FA Cup third-round mauling of the League One facet.
Commercial
Semenyo confirmed early indicators of why Metropolis determined to spend £65m to deliver him to Etihad Stadium.
He grew to become a followers’ favorite throughout his three years on the south coast and a objective and help on his first begin will go a protracted solution to making certain supporters at his new membership take to him in the identical approach.
The Ghanaian was named man of the match in a contest the place Metropolis racked up double figures for the primary time below Pep Guardiola and matched the most important victory of their historical past – a 10-1 Second Division thrashing of Huddersfield in 1987.
It was additionally the most important FA Cup win from a top-flight facet since Tottenham Hotspur beat Crewe 13-2 in a fourth-round replay in 1960.
Commercial
With boss Guardiola serving a one-game touchline ban for receiving three yellow playing cards, assistant Pep Lijnders stood in for duties in the course of the recreation and post-match.
“I feel loads of good performances at this time,” stated Lijnders. “Lots of good particular person performances. I feel when the crew performs like that it turns into simpler for the person, however Antoine is settling properly.
“He’s a humble man and we have now adopted him for a very long time, however he brings one thing to the frontline – what we actually need and what we’d like.
“He can assault fast, he needs to chase, he’s a man who does not cease. I feel you see at this time that he can adapt fairly rapidly to our type. It is good to have him with us.”
Commercial
‘We wish to attain finals this yr’
Semenyo’s beaming smile at full-time was as brilliant because the stadium floodlights after taking part in a serious half in his facet’s rampant and ruthless success.
Star striker Erling Haaland performed solely the primary 45 minutes, lacking Semenyo’s objective contributions, however shall be licking his lips on the service he might properly obtain from Metropolis’s new recruit.
A pleasant ball into the field from the left flank was completed off by Rico Lewis for his or her fifth objective, earlier than he confirmed class and composure to make it 6-0.
“It is not a shock for us as a result of everybody has seen how good of a participant he’s within the Premier League,” stated Lewis.
Commercial
“Everyone wished him, there is a motive for that and he is proven that at this time. It appears like a seamless transition into the crew.
“He is a extremely good individual as properly which is one other optimistic.”
Having scored 10 Premier League targets this season for Bournemouth, Semenyo’s first for Metropolis noticed him run on to Rayan Cherki’s go and slipping a end below Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth.
In flip, he grew to become the primary participant to each rating and help a objective on his Metropolis debut since Sergio Aguero towards Swansea in August 2011.
That’s some participant to emulate, given the Argentine striker went on to change into Metropolis’s file goalscorer throughout a decade with them, lifting 5 Premier League titles, six League Cups and an FA Cup triumph in 2019.
Commercial
Semenyo has began in excellent vogue as victory over Exeter made it 12 unbeaten video games in all competitions for Metropolis as they proceed to struggle on all fronts.
Three consecutive Premier League attracts has left them six factors behind leaders Arsenal, whereas their subsequent recreation is the primary leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Newcastle on Tuesday.
Lijnders stated: “The final three video games we wished, in fact, we created the possibilities to attain extra targets and to win the sport. That will have already created a special place within the league.
“However total, I feel we have now a extremely particular group. The quantity of skilled gamers who take lead of the crew, the best way they information all of the others, the best way new gamers are settling in and the vitality. I am not solely speaking in regards to the video games, however particularly coaching. Within the coaching centre it is particular and we’re on our approach.
Commercial
“We now play the semi-final for the League Cup, we go additional right here within the FA Cup and we’re in an excellent place within the Champions League. We wish to construct on that.”
‘My gamers have been excited for 2 or three minutes’
The scoreline ticked to 9-0 on 86 minutes when spectacular debutant Ryan McAidoo drilled in and the 17-year-old’s end was greeted with chants of “we wish 10” from the house supporters.
Though 19-year-old George Birch pulled a surprising objective again for the Grecians, Lewis smashed residence as Metropolis grew to become the primary top-flight facet to attain 10 or extra targets in any English competitors since Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 within the League Cup in September 1986.
Commercial
Exeter boss Gary Caldwell, who was a part of the Wigan Athletic squad that upset Metropolis within the 2013 FA Cup last, stated: “When the crew sheet got here in, it was an expertise we did not envisage.
“I feel my gamers have been excited for 2 or three minutes, however then they acquired on the pitch and realised he [Haaland] is one of the best quantity 9 on the planet.
“It is a lesson that when probably the greatest managers of all time must win a recreation he picks a crew to win it. The respect they confirmed was excellent – they did what Man Metropolis ought to have finished to us.
“It was a extremely humbling expertise. Our season won’t be outlined by this – will probably be outlined on the remaining league video games.”
