Manchester City had a strong start to their FA Cup journey with a significant victory over Exeter City this weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s team defeated the third-tier opponents 10-1 at the Etihad Stadium, making it only the 66th instance of a team scoring 10 or more goals in a competitive match in English football.
This impressive win featured a debut goal from Antoine Semenyo and a brace from Rico Lewis. Exeter’s struggles were worsened by two own goals that contributed to the final score.
This achievement marks the first time in 40 years that a top-flight team scored 10 goals in a match. However, it did not surpass the record for the highest winning margin in FA Cup history.
10 – Manchester City are the first English top-flight side to score 10+ goals in a match in any competition since Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 in the League Cup in September 1986, and first to do so in the FA Cup since Tottenham Hotspur beat Crewe 13-2 in February 1960. pic.twitter.com/V5Wd5qBs2Q
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 10, 2026
That record belongs to Preston North End, who surprisingly defeated Hyde 26-0 in October 1887. Jimmy Ross scored seven goals in that match, and Preston later reached the final but lost to West Bromwich Albion.
The next season, Preston became the first-ever Football League champions and captured the FA Cup, finishing without a loss.
Preston also holds the second-highest score in FA Cup history, having beaten Reading 18-0 in 1984. The eight largest FA Cup scorelines occurred in the 19th century.
The biggest FA Cup wins of all time
- Preston North End 26-0 Hyde – 15/10/1887
- Preston North End 18-0 Reading – 27/01/1894
- Wanderers 16-0 Farningham – 31/10/1874
- Royal Engineers 15-0 High Wycombe – 10/11/1875
- Clapham Rovers 15-0 Finchley – 13/11/1880
- Darwen 15-0 Romford – 05/03/1881
- Queen’s Park (Glasgow) 15-0 Manchester – 01/12/1883
- Notts County 15-0 Rotherham Town – 24/10/1885
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