‘I had him running around’ – Antoine Semenyo takes swipe at Piero Hincapie

Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo revelled in his first major honour with the club but could not resist a pointed remark at Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie following Sunday’s 2-0 EFL Cup final victory.

City’s success was sealed in decisive fashion after the interval, with teenage sensation Nico O’Reilly striking twice in the space of four minutes to tilt the contest beyond Arsenal’s reach. The quickfire brace transformed a tense encounter into a controlled finish for Pep Guardiola’s side, who added another domestic trophy to their collection.

For Semenyo, the triumph carries added significance. The 26-year-old’s January move from Bournemouth has already delivered silverware, and his performance at Wembley underlined his growing importance in Guardiola’s attacking setup.

Operating from the flank, he repeatedly stretched Arsenal’s defensive line, forcing Hincapie into uncomfortable situations throughout the first hour. The duel proved a defining subplot. Hincapie’s booking altered the dynamic, with the defender increasingly cautious in his approach.

Semenyo exploited that hesitation, driving forward with greater intent and finding space in dangerous areas before the Arsenal bench opted to withdraw the defender midway through the second half. Speaking after the match, Semenyo hinted at his dominance in that battle. “I just have that freedom to do what I want (on the wing), get at defenders and cause problems, I had Hincapie running around a little bit…” he said in an interview with Sky Sports.

The exchange drew a light-hearted response from pundit Ian Wright, who interjected: “You had him on his hind legs bro!” Semenyo leaned into the moment, adding: “That’s just what I do. As soon as he got booked, he was backing off a lot, so it gave me the opportunity to drive at him and get in the box.”