Manchester City’s altered side made light work of Norwich City in the Carabao Cup, running out 5-0 to book a last-16 meeting with Brighton. With Erling Haaland rested and Enzo Maresca changing much of his usual team, the evening belonged to 17-year-old Floyd Samba, whose first-team debut brought two goals and a rather memorable way into the City story.
Samba takes his chance in changed City side
Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola during the summer, used the tie to give opportunities to players on the fringes and in the club’s younger ranks. Samba was central to the result, settling any early nerves with the opening goal after 29 minutes.
Allan, another City debutant and formerly of Palmeiras, supplied the pass for that first strike. The midfielder then added a goal of his own after the interval as City’s second string turned the contest into a long night for their Championship visitors.
- Floyd Samba opened the scoring in the 29th minute on his senior City debut.
- Allan set up Samba’s first goal before scoring himself in the 48th minute.
- Rayan Aït-Noury provided assists for Allan and for Samba’s second goal.
- Samba completed his double in the 54th minute.
Five goals and a clean sheet
City accelerated after the break, with Allan making it 2-0 before Rayan Cherki struck four minutes later. Cherki took advantage of a ball from Bouaddi to extend the lead, and Samba soon had his second after Aït-Noury again found the decisive pass.
Norwich briefly thought they had a response when Mohamed Traoré found the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside with City already four goals ahead. Ryan McAidoo completed the scoring in the 90th minute, converting after Nico O’Reilly’s assist.
Brighton await in the last 16
The reward for City is a tie with Brighton, who sit fifth in the Premier League and have become one of the division’s more eye-catching sides. For Maresca, the result offered more than straightforward progress: a rested Haaland, a clean sheet and convincing displays from two debutants are useful returns from a cup night that never required the usual cavalry.
