Manchester City turned a Thursday night at the Etihad Stadium into a showcase for its next generation, sweeping past Norwich City 5-0 to secure progress in the EFL Cup. Enzo Maresca’s heavily changed side paired established squad players with debutants, and 17-year-old Floyd Samba made the strongest impression with two goals.
Key takeaways
- City reached the next round of the EFL Cup after a five-goal victory over Norwich.
- Gerónimo Rulli, Allan and Floyd Samba made their competitive Manchester City debuts.
- Samba headed in the opener and later completed a memorable two-goal night.
- Rayan Cherki, Allan and 18-year-old Ryan McAidoo also scored.
- Norwich had a Mohamed Touré goal ruled out for offside.
A changed City side finds its rhythm
Maresca used the cup tie to rotate extensively from his recent selections, giving opportunities to players usually outside the regular starting group. Rulli, Allan and Samba were introduced for the first time in official City colours, while Mateo Kovacic, Cherki, Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico O’Reilly were all named from the start.
Norwich initially held firm against the home pressure, but the breakthrough arrived around the half-hour mark. Allan supplied a delivery into the penalty area and Samba rose to send a header past the visiting goalkeeper, registering his first senior City goal at only 17.
The hosts added a second before the interval through Cherki. Ayyoub Bouaddi released the French midfielder in front of goal, and Cherki finished accurately to give City a comfortable advantage heading into half-time.
Debutants and teenagers complete the rout
City resumed with the same authority and Allan marked his own first appearance with a fine individual goal. After beating his marker, he bent a precise effort into the top corner to make it 3-0 against the Canaries.
Samba then returned to the scoresheet, taking possession in the box and curling home for his second of the evening. His finish extended the lead to four and confirmed him as the defining figure of a night built around fresh faces.
Norwich briefly thought they had found a reply when Mohamed Touré put the ball in the net, only for the effort to be disallowed for offside. The final word belonged to another teenage attacker, Ryan McAidoo. The 18-year-old struck a first-time volley into the top corner in the closing stages, sealing City’s 5-0 passage onward.
