Manchester City reached the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 5-0 victory over Norwich at the Etihad Stadium, as 17-year-old Floyd Samba marked his senior debut with two goals.
Samba, whose father is former Premier League defender Chris, opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a stooping header. Rayan Cherki then doubled the holders’ advantage three minutes later, finishing into the bottom corner after being found by Ayyoub Bouaddi.
City had made 10 changes to their side, but continued to control the contest. Allan, another debutant, added a third shortly after half-time, cutting into the area before driving a low shot beyond Daniel Grimshaw.
Samba supplied the highlight of the evening in the 54th minute, calmly curling a fourth goal into the bottom-right corner as his father watched from the stands.
Ryan McAidoo completed the scoring in the closing stages. He had earlier been denied by Grimshaw after being played in by Samba, who was involved in much of City’s attacking threat.
Manchester City set up Brighton tie
Norwich were unable to find a consolation goal. Substitute Mohamed Toure had the ball in the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside, while the visitors finished without a shot on target recorded.
The result gives Enzo Maresca a sixth consecutive victory since taking charge and sets up a fourth-round home tie against Brighton.
Ben Ransom, reporting from the Etihad Stadium, said Maresca’s start had continued in impressive fashion, particularly after City increased the tempo. He added that making 10 changes and winning so convincingly represented “a real statement of intent”.
Attention now turns to City’s weekend meeting with Sunderland, with Cherki having been withdrawn at half-time.
Norwich manager Philippe Clement said his side had been well organised for the opening 20 minutes but felt they became “naïve” once City broke through.
“We need to do better on that cross,” Clement said of the first goal. “Then on a transition they get a second goal; we were naïve.”
He added that Norwich had made the wrong decisions in the final third and said it was difficult to concede five goals despite City having only six shots on target.
