MANCHESTER CITY CRUISE PAST NORWICH AS CARABAO CUP FOURTH ROUND TAKES SHAPE

Manchester City booked their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a commanding 5-0 victory over Norwich City on Thursday night. The Premier League side produced a dominant display at the Etihad Stadium, with 17-year-old academy forward Floyd Samba stealing the spotlight after scoring twice on his senior debut. The result extended City manager Enzo Maresca’s winning run to six consecutive matches.

Samba opened the scoring before adding his second goal in the second half to cap a memorable debut. Nico O’Reilly, Allan and Ryan McAidoo were also on target as City turned the match into a comfortable victory. Allan also marked his debut for the club with a goal, while Norwich struggled to cope with City’s attacking pressure despite creating a few opportunities of their own.

The performance was particularly significant for Samba, who played out of his natural position but still delivered an impressive display. The teenager showed composure in front of goal and finished the match with two goals, earning player-of-the-match recognition. Samba said the debut was difficult to believe but described it as the beginning of what he hopes will be a long career in the City first team.

Maresca praised the young forward and the overall performance of his players, while Norwich manager Philippe Clement acknowledged that his team made defensive mistakes and struggled to contain City. The victory also maintained Maresca’s perfect record with the club apart from the Community Shield, with City continuing to build momentum under their new manager.

City’s victory completed the third-round schedule and set up a fourth-round meeting with Brighton. Other notable ties include Liverpool against Chelsea at Anfield, while Arsenal will travel to League Two side Fleetwood Town. Everton will host Newcastle, Sunderland will face Brentford, Fulham will meet Crystal Palace, Bournemouth will take on Aston Villa, and Bradford City will play Peterborough United. The fourth-round matches are scheduled for the week beginning October 26.