Floyd Samba had the kind of evening most young footballers can only dream about.
The 17-year-old academy graduate, whose father Christopher Samba was a well-known Premier League centre-back, netted twice on his Manchester City senior debut as Enzo Maresca’s side demolished Norwich City 5-0 in the Carabao Cup third round.
It was a brilliant night for the youngster, who found the net in both halves as the holders began their title defence in emphatic fashion.
The comprehensive victory means City will face Brighton in the fourth round, after the Seagulls eliminated Manchester United on Wednesday evening. The win also stretched City’s current run to six successive victories across all competitions.
Man City ace Floyd Samba, 17, scored twice on his debut for the club
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City initially struggled to break down Philippe Clement’s side, with Rico Lewis sending a rising shot just over the bar early on. Then two goals in the space of three minutes blew the game wide open.
Samba got things started with a neat flicked header from Allan’s delivery — both players making their first senior appearances.
Rayan Cherki, the only survivor from the side that beat Manchester United at the weekend, then slotted home coolly after being played through by Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Allan turned scorer himself after the break, shifting the ball onto his left foot before firing low into the net. Samba’s second was a thing of beauty — a gorgeous curling effort into the far corner. Ryan McAidoo then completed the rout with a late fifth.
Norwich’s dreadful record against City somehow got even worse. The Canaries have now lost their last three meetings by a combined score of 19-0, and they’ve been beaten in all five League Cup encounters between the two clubs.
Allan also scored on his debut for City after signing from Palmeiras in the summer
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Maresca rotated heavily for the tie, making 10 changes from the XI that triumphed at Old Trafford on Sunday. Cherki was the sole holdover, and he repaid that faith with his first-half goal.
Norwich thought they’d at least grabbed a consolation when substitute Mohamed Toure finished neatly past debutant goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, but the effort was chalked off for offside, preserving the Argentine’s clean sheet.
Despite a rocky start to the season — City were thumped by Arsenal in the Community Shield — Maresca’s men have responded in style.
Enzo Maresca has had a fine start to life as City manager after six wins on the trot
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Six wins on the bounce across all competitions tells its own story, and it’s clear the early wobble is well and truly behind them.
Next up is a Premier League trip to Sunderland on Sunday, where City will be looking to keep the momentum going before a three-week international break. A fourth-round Carabao Cup date with Brighton also awaits further down the line.
For young Samba, though, this was his night – an instinctive header and a gorgeous curling finish to announce himself on the big stage.
