Manchester City started their defence of the Carabao Cup with a romping 5-0 victory over Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.
Allan Elias scored and grabbed an assist on his Manchester City debut against Norwich City.
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The Canaries came to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night, having last played the hosts back in 2022, succumbing to a 4-0 defeat in that clash.
Fortunes did not look any better for Norwich four years on as debutant Floyd Samba headed in his first goal for City following a cross from summer signing Allan Elias.
No sooner had the visitors kicked off than they were picking the ball back out of the net as Rayan Cherki doubled his side's lead with a well-taken run and shot.
After heading into the break two to the good, City came back out swinging and soon added to the advantage as another debutant, Allan, opened his account for the club.
Sadly for Norwich, their opponents were far from done as 17-year-old Samba added a second with a sumptuous curling effort.
Mohamed Toure thought he had pulled one back with a confident finish on the turn but the Australian had wandered offside.
City did ensure however that the 2022 result was bettered as Ryan McAidoo fired in a fifth with just minutes left to play.
Here are five things we learned from Manchester City's midweek win in the cup.
1. Samba Star
When City's line-up was announced on Thursday evening, there was one name on everyone's lips with many questioning just who Floyd Samba was.
It's safe to say that after an entertaining debut, the sky blue faithful know exactly who the youngster is and what he's capable of.
The English starlet broke the deadlock with his first senior goal for the club and looked a livewire throughout his maiden appearance, adding a stunning second later on.
After seeing the likes of Phil Foden and Nico O'Reilly make the transition from the academy to the first team, it is always nice to see another young talent on the way up.
It remains to be seen how much of a part Samba will play in Enzo Maresca's squad this campaign, but the future certainly looks bright for the midfielder.
2. Maresca's Perfect Start
Following on from a true icon of the beautiful game like Pep Guardiola was always going to be a tall order for his successor.
Enzo Maresca wasn't short of critics when he took on the challenge of being the next Manchester City manager after the Catalan.
There were those who didn't believe he was the right candidate, but let me assure you, the Italian very much has the minerals.
From six games, he's yielded six wins (yes, we aren't counting the Charity Dinner Plate Royale. Who do you think we are? Arsenal?).
This form across three competitions, including a derby, has been very impressive, and so have the performances each week.
With Maresca at the helm and the excellent summer signings coupled with the hunger across a revitalised squad, City look set to compete across the board this campaign.
While Man City’s inability to recruit a backup striker left lingering questions over an otherwise successful summer transfer window, 17-year-old Floyd Samba provided an immediate answer from the academy by scoring twice on his senior debut to headline a convincing Carabao Cup victory over Norwich.cityxtra.co.ukMatch Report & Player Ratings: Man City 5-0 Norwich City (Carabao Cup Third Round)
While Man City’s inability to recruit a backup striker left lingering questions over an otherwise successful summer transfer window, 17-year-old Floyd Samba provided an immediate answer from the academy by scoring twice on his senior debut to headline a convincing Carabao Cup victory over Norwich.
3. Al, Al, ALLAN!
Flloyd wasn't the only Samba star on show at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night as Allan also wowed the home support.
Having signed in the summer from Palmeiras, the winger finally made his debut against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup.
The Brazilian kicked off the night with a tidy cross to assist his fellow debutant Samba in breaking the deadlock.
Allan then opened his own account for City too in the second-half, striking low to finish a well-executed move from Rayan Ait-Nouri's pass.
Next the winger will be setting his sights on a first Premier League and Champions League start for his new team as the club look to battle on all four fronts.
4. Maiden Trophy Loading?
With the Carabao Cup being the first silverware available during the season, often with its final contested in February or March, it has been the launchpad for several managers.
At Manchester City alone, both Enzo Maresca's two predecessors, Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola, secured the League Cup as their first trophy.
In both cases, the cup led directly to maiden Premier League titles for the coaches, and City's Italian boss will be hoping for something similar.
With Maresca taking over from a silverware addict like Guardiola, a trophy as early as spring would bode well for quieting his critics and maintaining the club's forward momentum.
It was a good victory to start the ball rolling on this as the boys in blue look to defend the Carabao Cup following last year's Wembley win against Arsenal.
5. O'Reilly Back From Injury
Undoubtedly one of the stars of the show for Manchester City last season, Nico O'Reilly's rise up the ranks at the club has been nothing short of sensational.
The youngster earned a call-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States after a stellar campaign under Pep Guardiola's leadership.
O'Reilly has had a slower start to this season which was then hampered by an injury in the warm-up versus Coventry City in the Premier League a fortnight ago.
He returned to the bench on Sunday for the derby win over Manchester United and came back into the starting line-up on Thursday evening for the thumping of Norwich City.
It is great to see O'Reilly back to full fitness and getting another 90 minutes under his belt, all the more given just how much of an all-round talent the England defender is.
With the games coming thick and fast following the international break, it's paramount for Enzo Maresca to have as many players at his disposal, especially one of his star men.