A new star is born for Man City as Floyd Samba’s double steals the show, how Allan fared on his long-awaited debut and Enzo Maresca copies from the Pep Guardiola playbook in 5-0 thrashing of Norwich

Rayan Cherki raced back to halfway. He’d just given former Manchester City academy graduate Daniel Grimshaw the eyes, a second home goal of the evening, and then compelled to get the tie restarted as quickly as possible.

Clearly, Cherki wanted more goals. More opportunity to make up for the lost half at Old Trafford last weekend, when he was withdrawn at the break owing to Phil Foden’s red card. More opportunity to have some fun. Maybe to prove a point, if such things are possible on a straightforward Thursday night against Championship opposition, although Maresca visibly sighed at some flicks.

Fortunately for Mathias Kvistgaarden, his wits were very much about him by the time Cherki had made it back to the centre circle, hurling the ball in the Dane’s direction. With impressively quick hands, Kvistgaarden just about stopped it from bursting through his fingers.

The trouble was, the majority of City’s players were still celebrating up the other end after two goals in as many minutes on the half-hour had effectively secured their spot in round four here against Brighton.

And despite Cherki’s efforts, the evening really belonged to a 17-year-old who first set foot on this campus as a junior.

FAMILY AFFAIR

When all eyes were on JJ Gabriel of Manchester United, Floyd Samba curled home a wonderful 25-yard free kick in last May’s FA Youth Cup final. A genuine moment of class. The pedigree was there for all to see.

Just four months later, he has topped that – and then some.

His mother, Theresa, was already emotional before Ruebyn Ricardo blew the first whistle. Sat next to Tyrone, the older brother also in City’s ranks, she was crying as the teams lined up and spotted her son among them. To be fair, with the blonde locks, he is tricky to miss.

Samba’s opener, heading in other outfield debutant Allan’s cross, was reward for a tremendous bow as a senior player. Usually an attacking midfielder, Samba – son of former Blackburn Rovers defender Chris, also sat with pride in the corporate Tunnel Club – was thrown up front and linked play brilliantly.

For Cherki’s goal, it was Samba dropping off the front and laying to Ayyoub Bouaddi that made the move. Intelligence City approve of. By the time Samba curled home from the edge of the box to secure a brace after half-time, a sumptuous effort, Chris was leaping in the air in much the same way as Premier League strikers had witnessed for so many years previous.

This experience must whet the appetite of another son in City’s academy, Emerson, a central defender in the club’s Under 13s. Samba Sr was later gladly taking the adulation from other parents behind the dugouts on yet another occasion that shows off what the youth setup has put together in these parts – especially in the context of what has happened over the road with Gabriel this week.

That two other teenagers who featured, Ryan McAidoo and Kaden Braithwaite, also starred in May’s Under 18s final speaks volumes. And McAidoo’s top finish in stoppage time was further testament to the ability of those coming through.

THE KEY FOR ALLAN

City had been tracking Allan, the 22-year-old winger signed from Palmeiras last month, for some time. Director of football Hugo Viana says for the past two years and there is a belief that he can be moulded into a useful option.

Viana has instructed staff to give the Brazilian – who hails from Florianopolis, an island off the country’s southern coast – the time required to adapt to life in England. They think he can operate on either side, evidenced here, but are pleading for patience.

There is probably good reason for that – marker Darlin Yongwa occasionally more physical in duels – but the debut will go down as a triumph.

His instinctive half-volleyed cross for Samba’s opener showed strong instincts. More of that was seen three minutes after half time, chopping from left foot to right and then squirming past Grimshaw – a goal that will do him no harm and the Etihad Stadium’s south stand appeared quickly to fashion a terrace chant to the tune of ‘I Predict a Riot’ by Kasier Chiefs.

Even so, there were signs that Allan may be here for other reasons too. Palmeiras have utilised him as a wing back in recent months and in his final game for the club, a 4-1 win over Vasco, he did most of his best work tracking back.

That was obvious inside five minutes of his City debut, tracking in behind right back Rico Lewis to thwart a threatening Norwich counter that had the hosts briefly scrambling for position.

‘Coming to the Premier League from Brazil is a big step but we also believe that he will be an important player in that position,’ Viana said.

NORWICH HAD THEIR OWN BRAZILIAN TALENT ON SHOW

Allan was not the only young Brazilian unfamiliar with the English game. Bruno Alves, a 21-year-old central defender, signed on loan from Cruzeiro in the summer and Norwich have an option to purchase at around £2million in the summer.

Alves had only featured for 70 minutes so far this season but challenges like this are seen as key in his development.

ENZO THE ECCENTRIC

It’s already become clear that Maresca will not pass up the chance to lean into his tactical creativity and the sight of City’s formation in the opening 20 minutes underlined some similarities with his predecessor.

Three at the back – but one of them was holding midfielder Bouaddi, with the Moroccan having to check himself a couple of times into remembering exactly where he was playing in different phases of the game.

Mateo Kovacic held midfield on his own and then the other six – including the goalscorers, Lewis, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nico O’Reilly – ploughed forward. This could potentially be some sort of blueprint for league matches where City expect the opposition to sit in deep.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway for Maresca himself, though, was that Erling Haaland had the entire night off – not even on the bench.