Manchester City 1 (Samaras 90), Norwich0, Attendance: 20,938:The restorative influence of Sven-Goran Eriksson know no bounds at Manchester City. Last night the former England manager even managed to coax a goal out of Georgios Samaras as the much-maligned striker sent City into the fourth round of the English League Cup at the cruel expense of Norwich City.
For much of a trying night it appeared the transformation wrought by Eriksson and the multimillion-pound investment from Thaksin Shinawatra had never happened.
Struggling to create a chance for 89 minutes against the Championship club, with cries of "Get him off" aimed at every aimless touch from the Greek international, this was the Stuart Pearce era revisited.
Then, the substitute Kelvin Etuhu dissected the Norwich defence and, with an immaculate finish entirely out of context with his City career, Samaras secured victory and a rare night of personal triumph.
Before the game Eriksson had spoken at length about how the League Cup represented a genuine opportunity for silverware at a success-starved club. He then fielded a weakened team.
Rolando Bianchi posed a persistent threat and the right back Shaleum Logan encouraged as the latest product from City's outstanding academy system, but there was little cohesion to the home performance and it was Peter Grant's visitors, struggling in the Championship, who displayed the greater purpose and accuracy in possession.
Jamie Cureton wasted Norwich's clearest opening of the first half when, arriving on the end of a flowing move involving Lee Croft and Chris Brown, the striker turned an inviting cross over Joe Hart's goal with his knee from six yards. But Jon Otsemobor tested Hart with a 20-yard free-kick which produced a fine save from Kasper Schmeichel's replacement.
It was Samaras's first chance to impress Eriksson and show he has been unfairly singled out as the symbolic failure of Pearce's reign as City manager. But the Greece international made only a limited contribution in the first half.
And City continued to struggle in the second period, with Samaras' ponderous efforts stretching the patience of a sparse crowd, until his late and crucial intervention.
MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Logan, Dunne, Onuoha, Ball, Jihai, Ireland, Gelson (Etuhu 68), Samaras, Geovanni (Evans 79), Bianchi. Subs not used: Isaksson, Dabo, Williamson.
NORWICH: Marshall, Otsemobor, Doherty, Murray, Lappin, Russell, Jarvis, Spillane, Croft, Cureton, Brown. Subs not used: Gilks, Strihavka, Eagle, Cave-Brown, Martin. Booked: Spillane.
Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands)
