A valiant first-half performance wasn't enough for Norwich City to withstand the relentless pressure of Manchester City, who ran out 4-0 winners at Carrow Road.
Pep Guardiola made five changes and shuffled his pack hoping to avoid a repeat of the upset back in September 2019, when the Canaries won 3-2 in this fixture.
A hat-trick from Raheem Sterling, who caused chaos throughout the game, and a tap in from Phil Foden was enough for Manchester City to move 12-points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The defeat ends a run of four games unbeaten in all competitions for Dean Smith's men, with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool up next.
Norwich City
(4-3-3)
SUBS:
33 McGovern (GK)
3 Byram (on for Aarons, 63)
6 Zimmermann
10 Dowell (on for Sargent, 87)
11 Placheta
16 Normann (on for Lees-Melou, 63)
18 Tzolis
30 Giannoulis
46 Rowe
Head coach: Dean Smith
- Bookings: None
Manchester City
(4-3-3)
SUBS:
33 Carson (GK)
5 Stones
14 Laporte
16 Rodri
17 De Bruyne
27 Cancelo
37 Kayky (on for Mahrez, 84)
48 Delap (on for Foden, 82)
87 McAtee (on for Silva, 75)
Manager: Pep Guardiola
- Bookings: Dias (foul on Rashica, 17), Sterling (foul on Dowell, 90 +2)
- Added on time: 1 min/ 3 mins
- Venue: Carrow Road
- Attendance: 27,010
- Referee: Andre Marriner
- VAR: Paul Tierney
KEY MOMENTS
3 - Foden eventually slides the ball past Gunn, who made an excellent double stop, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside
5 - Mahrez picks out Silva in the box. He weaves past a couple of City defenders before a firing a shot against the post. The ball bounces back into the arms of Gunn
8 - Fernandinho brushes Sargent off before finding Zinchenko on the left. His whipped cross is met by the head of Gundogan, but Gunn is equal to the effort
10 - Williams does brilliantly to win back possession inside his own half before driving forward. He slides Pukki through in the area but his shot from the angle is held by Ederson
18 - Lees-Melou's curling cross is met by the head of Hanley, but his header hits the post and Fernandinho clears
25 - Hanley concedes possession and Manchester City break through Gundogan. Zinchenko's cross picks out Sterling, but Gunn keeps his effort out with his feet
31 - GOAL MANCHESTER CITY (STERLING) - City's resistance is eventually broken after Aarons fails to clear Walker's cross from the right. Sterling picks up the ball, works a yard of space and curls the ball into the net. 0-1
33 - Hanley's ball over the top is latched onto by Pukki. Sargent is on the end of the Finn's cross and tees up McLean for a shot on the edge of the box, but the Scot fails to test Ederson and fires wide
HALF TIME – NORWICH CITY 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY
48 - GOAL MANCHESTER CITY (FODEN) - Gundogan is slipped through by Sterling down the left. His low cross is turned goalwards by Foden. Gunn produces a good stop initially, but the ball falls to prevent the England international from scrambling the ball over the line. 0-2
53 - It should be three. Gundogan's corner is flicked on by Fernandinho. Ake is at the back post but can't keep his poked shot under the bar
61 - Rashica forces Walker into a clearance and McLean wrestles the ball back and returns the ball to the Kosovan. His shot inside the area is saved by Ederson
70 - GOAL MANCHESTER CITY (STERLING) - Foden's cross from the right is met at the back post by Dias. Sterling is on hand to nod it into the back of the net for Manchester City's third. 0-3
75 - Another set-piece causes Norwich chaos. Ake nods it across goal but Fernandinho fails to hit the target
90 - GOAL MANCHESTER CITY (STERLING) - Sterling completes his hat-trick. Despite seeing his spot-kick saved well by Gunn, he is on hand to put the rebound in the net
FULL TIME – NORWICH CITY 0-4 MANCHESTER CITY
SNAP RATINGS:
Gunn 6; Aarons 4, Hanley (C) 6, Gibson 6, Williams 5; Lees-Melou 5, Gilmour 6, McLean 6; Sargent 4, Rashica 6; Pukki 4. Subs: Byram 5, Normann 5, Dowell N/A
MATCH STATS:
(Norwich City – Manchester City)
Possession: 28% - 72%
Shots: 8 - 22
Shots on Target: 3 - 9
XG: 0.46 - 4.29
Corners: 4 - 12
Fouls: 7 - 8
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