Man City vs. Norwich confirmed lineups: No Erling Haaland as Enzo Maresca hands out three debuts for EFL Cup tie

By Oliver Thomas | 17 Sep 2026 18:19, Last updated: 17 Sep 2026 18:43

Erling Haaland has been near retired of Manchester City’s squad for tonight’s EFL Cup third-round necktie against Norwich City astatine the Etihad Stadium.

The Norwegian striker scored a arguable match-winner successful the Citizens' 1-0 derby triumph implicit rivals Manchester United successful the Premier League past weekend, expanding his extremity tally crossed each competitions to six goals successful arsenic galore games.

However, manager Enzo Maresca has decided to remainder Haaland and permission him retired of tonight's squad altogether, with the Italian making a full of 10 changes to his starting lineup.

Goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, winger Allan - 2 summertime signings - and 17-year-old academy postgraduate Floyd Samba volition each beryllium making their afloat debuts for Man City this evening.

Rulli volition beryllium protected by a backmost 4 of Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico O'Reilly, portion 18-year-old summertime signing Ayyoub Bouaddi volition spouse Mateo Kovacic successful centre-midfield.

Playmaker Rayan Cherki is the lone Citizens prima to clasp his spot from the triumph astatine Old Trafford, but it remains to beryllium seen whether helium volition proceed successful the fig 10 relation oregon run arsenic a mendacious nine.

Samba could, successful fact, beryllium tasked with the centre-forward spot, should Cherki proceed successful midfield with Allan and Rayan Ait-Nouri retired wide. 

Meanwhile, Man City's star-studded seat includes Enzo Fernandez, Antoine Semenyo, Elliot Anderson, Iliman Ndiaye, Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

Ex-Man City brace Grimshaw, Wright among 9 changes made to Norwich XI

As for Norwich, caput manager Philippe Clement has made a full of 9 changes to his starting lineup pursuing past weekend’s 4-3 nonaccomplishment to Middlesbrough successful the Championship.

Kellen Fisher and Anis Ben Slimane are the lone 2 players to support clasp of their starting spots, with the erstwhile acceptable to proceed astatine right-back and the second successful an precocious midfield role.

Harry Darling comes successful to skipper the broadside astatine centre-back, joining Bruno Alves and Darlin Yongwa successful a four-man backline, protecting goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw who began his younker vocation astatine Man City.

Jacob Wright is different who came done the Citizens' academy and volition commencement successful centre-midfield alongside Sam Field, portion Ante Crnac and Papa Diallo run connected the flanks.

Mohamed Toure has scored a team-high 5 goals successful 7 games truthful acold this season, but helium volition statesman arsenic a substitute arsenic Mathias Kvistgaarden has been chosen to pb the line.

Manchester City starting lineup: Rulli; Lewis, Khusanov, Reis, O’Reilly; Bouaddi, Kovacic; Allan, Cherki, Ait-Nouri; Samba

Subs: Donnarumma, Anderson, Guehi, Ndiaye, Fernández, Nunes, Semenyo, McAidoo, Braithwaite

Norwich City starting lineup: Grimshaw; Fisher, Alves, Darling, Yongwa; Wright, Field; Crnac, Slimane, Diallo; Kvistgaarden

Subs: Kovacevic, Stacey, McConville, Chrisenne, Mattsson, Maghoma, Schwartau, Musaba, Toure