Enzo Maresca handed debuts to summer-signings Allan and Gerónimo Rulli, as well as 17-year-old Samba, and it was two of the debutants who combined to put us ahead just after the half-hour mark.
Nico O’Reilly’s deep cross found Allan at the back post and the winger picked out Samba, who expertly headed into the bottom left corner.
Three minutes later, we doubled the lead with Samba influential again, knocking the ball into Ayyoub Bouaddi’s path.
The Moroccan midfielder slid Rayan Cherki through on goal and he did the rest, coolly slotting into the corner.
Allan switched to the left flank after the interval and the move paid off immediately, as he jinxed in and out before driving into the far corner for his first goal for the Club.
Six minutes shy of the hour mark, Samba was the centre of attention again, receiving the ball from Rayan Aït-Nouri before curling into the bottom right corner superbly for his second of the evening.
Ryan McAidoo added a late fifth to put the icing on the cake as we deservedly booked a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, where we will host Brighton and Hove Albion.
View the best images from a fantastic night at the Etihad via our gallery below.
