Man City vs Norwich City LIVE: Carabao Cup Clash Tonight – Kickoff Time, Lineups & How to Watch

Kick-off night at the Etihad sees treble-chasing Manchester City welcome EFL Championship side Norwich City for a Carabao Cup third-round clash scheduled for 19:30 BST on Thursday, 17 September 2026. City manager Enzo Maresca is expected to rotate heavily after Sunday’s league win, with academy graduates Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb tipped to start alongside summer signing Marc Guéhi in a reshuffled back line. Erling Haaland, who already has nine goals in all competitions, is likely to be rested, handing Julián Álvarez the central striking role. Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with a hamstring strain. Norwich boss David Wagner arrives in buoyant mood after a 3-1 victory over Blackburn that lifted the Canaries to fifth in the Championship. Star winger Jonathan Rowe is fit despite an ankle scare, while USMNT striker Josh Sargent could make his first appearance since knee surgery. Key storylines • Fortress Etihad: City are unbeaten in 27 home games across all competitions, scoring 88 goals in that span. • Giant-killing memories: Norwich’s last win over City came in 2019’s famous 3-2 thriller; they have lost all four meetings since, conceding 17 goals. • Youth v Experience: City’s average projected XI age is 23.7, compared with Norwich’s 27.1, underscoring Maresca’s commitment to blooding youngsters in the cup. Head-to-head snapshot – Total meetings: 72 (City 39 W, Norwich 10 W, 23 D) – Last encounter: Man City 4-0 Norwich, Premier League, Aug 2024 – Aggregate score of previous four: 17-0 in City’s favour Match essentials • Competition: Carabao Cup, Third Round • Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester • Kick-off: 19:30 BST / 14:30 ET • Live stream & TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK), ESPN+ (US) • Referee: Jarred Gillett Predicted line-ups Manchester City (4-3-3): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Guéhi, Gómez; Nunes, Phillips, Foden; Palmer, Álvarez, Doku. Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Gunn; Stacey, Warner, Hanley, Giannoulis; McLean, Gibbs; Rowe, Sara, Hernández; Sargent. Stat to watch City have progressed from 19 of their last 20 League Cup ties against lower-division opposition, the lone blip coming vs. Newcastle in 2023. Prediction Even with wholesale changes, City’s depth makes them overwhelming favourites. Expect Norwich to press high early, but Álvarez’s movement and Foden’s creativity should eventually carve openings. Manchester City 3-1 Norwich City.