Manchester City is set to host Norwich City in the EFL Cup on September 18, 2026, at 01:30. Following a controversial victory over Manchester United, where Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal, City looks to continue their winning streak in this cup competition.

Currently, Manchester City sits second in the Premier League with 12 points, having won all four of their opening matches. They also secured a 2-0 victory against Porto in their Champions League opener last week. As the defending champions of the EFL Cup, having defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the previous final, City is eager to start their title defense against Norwich, who are currently competing in the Championship.

Norwich enters this match after a disappointing 3-4 loss to Middlesbrough, placing them 12th in the Championship standings with 9 points. This season, Norwich has recorded 3 wins and 4 losses in their 7 matches, but they have managed to progress in the EFL Cup with victories over MK Dons and Cardiff.

Historically, Manchester City has dominated their encounters with Norwich, winning 39 of the 72 matches played, with Norwich only managing 10 victories. In their last three meetings, City has scored 14 goals while Norwich has failed to find the net.

In terms of team news, City will be without Phil Foden due to suspension and Jeremy Doku due to injury. Coach Enzo Maresca may rotate his squad, giving opportunities to players like Geronimo Rulli and Allan. On the other hand, Norwich will miss Gabriel Forsyth, Mirko Topic, Ali Ahmed, and Lucien Mahovo due to injuries, and Daniel Grimshaw is expected to start in goal.

The predicted line-ups for the match are as follows:

• Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Rulli; Khusanov, Reis, Guehi, Lewis; Kovacic, Bouaddi; Allan, Ndiaye, Semenyo; Haaland
• Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Grimshaw; Stacey, McConville, Cordoba, Chrisene; Wright, Mattsson; Maghoma, Schwartau, Musaba; Makama

Given the current form and quality of the teams, Manchester City is heavily favored to win this match. A significant victory for City seems likely, with predictions suggesting a scoreline of 3-0 in favor of the home side.