Floyd Samba scores twice on Man City debut

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said he was pleased with Floyd Samba’s performance on his first-team debut, noting that the teenager had never played as a number nine before but finished well and played very well throughout the match.

Enzo Maresca had moved him into the number nine role only three or four days before the match, and said the teenager had told him he had never played there.

"He was good not just because of the two goals, he played very well throughout the match. He hasn't played much in the number nine role, we had considered it over the last two or three matches. He finishes well. I've said from the start that I was pleased with our work with him. When I decided to play him as a nine, which was about three or four days ago, I asked him about it, and he said he'd never played there. Of course, he isn't a natural number nine, but he's very good. He's young, energetic and knows how to finish," Maresca said.

Samba himself sounded just as struck by the occasion. "I knew there would be an opportunity to get some minutes for the first time with the first team," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "To get a debut like that is mind-blowing. I couldn't believe it myself - but that is just the beginning, I have got a big career ahead of me. It was a great debut. I spoke to all of them [first-team players], they have all been brilliant with me - before the game, giving me advice like 'play your game, be you' - those words have given me confidence and helped me score those two goals today."

Samba joined City's academy at under-nine level and forced his way into the picture last season, scoring 24 goals and setting up 10 more for the under-18 side, including a free-kick in the FA Youth Cup final win over Manchester United in May. Maresca brought him into first-team training this summer.

Norwich's goalkeeper on the night, Daniel Grimshaw, who joined the club in March and had yet to score for them, picked the ball out of his net five times, twice from the 17-year-old.

The performance also shifted the week's back-page attention in Manchester away from 15-year-old Manchester United forward JJ Gabriel, whose possible departure from United had dominated coverage before Samba's debut.

If Maresca keeps using him as a central striker, Samba's route into City's league squad this season may open up faster than his under-18 numbers alone would have suggested.