Southampton Triumphs Over Norwich in Carabao Cup
Will Still showcased what could have been for Norwich City as the Southampton manager led his team to a decisive victory in the Carabao Cup second round at Carrow Road.
Norwich considered Still for the managerial position in the summer of 2024, eventually appointing Johannes Hoff Thorup, who has now been succeeded by Liam Manning.
As Still continues to rebuild Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League last season, his side comfortably defeated Norwich with goals from Cameron Archer, Ryan Fraser, and Kuryu Matsuki, who scored his first goal for the club.
Norwich's manager Manning is still in search of his first home win since taking charge of his boyhood club, as the team has now lost all three matches at Carrow Road this season.
Southampton displayed superior football in the early stages, although Norwich had several promising chances. Mirko Topic and Matej Jurasek each had multiple attempts, while Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy made a notable save from Dane Mathias Kvistgaarden.
Archer, looking particularly threatening, broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute after Kvistgaarden lost possession just outside his own area. Ross Stewart assisted the former Aston Villa forward, who curled a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net.
Ryan Manning then delivered a beautifully weighted pass to Fraser, who extended the lead to 2-0 in the 62nd minute, effectively sealing the match. Matsuki capped off the performance with a stunning long-range strike nine minutes from time, marking his first goal for Southampton in just his third appearance.