Norwich 1 Sunderland 4:Andy Reid sent out a message to both his club and international managers at Carrow Road tonight as with a well-taken double as the Black Cats added to the home side's woes by knocking them out of the Carling Cup.
The midfielder has been out of favour with Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni and also started the season out of Steve Bruce’s first-team plans. But looking a lot fitter these days having hired a personal trainer in the summer, Reid gave a classy show as the Black Cats scored three goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes to win this second-round tie in a canter.
City, under new boss Paul Lambert, were undone far too easily on the break as Teemu Tainio set the ball rolling when he drilled home a Kenwyne Jones cross.
Before Norwich had a chance to respond, it was 2-0 as Reid broke away down the left through Reid. From just inside the box, the winger chipped a perfectly-weighted ball over the keeper and into the far corner.
It was then 3-0 after 36 minutes as Norwich were once again torn apart on the break. A string of one-touch passes picked out Frazier Campbell in the middle, who in turn fed Reid on the overlap, and he drilled the ball into the top corner.
Dubliner Wes Hoolahan reduced the deficit just after the hour, only for Owain Tudur Jones to quickly deflect a corner into his own net before Norwich finished with nine men when Republic of Ireland under-21 defender Michael Spillane was sent off for a professional foul on Campbell, and keeper Ben Alnwick suffered a cut to his face.
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