Man City now two points behind Man United
Roberto Mancini had his Argie arsenal to thank for keeping Manchester City in the title race.
With Mario Balotelli suspended, Mancini paired Carlos Tevez in attack with fellow countryman Sergio Aguero.
And the Argentina internationals smashed City to within two points of leaders Manchester United — for 24 hours at least.
Tevez broke the deadlock before Aguero doubled the advantage to put the visitors in firm control at Carrow Road.
Mancini's men appeared to be cruising to a comfortable three points until Andrew Surman cut the deficit six minutes into the second half.
A cross caused chaos in the visitors' box and Surman was on hand to drill the back through a crowd with a sweet left-foot drive after latching onto a poor clearance.
But the visitors dug in and Tevez restored the two-goal cushion 17 minutes from time, heading home after substitute Yaya Toure's strike was pushed out by John Ruddy.
It was 4-1 just seconds later when Aguero thought he had matched his team-mate's tally for the afternoon by curling home a peach of a right-foot effort.
Tevez, however, refused to be upstaged and the hard-working hitman rounded off the scoring 10 minutes from time, sidestepping Ruddy to claim the match ball.
City swarmed forward in search of another goal and substitute Adam Johnson duly obliged in injury-time to add a final touch of gloss to the scoreline.
Despite making an early save from David Silva, Norwich keeper Ruddy will not relish watching the match highlights after Tevez's 18th-minute scorcher deceived him to open the scoring.
Frustratingly for the Canaries, they could have been ahead just four minutes earlier.
Grant Holt thought he had scored but Joleon Lescott managed to clear the striker's goalbound effort off the line to keep the visitors on level terms.
And the hosts were quickly the architects of their own downfall after gifting possession in midfield.
Silva gobbled up the ball and fed Tevez wide on the right. He pulled the trigger from an acute angle, 20 yards from goal, and the strike swerved beyond Ruddy to silence the home fans.
You could argue that Ruddy should also have done better when Aguero hammered the ball beyond him with 27 minutes played.
Aguero combined superbly with Tevez before drilling home from his strike partner's neat backheel. Ruddy was well positioned and appeared to have both hands behind the ball before it zoomed past his head.
Norwich refused to roll over and die but Joe Hart made comfortable saves from Holt and Aaron Wilbraham, while Tevez continued to try his luck from range at the other end.
Paul Lambert sent on Wesley Hoolahan and Surman in place of Bradley Johnson and Anthony Pilkington after the interval.
The changes sparked the hosts into life and they were quickly back in the game.
Hart came for a cross from Adam Drury but failed to get enough on his punch. The ball fell at the feet of former Southampton man Surman and he returned it with interest to cut the arrears.
Aguero looked to extend City's lead once again a minute before the hour mark but saw his near-post drive beaten away for a corner by Ruddy.
The stopper was called into action once more just moments later to deny Pablo Zabaleta from close range after the defender sneaked in at the back post to meet a lofted pass from Vincent Kompany.
Mancini then made his first change of the afternoon, hooking Samir Nasri for Yaya Toure.
Midfield powerhouse Toure was quickly on the ball to tee up Zabaleta, who was denied by Ruddy once again.
Steve Morison was next to join the fray, in place of Wilbraham, as Norwich continued to search for an equaliser.
But it was City who scored next, Tevez sending a looping header into the net after reacting quickest when Toure's effort was saved.
Mancini's title chasers were clearly in the mood for more goals and Aguero cut inside before leaving Ruddy well beaten in the 75th minute.
With the points in the bag, Silva was replaced by Johnson.
Tevez continued to cause problems for the Norwich defence and the striker secured the fifth hat-trick of his career in England when he rounded Ruddy before rolling the ball into an empty net.
To their credit, Norwich continued to push forward, but there was no denying City as they cranked up the heat on their neighbours at the top of the table.
Johnson saw his left-effort clip the bar in the dying moments and Aguero was also denied his own treble by the width of a post.
But there was still time for Johnson to sweep home the sixth and round off a perfect City display in style before the full-time whistle blew. - www.thesun.co.uk
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