Nunez departed just before the hour mark with what looked initially another hamstring-related issue, after the Chilean was previously sidelined this season by hamstring problems.
Georginio Rutter’s first half brace, and second half strikes from Julio Enciso and Solly March eased the Seagulls into the next round at Carrow Road.
Josh Sargent’s fitness return with a late second half cameo was the only bright spot for the Canaries.
Amankwah Forson started after his dramatic stoppage time brace earned a 2-1 Championship comeback against Coventry City and the 22-year-old makes his first start since November 30.
Sargent was back after groin surgery ruled him out for 14 league games. Ben Chrisene, Callum Doyle, Kenny McLean, Nunez, Oscar Schwartau and Ante Crnac were the starters from last weekend’s Sky Blues’ triumph.
George Long replaced Angus Gunn, with Jose Cordoba back in central defence alongside Doyle – the left-footed Panamanian operating on the right side of the pairing. Aston Villa loanee, Lewis Dobbin, made his first start for the club with Crnac down the middle and Schwartau on the opposite flank.
Borja Sainz started the first of a six-game ban following an FA spitting charge in the festive defeat at Sunderland.
Emi Marcondes was rested and Grant Hanley not included. Anis Ben Slimane, Jacob Sorensen, Liam Gibbs and Gabe Forsyth remained on the sidelines.
Long dropped on a flashing angled shot from Julio Enciso inside the opening seconds in a vibrant start from the top flight side.
Adam Webster bundled through the back of Crnac to concede the first free kick. Brighton’s press was not troubling City in the early exchanges with Nunez rolling his foot beautifully over the ball to outwit Pervis Estupinan following a sharp interplay involving Cordoba.
Doyle whipped an inviting ball across the six yard box Jan Paul van Hecke sliced behind for an opening corner in the 11th minute, from which Dobbin tested Jason Steele at the back post.
Forson failed to repeat his Coventry cameo when he cut across a half-volley from just outside the area after moving onto a partially-cleared Nunez corner.
The game burst into life in the 15th minute when Long made a sprawling stop to foil Yasin Ayari on the angle of his six yard box. City sprung a counter with Crnac that ended with Dobbin teeing up Forson again, who this time cracked a left footer against Steele’s post with the Brighton keeper at full stretch.
Cordoba’s superb block foiled Georginio Rutter from close range in the 19th minute, stationed in front of Long.
Forson underlined his new-found growing confidence with two timely interceptions to halt Brighton counters during a prolonged lull in the goalmouth action midway through the half.
Carlos Baleba’s speculative long range effort dribbled wide in the 31st minute. Long rescued Norwich again in the 36th minute with a fine reaction stop to keep out Enciso’s snapshot inside the six yard box.
But that reprieve proved only temporary when Rutter rose powerfully above Stacey to head home Veltman’s cross, with Doyle playing the Brighton goalscorer onside. Dobbin had a similar chance seconds after the restart, but was unable to rise above his marker to direct Schwartau’s cross on target.
Brighton and Rutter doubled their advantage deep into two additional minutes at the end of the first half when Carlos Baleba powered away from a flat-footed Norwich midfield to link with Yankuba Minteh, who slid in Rutter to rifle a shot that deflected off the diving Doyle and spiralled into the roof of the net.
Thorup made a double change at the interval Brad Hills and Kellen Fisher replacing Doyle and Forson respectively. The Ghanaian international did require a physio assessment towards the end of the opening period, but was able to continue.
Nunez unleashed one of his trademark long range swinging hits in the 51st minute, from Stacey’s inside pass, that had Steele scrambling as it veered the other side of his far post.
Long had to race from his line at the other end to dive at Minteh’s feet, after Nunez was turned over on the halfway line.
The Chilean dropped to the turf shortly after, with the physios appearing to be in dialogue over another hamstring-related issue after his previous lay-offs this season. Nunez wisely hobbled off the pitch and out of the action just Enciso pounced on Brad Hills’ error in possession to slot past Long from the angle of the six yard box.
March inflicted more damage on the scoreline in the 74th minute when Danny Welbeck put the brakes on for March to curl a pinpoint left-footed effort beyond Long from the right-hand side.
Welbeck thumped a free kick into the Norwich wall from 18 yards with the Canaries’ backline struggling to contain the movement and threat from the Seagulls with every fresh attack.
KEY MOMENTS
1: 0-0 George Long drops on a flashing angled shot from Julio Enciso
5: 0-0 Adam Webster bundles through the back of Ante Crnac to concede the first free kick
11: 0-0 Callum Doyle whips an inviting ball across the six yard box Jan Paul Van Hecke slices
behind for an opening corner. Lewis Dobbin’s volley drops for Jason Steele
13: 0-0 Amankwah Forson slices his effort from the edge of the area following a partially-cleared Marcelino Nunez corner
15: 0-0 Long foils Yasin Ayari with a sprawling one-handed stop. Ante Crnac leads the counter and Forson thumps the post from just outside the penalty box
19: 0-0 Jose Cordoba’s block foils Georginio Rutter from close range
31: 0-0 Carlos Baleba’s speculative long range effort dribbled wide
36: 0-0 Reaction stop from Long to foil Enciso from inside the six yard box
37: 0-1 Georginio Rutter rises above Jack Stacey to power home Joel Veltman’s stood up cross, with Doyle playing the Brighton forward onside
38: 0-1 Dobbin rises it but unable to direct Oscar Schwartau’s cross on target
45+2: 0-2 Rutter slots with a rising shot that brushes the sliding Doyle from a driving Baleba run and then Yankuba Minteh set
51: 0-2 Stacey to Nunez who advances and hits a swinging 25-yard strike that flies with of Steele’s far post
59: 0-3 Enciso profits from Brad Hills sloppy play in possession to advance along the byline and bend a low curler past Long into the far corner
74: 0-4 Solly March curls a left-footer past Long from the right-hand side of the box.
78: 0-4 Danny Welbeck free kick strikes the Norwich wall 18 yards out
NORWICH CITY:
(Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest) Substitutes:
1: Angus Gunn (GK)
4: Shane Duffy (for Chrisene, 79)
9: Josh Sargent (for Crnac, 79)
21: Kaide Gordon
25: Onel Hernandez (for Nunez, 61)
35: Kellen Fisher (for Forson, 46)
40: Brad Hills (for Doyle, 46)
44: Elliot Myles
47: Lucien Mahovo
Head Coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup
BRIGHTON:
(Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest)
Substitutes:
1: Bart Verbruggen (GK)
7: Solly March (for Minteh, 71)
8: Brajan Gruda (for Rutter, 63)
11: Simon Adingra
15: Jakub Moder (for Veltman, 78)
18: Danny Welbeck (for Enciso, 63)
33: Matt O’Riley
44: Ruairi McConville (for Webster, 71)
48: Ed Turns
Head Coach: Fabian Hurzeler
Goals: Rutter (37, 45+2), Enciso (59), March (74)
PLAYER RATINGS
Long 5; Stacey 5, Doyle 5, Cordoba 5, Chrisene 5; McLean 5, Nunez 5, Forson 6; Schwartau 5, Dobbin 5; Crnac 5. Subs: Hills 4, Fisher 5, Hernandez 5, Duffy 5, Sargent 5.
MATCH STATISTICS
Possession: 49pc-52pc
Shots: 6-21
On target: 1-8
Corners: 3-4
Fouls: 3-13
Added time: 2 min / 3 min
Attendance: 24,738 (2,380 away)
Referee: Simon Hooper
