Tag: Norwich City

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WESTHAM HAMMER NORWICH TO STAY IN HUNT FOR PREMIER LEAGUE TOP-SIX

West Ham brushed off their European exit and reignited the race for the Premier League top six with a thumping 4-0 win at Norwich.

The Hammers arrived at Carrow Road licking their wounds after their painful Europa League semi-final defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night.

But Norwich, condemned to relegation by defeat at Aston Villa last weekend, were less Frankfurt and more Frank Spencer with goalkeeper Tim Krul having a nightmare.

Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton has left the door open for West Ham to snatch sixth place and qualify for the Europa League again next season.

Thanks to Norwich’s generosity they are now three points behind United, with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.

Krul was badly at fault for goals from Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio to leave his side 2-0 down after half an hour.

West Ham were three up by half-time thanks to Benrahma’s second, and Manuel Lanzini added the fourth from the penalty spot.

Benrahma’s first arrived in the 12th minute when he collected Jarrod Bowen’s cross on the left of the Norwich penalty area.

The Algerian’s shot deflected off the knee of Max Aarons but Krul still should have stopped it, only for the ball to squirm out of his grasp and roll in.

Benrahma was not complaining after registering only his second goal since December and reaching double figures for the season.

Things got worse for Krul on the half-hour mark when Bowen slipped Antonio through on goal.

Krul came off his line and stuck out a hand to nick the ball away, but succeeded only in nudging it back into the striker’s path, leaving covering defender Sam Bryam on the deck and Antonio, who scored four on his last trip to Norwich two seasons ago, tapping into an empty net.

“That’s why we’re going down” was one of the more polite songs to emanate from an increasingly frustrated home fanbase watching their side slip towards a club-record 12th home defeat in a single season.

West Ham should have had a third moments later but Bowen volleyed wide from six yards.

But they did not have to wait long, as in first-half stoppage time Bowen set up his third goal of the match, reaching the byline and pulling the ball back for Benrahma to lash home from 15 yards.

Norwich thought they had pulled one back at the start of the second half when Byram bundled the ball in from a corner, but the VAR spotted a handball and the goal was ruled out.

Instead a handball at the other end piled on the misery for the Canaries, the ball hitting the arm of Jacob Sorensen and Lanzini tucking away the penalty as West Ham comprehensively kept their hopes of a return to Europe alive.

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JOELINTON STARS AS NEWCASTLE MOVE NORWICH CLOSER TO RELEGATION

Joelinton scored twice on his 100th Premier League appearance for Newcastle as they climbed into the top half with a comfortable 3-0 win over Norwich which moved the Canaries closer to relegation.

It was the Magpies’ first win at Carrow Road since January 1994, with the Brazilian finding the net two times inside the first half.

Joelinton broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a curled strike into the top corner before slotting home again just six minutes later.

Bruno Guimaraes wrapped up the win at the start of the second half, when he beat a defender to Tim Krul’s attempted pass out from the back, before taking a touch and cleverly lobbing the goalkeeper.

With Newcastle flying after a fourth consecutive win, Norwich remain rooted to the foot of the table, eight points from safety with five matches remaining.

The game started slowly, but Newcastle had the first significant chance when Dan Burn played a perfect long ball from defence to Jacob Murphy, but the 27-year-old was unable to find the target and dragged wide.

Norwich then had an opportunity, with Kieran Dowell, who was picked out by Mathias Normann, firing over the bar.

The home side then potentially should have taken the lead when Teemu Pukki was played in one-on-one with Martin Dubravka, but he allowed the defenders to get back when trying to take the ball around the goalkeeper.

The Finland international then pulled it back to Dowell, who shot over the bar for a second time in quick succession.

Newcastle found the breakthrough in the 35th minute.

Murphy passed to Allan Saint-Maximin who flicked it to Sean Longstaff and the midfielder fed Joelinton, who curled into the top corner. VAR reviewed the goal for a possible offside, but Murphy was ruled onside.

Moments later, the visitors fired in a second, with Murphy again involved in the build-up, driving into the box before playing in an unmarked Joelinton to slot past Krul.

Newcastle added a third just after half-time.

In trying to clear his lines, Krul passed it straight to Guimaraes just outside the box, in an attempt to give the ball to Kenny McLean.

Under no pressure at all, the Brazilian took a touch before a beautifully lofted finish over Krul’s head and into the back of the net.

Krul was more alert in the 59th minute when he made a relatively straightforward save to deny Joelinton a hat-trick.

In the 65th minute Norwich had a chance to pull one back as Jonathan Rowe played in Pukki. But the striker dragged just wide of the far post, and the Canaries were unable to find a way back into the game.

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JOE GELHARDT NETS LAST-GASP WINNER FOR LEEDS AFTER LATE DRAMA AT ELLAND ROAD

Joe Gelhardt stepped off the bench to fire a stoppage-time winner as Leeds beat Premier League relegation rivals Norwich 2-1.

The 19-year-old striker replaced Mateusz Klich in the second minute of added time and salvaged his side’s survival bid two minutes later – after Kenny McLean’s stoppage-time goal appeared to have snatched Norwich a point.

In a breathless finish, Leeds had let slip a slender lead after Rodrigo’s early opener only to end up snapping a club record equalling six-game winless run and secure head coach Jesse Marsch’s first win in charge at the third attempt.

In truth, Leeds should have been out of sight against Dean Smith’s basement side as Raphinha twice struck the crossbar and Patrick Bamford fired wide with just Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul to beat.

But with just a one-goal deficit Norwich never gave up and looked to have snaffled a point when McLean turned home an equaliser at the death before Gelhardt struck.

Rodrigo fired Leeds into a 14th-minute lead, lashing the ball home via a slight deflection from just inside the penalty area following Diego Llorente’s long ball over the top.

Raphinha will be disappointed not to have made it 2-0. He missed the ball completely while attempting to convert Stuart Dallas’ cut-back after a sweeping Leeds counter-attack.

Leeds defender Luke Ayling was lucky to escape with a caution following a VAR check for his high challenge on Milot Rashica before Raphinha almost made amends for his earlier air-shot in spectacular fashion.

Leeds swept forward again and the Brazilian volleyed Bamford’s deep cross from the left against the underside of the crossbar.

The home side went close again as Krul saved Pascal Struijk’s header from a corner, with the Leeds centre-half blazing his follow-up off target.

Leeds fans were furious when VAR failed to intervene after Dan James appeared to have been shoved to the floor in the area by Brandon Williams.

Bamford was next to pass up a golden chance, skewing his side-footed effort wide with just Krul to beat after being slid in by Raphinha.

It was a much-improved first half from Leeds, but they just had a 1-0 lead to show for their dominance at the interval.

Bamford’s return to action lasted 45 minutes as he was replaced by Jack Harrison during the break.

Leeds thought they had forced the crucial second goal in the 52nd minute, but James had strayed offside before turning in Raphinha’s blocked shot.

Rodrigo was withdrawn to a standing ovation on the hour-mark and replaced by defensive midfielder Robin Koch, but Leeds continued to press for that second goal.

James’ curling effort was well saved by Krul and despite forcing Norwich into retreat, Leeds’ final pass was found wanting.

Norwich served warning as substitute Jonathan Rowe curled a shot against the crossbar, but the linesman flagged for offside.

Leeds were given another reprieve when VAR asked referee Stuart Atwell to check the monitor after he had initially awarded a penalty for Ayling’s challenge on Rashica.

Replays clearly showed Rashica had gone down after standing on Ayling’s leg.

Raphinha struck the crossbar again in the 82nd minute with a sweetly-struck free-kick and Norwich appeared to have punished Leeds in the dying moments when McLean latched on to Teemu Pukki’s cross.

But Leeds poured forward from the restart and with the clock ticking down Raphinha burst clear to round the goalkeeper and tee-up Gelhardt, who sparked delirium at Elland Road when drove home the winner from six yards.

There was still time for Pukki to threaten another goal, but Illan Meslier produced a fine reaction save just before the final whistle.

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CHELSEA OVERCOME OFF-FIELD CHAOS TO SEE OFF NORWICH

Chelsea overcame the chaos of a turbulent day off the pitch to grind out a 3-1 win at Norwich and stay in the driving seat for Champions League qualification.

The Blues took to the field at Carrow Road hours after learning owner Roman Abramovich had been sanctioned by the UK government and had his assets frozen.

It meant Chelsea required a special licence to fulfil this midweek clash, but goals by Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz still clinched all three points.

Boss Thomas Tuchel would have preferred a more comprehensive victory, with Teemu Pukki’s 69th-minute penalty setting up a nervy finale before Havertz’s late strike, but it was a welcome result at the end of another dramatic day for the club, which Abramovich had put up for sale last week amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

After a day in which the Champions League holders saw their club shop forced to close, tickets sales suspended and their very future mired in uncertainty, attention turned to matters on the pitch and four changes were made from Saturday’s 4-0 win at Burnley.

Romelu Lukaku remained on the bench, with Timo Werner given a starting role, and it took only three minutes for the opener to arrive.

Two Chelsea academy graduates combined to break the deadlock, with Mount’s corner headed home at the near post by Chalobah to spark celebrations from the away fans.

Chants of support for Abramovich from the visiting supporters had started before kick-off and continued during the early exchanges, with the Chelsea kit still sporting the logo of shirt sponsor ‘Three’, despite the telecommunications company suspending its deal with the club earlier in the day.

It was 2-0 with 14 minutes on the clock when Havertz found Mount inside the area and the England international opened up his body to create space against Ozan Kabak before he curled home.

Tim Krul had thwarted Havertz on two occasions by this point, but the dispirited Norwich faithful were at least able to enjoy a brief break in play when a bird entered the Carrow Road pitch.

No further damage was inflicted on the Premier League’s bottom side before the break and both teams made changes at half-time.

Visiting captain Cesar Azpilicueta was withdrawn, while home boss Dean Smith made a double substitution and ditched wing-backs for a flat back four.

Milot Rashica made an immediate impression with a fine run before he fired over from range, which at least signalled the hosts’ intent at the start of the second period.

The Chelsea supporters were soon back in full voice, chanting for Abramovich and singing “Chelsea get sanctioned everywhere they go”, but the momentum shifted in the 66th minute.

Pierre Lees-Melou raced on to a ball into the area and saw his cross hit the arm of Chalobah. Referee Martin Atkinson was advised by VAR to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and a penalty was awarded.

Norwich’s top-scorer Pukki stepped up and sent Edouard Mendy the wrong way to score for the eighth time this campaign.

Smith’s men were full of belief now and Mendy had to scoop up Kenny McLean’s weak header minutes later.

A yellow for Chalobah further whipped up the home crowd and Tuchel turned to Lukaku and N’Golo Kante in the final exchanges to close out the win.

It was Kante who made his mark with an assist for Havertz to wrap up the points with a fine finish that ensured third-placed Chelsea ended another tumultuous day with one positive result.

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SALAH HITS RECORD GOAL AS DIAZ, MANE STAR IN WIN OVER NORWICH

Mohamed Salah scored his 150th goal for Liverpool and Luis Diaz struck his first for the club as the Reds came from behind to beat Norwich City 3-1 at Anfield.

Liverpool had the better of the first-half opportunities with Norwich’s Angus Gunn called upon to deny Sadio Mane and Konstantinos Tsimikas.

But Norwich shocked the hosts when they went ahead on 48 minutes through Milot Rashica’s deflected shot.

Liverpool rallied with two goals in four minutes. Mane equalised with an overhead kick from Tsimikas’s cushioned header on 64 minutes. Salah then collected a long pass from Alisson to finish with his right foot from outside the area.

Diaz opened his Liverpool account nine minutes from time to seal the Reds’ fifth successive league win which puts them six points behind Man City with a match in hand on the leaders.

Successive defeats send Norwich to the bottom of the table with 17 points.

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JARROD BOWEN HITS BRACE AS WESTHAM BEAT NORWICH TO RETURN TO TOP FOUR

Jarrod Bowen fired West Ham into the top four and enhanced his England credentials in a 2-0 win over Norwich.

Bowen’s seventh and eighth goals of the season secured a third straight Premier League win for the Hammers and left City rooted to the foot of the table.

The calls for Bowen to win a Three Lions call-up are getting louder, with his eight assists meaning the former Hull winger has now been directly involved in 16 goals this season – the most of any English player in the top flight.

The statistics for Norwich make grim reading, however. It is now six successive defeats without scoring, equalling a depressing club record in the Premier League.

This London Stadium encounter was rearranged from December when Norwich were decimated by Covid-19 and injuries, and they may have felt they stood a better chance now with West Ham suffering similarly.

Boss David Moyes admitted there was Covid in the camp and although nothing was confirmed prior to kick-off, Tomas Soucek, Mark Noble and Ryan Fredericks were notable by their absence from the squad.

Nevertheless, the hosts were almost ahead inside the first two minutes when Manuel Lanzini’s diagonal ball into the box found Bowen, but his shot was too close to City keeper Tim Krul.

Moments later Nikola Vlasic reached the byline and cut the ball back for Lanzini, who lifted his effort over the crossbar.

Krul somehow escaped giving away a penalty when he manhandled Vlasic on the goal-line, throwing the forward to the floor by his face.

West Ham had the ball in the net after 35 minutes when Bowen’s cross flew straight in, but Vlasic was offside and interfering as the ball whizzed over his head.

They finally made one count three minutes before half-time. Aaron Cresswell’s cross was overhit but found Vladimir Coufal on the right, and when the Czech full-back curled the ball back into the area Bowen got in front of Ben Gibson and nodded it home.

Michail Antonio scored four times the last time these sides met and he should have grabbed another at the start of the second half when he turned Grant Hanley on the six-yard line but blazed over.

Bowen, meanwhile, was a man on a mission. He was fed by Pablo Fornals and chipped the ball over the onrushing Krul only to see it come back off the crossbar and then rattled the foot of a post with a deflected drive.

West Ham’s 1-0 lead did not feel particularly precarious but they were given a warning when Adam Idah forced Lukasz Fabianski, making his 300th Premier League appearance, to push his drive against his near post.

But any doubts about the result were extinguished seven minutes from time when Bowen prodded home Arthur Masuaku’s cross and the VAR overturned an offside decision to seal the points for West Ham.

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LUCAS MOURA SCORES A STUNNER AS SPURS THRASH NORWICH

A stunning goal from Lucas Moura helped Tottenham remain unbeaten in the Premier League under Antonio Conte as they beat Norwich 3-0.

Moura found the top corner from 25 yards after some impressive skill to open the scoring, with Davinson Sanchez and Son Heung-min adding further goals in the second half as Spurs made it four games without defeat in the league under the Italian.

That run has helped propel them back into the top-four race and they are now two points behind West Ham with a game in hand as the Conte effect begins to take hold in north London.

The obvious elephant in the room is Harry Kane’s lack of goals as the England captain has netted just once in 13 league games this season and he again missed chances he would have expected to score.

Norwich, who remain bottom after Newcastle’s win on Saturday, will be wondering how they lost the game so heavily as they missed big chances at key moments, but Dean Smith will take heart from their performance.

One of those fell to Teemu Pukki in only the third minute and things might have been different had he scored.

Adam Idah got in down the right and pulled it back perfectly for the Finland striker, but his shot was straight at Hugo Lloris and Spurs survived.

That proved important as the hosts got a foothold in the game and former Canary Oliver Skipp reminded Norwich fans why they loved him so much last season, with a driving run through the middle of the pitch but his shot was straight at Tim Krul.

Conte’s side found the breakthrough in the 10th minute with a goal of real quality.

After a nice piece of skill to round a Norwich defender, Moura then played a one-two with Son, turned his marker and thundered an unstoppable drive into the top corner from 20 yards.

That gave Spurs a solid base to build on but they could not find the quality to add to their scoreline.

Ben Davies might have converted at the far post after Son’s free-kick made it all the way through, while Kane inadvertently diverted Son’s shot wide.

Kane’s frustration in front of goal was growing as he missed another chance before the interval.

Moura’s ball set him free and he spotted Krul off his line, but his chip from 30 yards was wide of the target.

Norwich were very much in the game and should have equalised after a dominant start to the second half.

Brandon Williams got in down the left, pulled the ball back to Pukki, whose skewed shot fell straight to Idah, only for the Irishman to divert it wide from a golden position.

As is usual in the Premier League, the Canaries were made to pay as Tottenham doubled their lead in the 67th minute.

Kane’s quest to end his drought was thwarted again as Krul did brilliantly to claw away a low shot that looked destined for the bottom corner, but from the resulting corner, Sanchez smashed in a loose ball from close range.

It was 3-0 10 minutes later as Davies played a one-two with Skipp before teeing up Son, who fired into the bottom corner.

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TEEMU PUKKI EARNS NORWICH A POINT AGAINST 10-MAN NEWCASTLE

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Teemu Pukki ensured 10-man Newcastle’s wait for a first Premier League win of the season extended to 14 games as Norwich fought back to snatch a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.

The beleaguered Magpies, who had defender Ciaran Clark sent off after just nine minutes, looked to be on course to end their drought when Callum Wilson converted a 61st-minute penalty awarded for handball after a VAR review.

However, Pukki’s sumptuous 79th-minute volley robbed head coach Eddie Howe, belatedly in the home dugout for the first time, the victory he so desperately needed and left the Magpies rooted to the foot of the table.

With skipper Jamaal Lascelles and wing-back Matt Ritchie suspended, Howe abandoned the five-man defence with which he had started his first two games in favour of a 4-2-3-1 formation with Joe Willock partnering Jonjo Shelvey in the middle of the field.

However, his game-plan was ripped up within nine minutes when, having miskicked his attempted clearance straight at Pukki, Clark dragged the striker back and was shown a straight red card by referee Andy Madley.

Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka spared the home side further pain with a good save from Billy Gilmour as he took charge of the resulting free-kick as Howe sacrificed winger Ryan Fraser to send on defender Federico Fernandez.

Nevertheless, it was the home side that almost took the lead with 20 minutes gone when Allan Saint-Maximin turned Gilmour and raced towards goal before squaring for Joelinton, whose rising drive flew just too high.

Norwich, however, were making good use of their numerical advantage to pin the Magpies back with Gilmour prominent, and it took a superb block by Canaries old boy Jamal Lewis to deny Josh Sargent after he had met Christos Tzolis’ 29th-minute cross at the far post.

Dubravka had to get down smartly to save Tzolis’ effort at his near post in first-half stoppage time, but there was to be no breakthrough before the whistle sounded.

Norwich returned with real purpose to force their hosts back once again, although they continued to lack the cutting edge to make the most of the pressure they were exerting.

For their part, the Magpies still looked dangerous on the break and Joelinton was aggrieved not to earn a 53rd-minute penalty after going down under Brandon Williams’ challenge.

However, Madley did point to the spot after being advised to take a second look at Fernandez’s 59th-minute header, which appeared to be blocked illegally by Gilmour, and although former Magpie Tim Krul got a firm hand to Wilson’s spot-kick, he could not keep it out of his net.

But Newcastle were pegged back when, after Dubravka had spilled Gilmour’s deep cross, Pukki volleyed home emphatically after Dimitris Giannoulis had recycled beyond the far post, although the Slovakia keeper redeemed himself at the death with a crucial stoppage-time bock from substitute Pierre Lees-Melou.

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NORWICH, WOLVES PLAY OUT GOALLESS DRAW

Wolves were able to hold off a late Norwich challenge to secure a point in a goalless draw at Carrow Road.

Dean Smith’s tenure got off to a winning start with a 2-1 home victory against Southampton last weekend and it was followed up by a significant point against a top-half Wolves team.

The visitors went into the game having won five of their previous seven matches but struggled to find their rhythm.

Norwich had just one victory to their name when Smith replaced Daniel Farke just eight days after his own dismissal at Aston Villa and the Canaries have four points from his first two games as they pulled level on points with 18th-placed Burnley – although they have played a game more.

The Canaries looked to get on the front foot, with both Teemu Pukki and Josh Sargent firing early chances over the crossbar.

Wolves striker Raul Jimenez had an early chance to score his fourth goal since returning to action following a career-threatening skull fracture, but the ball from Rayan Ait-Nouri was just too far ahead of him and goalkeeper Tim Krul was able to gather.

Just before half-time, Krul had to come off his line to prevent the ball from reaching Jimenez. It was then cleared straight to Joao Moutinho who hit a low drive but Krul was able to get up quickly and save with his feet to keep the score level.

Less than two minutes later, Wolves keeper Jose Sa was called into action to deny Max Aarons who played a one-two with Lukas Rupp before taking a shot.

The best chance of the match fell to Pukki after the break. He found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper after being picked out by Rupp, but his shot was straight at Sa.

Rupp had a chance with 10 minutes remaining when he managed to get a foot to a cutback from Milot Rashica, who had made a clever run down the left, but his effort lacked power and the Wolves keeper was able to make the save.

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DEAN SMITH APPOINTED NORWICH MANAGER

Dean Smith has been appointed as Norwich City’s new manager after he was sacked by Aston Villa earlier this month.

Norwich are currently bottom of the Premier League having registered just five points from their opening 11 games.

Smith, meanwhile, was let go by Villa following a run of five straight defeats in the Premier League.

But the 50-year-old has now made the move to Carrow Road and is joined by Craig Shakespeare, who was his assistant at Villa.

‘It has been a whirlwind seven days, but I’m really pleased to be back and working for Norwich City in the Premier League,’ said Smith.

‘Clearly, there has been some wonderful work that has gone into this football club over last four and a half years. It is now the job of myself and Craig to continue and improve on that work with the ultimate aim of surviving in the Premier League.

Norwich City is a big club, with a massive hardcore of supporters who are fully understanding in what it means to be part of the club and its community.

‘I was brought up in an era when Norwich were competing in Europe – I remember those times well and whenever I’ve visited Carrow Road and Norwich you can really sense the connection between the fans, staff and players. Together, we all have to make Carrow Road a really tough place for visiting teams.

‘From the age of 16 I’ve been working in football. I think in that time I’ve had four months out and didn’t enjoy it. It’s great to get straight back in with a club that are determined to be progressive.

‘I’ve always worked to improve and develop players – with that obviously comes improved performances. I was really impressed with the idea, structure and vision that is already in place at the club.

‘I’ve also been really impressed with the work Stuart has done at both Huddersfield and Norwich and he is someone I’ve known of for a while. A lot of my background has been working with sporting directors at both Brentford and Aston Villa. It’s an important relationship and I’m sure we’ll work well together here.’