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Feb 13, 2021 at 3pm UK at Carrow Road
NorwichNorwich City
4-1
StokeStoke City
Cantwell (15'), Pukki (44', 80' pen.), Buendia (64')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Powell (61')
Powell (42'), Obi Mikel (43')

Daniel Farke hails "best offensive performance" of the season in Stoke win

The Canaries were without a win or a goal in four matches going into the game and were beaten 2-0 at promotion rivals Swansea last time out.

Norwich manager Daniel Farke felt his side produced the perfect response to a poor run with a 4-1 home win over Stoke that took them back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

The Canaries were without a win or a goal in four matches going into the game and were beaten 2-0 at promotion rivals Swansea last time out, but they were in top form as they moved back above Brentford, who are at home to Barnsley on Sunday.

"I think that was our best offensive performances of the season – it was certainly the most goals we have scored," he said.

"I don't think I have ever seen a side create more chances against Stoke, who are an experienced, well-organised side.

"It has been tough recently but we had a good training week and there was a big determination among the lads to produce the right response – and we certainly did that. It was a really good performance and I can only pay my compliments to the players.

"We moved the ball much quicker in the final third, found our offensive players in better positions and found a cutting edge in the final third that had been missing in recent games.

"Strangely we also made a lot more mistakes than usual as well, giving the ball away too often, but overall I was very happy with the way we played.

"I was especially pleased for Teemu Pukki, who has had a dry spell recently, but worked really hard in training and got his reward with two goals."

Norwich were soon into their stride against a struggling Stoke side.

Todd Cantwell fired them in front after just 15 minutes following a neat one-two with Mario Vrancic and it was 2-0 just before the break as Emi Buendia charged down an attempted clearance from Morgan Fox and squared for Pukki to apply a simple finishing touch.

Stoke pulled one back just after the hour mark when a poor square pass by Dimitris Giannoulis was intercepted by Nick Powell and coolly dispatched.

But Buendia's first-time finish from a Giannoulis cross restored Norwich's two-goal advantage three minutes later and the win was wrapped up after 78 minutes as Pukki converted from the penalty spot after Joe Allen had brought down Buendia.

Stoke manager Michael O'Neill had no complaints about the result – but felt his side had contributed to their own downfall.

"Norwich are a good side and they showed that again today, but we didn't half give them a helping hand," he said.

"We have been saying too often recently that we have been playing well without getting what we deserved but that wasn't the case today – we got what we deserved.

"We knew this would be a tough test but I certainly wasn't expecting a result like 4-1 – we came here expecting to give them a good game.

"We should really have gone ahead early on but then we are weak defensively and Norwich go ahead. Their second goal just before half-time was also poor from our point of view – Morgan Fox should certainly have done better with his clearance.

"We then had a good spell and got a goal back but then we failed to pick up their runners and a few minutes later it's 3-1.

"We are on a bad run at the moment and it's something we need to address – we need to start winning games again."

Nathan Collins was carried off on a stretcher in the closing stages after appearing to fall awkwardly.

O'Neill said: "He was obviously in a lot of pain and it looks like a metatarsal injury, something like that but hopefully it's nothing too serious."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Norwich CityNorwich39259557282984
2Watford39239756263078
3Swansea CitySwansea37209845291669
4Brentford371911765392668
5Barnsley39198125043765
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8Cardiff CityCardiff3916101355381758
9Middlesbrough39168154742556
10Millwall391316103936355
11Stoke CityStoke391413124442255
12Queens Park RangersQPR381411134243-153
13Luton TownLuton38148163143-1250
14Bristol City39154203952-1349
15Blackburn RoversBlackburn391210175043746
16Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest391112163138-745
17Preston North EndPreston39136204050-1045
18Derby CountyDerby391110182942-1343
19Huddersfield TownHuddersfield37119174152-1142
20Coventry CityCoventry38912173251-1939
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38911182850-2238
22Rotherham UnitedRotherham35105203848-1035
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38108202848-2032
24Wycombe WanderersWycombe3979232661-3530

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