EFL pundits agree on Middlesbrough man Seny Dieng after pulsating Norwich City draw
Pundits Curtis Davies and Cameron Jerome agree that Middlesbrough's Seny Dieng was desperately unlucky with Norwich City's equaliser and say the goalkeeper should not be deemed at fault.
Boro squandered a two-goal lead to draw with 3-3 with Norwich at Carrow Road. The first two goals that beat the Senegal international were ultimately wonder goals from Borja Sainz, but it was the equalising that divided opinion.
Kellen Fisher's cross-turned-shot caught Dieng out at his near post. Alhough he did manage to just about scramble back and down to stop the initial cross going in, Dieng inadvertently palmed the ball out onto his own foot as it ricocheted back into his own goal.
READ MORE: Tommy Conway absolved of blame as different Middlesbrough turning point is named
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Analysing the game after for Sky Sports, former Norwich striker Jerome said: “I’m not particularly sure the goalkeeper is at fault here. I’ve watched it back a couple of times and you can see the goalkeeper is in the middle of his box, he’s anticipated the cross.
"He actually reacts really well to cover the near post. It comes off his hands and then bounces in off his foot and it’s just very unfortunate. He anticipated the deep cross into the box and is just so unfortunate. He can’t be at fault there for me."
Davies echoed Jerome's sentiments, saying: "He’s so unlucky because, I don’t know what the percentage would be but it’ll be high probability that you’ll usually have a defender there covering for if the ball goes in that area. The fact he manages to get down and save it and it still goes in is so unlucky.”
Jerome, a regular goalscorer for years across the EFL, was less complimentary about Tommy Conway's penalty, however, with the Boro striker missing an opportunity to secure a hat-trick and kill the game off before Norwich's fight back.
“It was poor execution," he said. "He took his goals really well on the day, but stepping up to take the penalty, he didn’t really look confident. He had the little stutter and then the keeper guesses the right way and it’s a really poor penalty. He’ll be really disappointed looking back at it. It does probably cost Boro in the end."