Fifth straight win at Carrow Road takes Norwich top of the Championship

Norwich City extended their winning run at Carrow Road to five league games as they overcame bottom-placed Rotherham United 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. Goals from Wes Hoolahan, Cameron Jerome and substitute Steven Naismith secured the victory and fired City to the top of the Championship table - a place where they will now stay (until Tuesday, at least) following Huddersfield’s failure to avoid defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in Sunday’s lunch-time kick-off.

2nd hosting 24th should only ever end in one outcome but it is a well known fact that in the Championship anything can happen, whilst Norwich have a crippling habit of losing games that they are expected to win. As a result, whilst confidence was still high, it was difficult not to err on the side of caution ahead of Rotherham’s visit - especially with the prospect of some notable absences in the form of Robbie Brady and Timm Klose, both of whom picked up injuries during the international break.

As it transpired, Klose was passed fit and, whilst Brady was indeed absent, Norwich delivered a performance of dominance worthy of a top-placed side. From the offset it was Norwich on the front-foot and after 17 minutes of pressure they were rewarded as Wes Hoolahan, being Wes Hoolahan, produced a moment of magic to put Neil’s side into a 1-0 lead. Alex Pritchard, on his first league start, demonstrated brilliant vision in finding Hoolahan with a threaded through-ball, before the Irishman duly strutted his stuff - a neat body-swerve taking it past one Rotherham defender, before a dummy-shot committed a second and the goalkeeper, leaving Wes to slot home into an empty net. At 34-years-old Hoolahan still continues to amaze and yesterday was no different: this world is his and we are merely living in it.

The pattern of play following the goal was much the same as Norwich continued to dictate. Pritchard, having assisted Hoolahan’s opener, looked impressive and he was heavily involved in almost everything good City did going forward. The 23-year-old has had a slow start to his Norwich career, struggling to force his way into Neil’s plans, but the injury to Brady has provided him with an opportunity to stake his claim and on Saturday he did just that. A diminutive figure, little taller than Hoolahan, he has skill and vision in the abundance and many Norwich fans will be hoping that he and James Maddison will be the long-term heirs to the aforementioned Hoolahan.

Despite the dominance, City failed to extend their lead before the break and the Carrow Road faithful had to wait until the 65th minute to see their side give themselves a cushion. This time Hoolahan turned provider, as he crossed in for Cameron Jerome who finished neatly, helping the cross on its way into the bottom right-hand corner of Lee Camp’s goal. The goal marks Jerome’s 6th of the season - already double that of last season’s tally - and he is rightly earning plaudits for his performances.

Norwich have continuously proven this season that a two goal lead is never safe, but it was hoped that this time, for once - against a Rotherham side that offered very little - we would see a game out comfortably. This wasn’t to be the case, however, and with a sense of inevitably Dexter Blackstock pulled a goal back for Rotherham in the 75th minute. Weak defending from Josh Murphy saw him far too easily beaten down the left before Timm Klose failed to clear the resulting cross which was bundled home by Blackstock. Yet another sloppy goal conceded in a season riddle by conceding sloppy goals. Sooner or later, we will be punished for it (like at St James’ Park).

Despite nerves being evident around Carrow Road, Norwich were largely in the ascendancy for the remaining quarter of an hour and a City third always looked more likely than a Rotherham equaliser. In the final minute of normal time this proved to be the case as Josh Murphy, making amends for his role in Rotherham’s goal, stormed down the left and delivered a menacing ball across the box for Steven Naismith to tap home at the back post. 22 attempts on goal later, the three points had now finally been secured.

So, that is now five wins and one draw from our opening six home games and Carrow Road is quickly developing into the fortress that we will need it to be this season. The only real qualm with the result is that we should have scored more and made it far more comfortable for ourselves, but, sitting pretty on the top of the Championship, on the back of yet another win - it is difficult to complain. Alex Neil has proven that he is capable of beating the Manager of the Month curse, now it is time for him to prove that he can break the ‘Fulham away hoodoo’ on Tuesday night, a place where City haven’t won since 1986.