Coventry City 2 - 4 Norwich City
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:27 pm
Wagner's Norwich hit four to stun Coventry
Norwich City won a six-goal classic at Coventry as they hit four away goals for the second Saturday running.
David Wagner's Canaries stunned the Sky Blues with three goals in the space of 12 first-half minutes - a Michael Rose own goal, added to by Onel Hernandez and Josh Sargent.
At 3-0 down in the 18th minute, Coventry responded with two quick-fire goals of their own from captain Jamie Allen and then a second from a powerful left-foot shot by top scorer Viktor Gyokeres credited to Kasey Palmer.
From 3-2 up at half-time, Kieran Dowell fashioned an excellent fourth goal for himself on 65 minutes.
That meant four goals away from home for Norwich for the second week running after last Saturday's 4-0 win at Preston - and it was also a second successive game in which Coventry have let in four, following the FA Cup third round exit to non-league Wrexham.
Coventry were stunned on six minutes when they were wrong footed by the near-post headed flick to a right-wing Canaries corner and the ball flew in from close range.
It looked as though Norwich skipper Grant Hanley might be claiming it, but TV replays showed it actually went in off home defender Rose.
Norwich doubled their lead just four minutes later when the ball was transferred across to the left side of the box. Hernandez cut back inside to get it on to his right foot but his half-hit deflected shot foxed Sky Blues keeper Ben Wilson, who, diving to his left, could only get half a glove on it - and not enough to stop it going in.
On 18 minutes, Teemu Pukki did well to get to the right byline and pull back for Sargent to find the bottom left corner with a low right-foot shot, making it 3-0.
However, the home response was almost instantaneous as, just two minutes later, Jake Bidwell pulled the ball back from the right byline and Allen fired home a right-foot volley from 12 yards.
And then after another six minutes, Fankaty Dabo's ball in from the right broke to Gyokeres and his left-foot shot on the turn flew in, getting a final touch from Palmer on its way and taking it to 3-2.
Palmer was credited with the goal but it may yet be another one to add to the growing Gyokeres collection.
It was a quieter affair after the break. But the game's best goal came during this spell when Dowell feinted to his right, then went left to outfox the Sky Blues defence and powered home a superb left-foot finish.
With Hernandez hitting the post and Pukki blocked by keeper Ben Wilson when clean through, Coventry were perhaps grateful that the defeat was not a heavier one.
Coventry are back in Championship action next Saturday at home to Huddersfield Town (15:00 GMT).
Norwich, who are also out of the FA Cup, have a week longer to wait for their next league game - at home to leaders Burnley on Saturday, 4 February (12:30).
Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:
"If you try to pass it against them, they'll kill you. It's the space that kills you. Time on the ball. And we gave them too much time.
"You've got to learn these lessons. Preston did the same last week and they were 3-0 down in 20 minutes. They've got top players. And you need numbers at the back. You've got to able to defend man v man.
"But our season isn't defined against the likes of Burnley and Norwich. It's what happens next that counts."