Paddy Davitt rates Norwich City, who added goals to their Championship control for an impressive Bramall Lane win.
Vladan Kovacevic 7
Fine stop at his near post to keep out the influential Sydie Peck’s strike. Clawed behind another low effort from Romelle Donovan on his opposite post in a flurry from the home side.
Beaten by the accuracy and quality of Patrick Bamford’s first time finish. Took off to his left but Kalvin Phillips’ fearsome hit veered wide in a rare moment of second half alarm.
Kellen Fisher 6
Retrieval work recycled the ball for Andre Brooks and Pelle Mattsson to tee up Anthony Musaba to rifle Norwich in front.
Booked for hauling back Rhys Norrington-Davies seconds after he had perhaps escaped a caution for a tangle with Ben Brereton Diaz. Sensed the danger to dart in front of Diaz in the 28th minute and was fouled inside his own area. Cut infield for Mattsson to pull his effort wide from close range in the 64th minute.
Ruairi McConville 6
Tried to nick Diaz’s pass into the feet of Tyrese Campbell but it ended with the centre back off-balance on the stretch as Campbell rolled in Bamford to level. Very harsh booking when the referee adjudged he had kicked the ball away in the middle of the park.
Perhaps a factor in his late exit for Harry Darling. Attacked a disguised Kenny McLean free kick but the Blades deployed two markers to subdue the Northern Irishman.
Jose Cordoba 6
Slack moment in possession midway through the first half just outside his own area but recovered his ground, due in large part to Norrington-Davies’ heavy initial touch.
Looked his usual assured self in the second period with Norwich dominant, and Cordoba able to step into midfield to build the play.
Ben Chrisene 8
Superbly-timed last-ditch interception as Bamford looked to race away to set up a nervy finale.
Tracked the run of Japhet Tanganga to head clear Peck’s deep free kick. Released Anthony Musaba in the 57th minute to produce a driven near post cross that was too hot for Mo Toure. Headed over McLean’s cross before he carved another close range effort over the top.
Kenny McLean © 6
Deep corner in the 14th minute looked a pre-planned move for Brooks, who volleyed wide on his left.
Got in a tangle with Anis Ben Slimane for a Peck counter but Campbell’s cross hit Diaz and dropped wide. Helped on Mattsson’s flick for Slimane to cheekily back heel a pass that released Toure to put Norwich in front. Teed up Chrisene late on.
Pelle Mattsson 7
Grew into the game once City had got to grips with Peck. Sharp slip pass for Musaba to open the scoring. Rolled in the winger again in the 28th minute, who cut the ball back for Toure and then Brooks but his shot was blocked.
Header to McLean sparked Toure’s goal, and he repeated that again with the turnover for Musaba to race down the left and pick out Jacob Wright in the move that brough Mathias Kvistgaarden’s goal. Close range dig wide from Kellen Fisher’s set in the 64th minute.
Andre Brooks 7
Took the ball off Fisher and slipped it to Mattsson to invite Musaba forward for the Norwich opener. Scuffed a left footer wide from the same range a minute or so later.
Then cut inside his full back but choked a shot at Michael Cooper. His best chance in the first half came in the 43rd minute, when he collected from Musaba and got a left footed low shot away through the defender’s legs, but Cooper made a fine reaction stop.
Denied by Hamza Choudhury’s goalline block, which dropped to Kvistgaarden to snaffle the rebound.
Anis Ben Slimane 6
Had the awareness to back heel a perfectly pass for Toure to race away and slot a third. Slimane was already celebrating before Toure had beaten the keeper.
More edge to his retrieval work than at Stoke in midweek ,when he slide in Toure after a turnover before going for the return but the cut back was just in front of him. Another slaloming run in the 40th minute ended with Musaba's blocked shot.
Anthony Musaba 9
Barrelling run to the byline in the sixth minute took him past Tanganga to signal his intent. Superb curling right footed effort from just outside the box put Norwich in front when Cooper could only divert against the underside of his bar. Turned provider for Toure and Brooks later in the first half.
Latched onto Toure’s reverse ball in the 47th minute, but Cooper made a smart stop with his outstretched right arm at his near post. Twisted Choudhury inside out to win a corner shortly after in front of the away support.
Driven near post cross was too hot for Toure to direct goalwards. In behind again for Norwich third's with a roll into the area for Wright to tee up Brooks
Mohamed Toure 8
Eventful shift. Another instinctive finish racing away from defenders with only the keeper to beat, in a repeat of his Burnley opener.
But a crossed arms celebration in front of the Kop earned him a booking, and then a thumping mid-air challenge from Liam Kitching that saw the Sheffield United centre back rightly cautioned..
Some pleasing signs of a more rounded game in open play both with his back to goal and trying to link the play. Flicked the ball around the corner for Musaba to test Cooper in the 47th minute. Was on the move again to the near post in the 57th minute, but there was too much on the Musaba cross to direct goalwards.
Subs:
Jacob Wright (for Slimane, 61) 7
Another nudge for Clement when he calmly collected Musaba’s cross and rolled in Brooks for a shot kicked off the line for Kvistgaarden to finish. Tried to get on the scoresheet himself in the 74th minute when he wriggled free but Cooper caught a looping shot that deflected off Tanganga.
Mathias Kvistgaaden (for Toure, 61) 7
What an impact. On the pitch barely a minute or so when his predatory instincts saw him react quickest to Choudhury’s goalline clearance. Worth flagging the Dane’s awareness in the build up to run over Musaba’s cross to the unmarked Wright.
Papa Amadou Diallo (for Musaba, 70) 6
Mazy run and slip pass for Wright to get a shot off claimed by Cooper.
Harry Darling (for McConville, 85) 5
Ante Crnac (for Brooks, 85) 5
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