Paddy Davitt delivered his Chelsea verdict after Norwich City's 3-1 Premier League loss.

1. A spark?

Time will tell. But at 2-0 down to Chelsea after only 15 minutes things were not looking good for Norwich City. Dean Smith rang the changes from that limp defeat to Brentford a few days earlier but it felt like more of the same. More porous defensive work from a set piece and more evidence of no genuine threat at the other end.

But what a transformation after the break. Smith made two further personnel changes to the four prior to kick-off, but it was the belief, the intensity, the bullishness to City’s labours that genuinely jolted Chelsea out of their smooth stride.

Teemu Pukki calmly slotted a penalty that required referee Atkinson to consult a pitchside monitor to confirm what must surely rank as the most straightforward video assistant penalty call of the season, when Trevor Chalobah clearly handled Pierre Lees-Melou's cross.

At that stage Thomas Tuchel turned into Mr Angry, berating his players and dipping into his enviable roster of substitutes to bring on Romelu Lukaku and N’Golo Kante. A backhanded compliment to Norwich. No points but surely enough for Smith and his players to take into a Sunday crunch against Leeds United.

2. More like it, Milot

Rashica was front and centre of Norwich’s fightback in that second period, after a watching brief prior to the interval. That raised an eyebrow or two, given the residual attacking threat Rashica has threatened in recent weeks.

That big early miss against Brentford was a huge moment, but the Kosovan international had some illustrious Blues' defenders scattering as he demanded the ball and drove into the opposition half on numerous occasions in a pulsating Carrow Road cameo.

There was a confidence and a willingness to step up that underpinned a collective awakening from the Canaries in that second period.

Surely Rashica will return to Smith’s starting line up for what increasingly feels a pivotal afternoon at Leeds. Harness that drive and energy against a home side who similarly have major defensive issues and the City wide player could have a field day at Elland Road. But he needs to carry on where he left off against Chelsea’s high rollers. When he plays at full tilt he can drag others with him.

3. Make it stop

City’s second half riposte failed to mask yet another frustrating corner concession. Smith refuted any suggestion recently there was a structural weakness in how his side were attempting to defend corners. But Southampton, Liverpool in the FA Cup, Brentford and now Chelsea have all profited from the same source. A dead ball delivered from the right hand side, with yellow shirts unable to deal decisively with the initial near post collision.

When Mason Mount nudged Chelsea further ahead it looked at that stage as if Chalobah’s third minute header may prove academic in another thumping win for the Blues, after Norwich’s 7-0 mauling at Stamford Bridge.

But when the dust settled, it illustrated how big a moment it was in the bigger picture. Norwich know full well they do not have the quality to match a squad like Chelsea. Or the majority of the top flight for that matter. But they should be able to harness a level of defensive organisation, and a willingness to attack the ball and mark opponents when defending their own box, to a far more effective degree than in the last few games.

4. A rock and a hard place

Smith bemoaned the lack of preparation time afforded to him for Leeds due to this Chelsea fixture switch.

City as a club took the rare step of releasing a pre-emptive statement, expressing disappointment, when it was first mooted, before Chelsea’s recent FA Cup win confirmed the move.

On reflection a first Premier League start of the season for Christoph Zimmermann, and a first league appearance for Ozan Kabak since last Boxing Day, may have looked a pair of strange calls. Albeit Ben Gibson could hardly complain at his removal from the starting line up after a calamitous second half against Brentford.

Smith’s selection would have prompted further scrutiny when both Zimmermann and Kabak were unable to handle the Chelsea movement that led to Mount rifling a second past Tim Krul.

But perhaps the City boss was looking at this congested period, weighing up the rest and recovery aspect and ultimately the relative quality in the Chelsea and Leeds squads, and decided Sunday’s trip to Elland Road was the more favourable hurdle his side can clear. Or maybe not as it turned out.

Rashica was another kept in reserve but made his appearance at the interval, with Zimmermann making way. But the Premier League have done Norwich no favours. Although perhaps worth pointing out Leeds faced the same dilemma, with the Whites also in action against Aston Villa in a heavy home defeat on Thursday night as well.

5. Mathias Normann puzzle

Rashica replaced the Norwegian international at the break, following another ineffectual display from a player who prior to his festive lay-off to alleviate a pelvic-related issue looked to have talismanic properties - as well as the impressive tattoos.

Normann’s start against Chelsea was his fifth in all competitions and his fourth in the league since his return. One would have expected his influence to grow as he found his rhythm again and the confidence in his body soared.

That quality on the ball, and the ease of his passing range, marked him out earlier in the season as a dollop of class in a central midfield unit too often under the microscope for their perceived Premier League shortcomings. But against the Blues the radar was all over the place. Encapsulated by one skied ball deep into the City Stand, that had been intended for Max Aarons, which left Normann dejectedly shaking his head.

Normann’s attachment to Russian club FC Rostov had seen a flurry of social media chatter prior to this game around his contractual status in the build up. The situation remains the same. Norwich have an option to buy the midfielder. But they need much more than his current output for this partnership not to be dissolved, you suspect, come the end of the season.