Norwich City are back in the Premier League relegation zone after failing to put Crystal Palace to the sword before holding on desperately for a 1-1 draw last night.

The Canaries flew out of the blocks with a goal after just 38 seconds sending Carrow Road wild, as brilliant play from Milot Rashica on the left allowed Adam Idah to tee up Teemu Pukki for his sixth goal of the season.

Pukki should have made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute but hesitated, having seen another brilliant Rashica cross nodded away from him at the last second at close quarters just before.

However, a disallowed goal, two important Angus Gunn saves and – crucially – Wilfried Zaha firing a penalty wide, meant City were clinging on to their point at the end.

“We are very disappointed,” Rashica told BT Sport after the final whistle. “We should have won the game and finished the game earlier but we also had a little bit of luck on our side.

“They had quite a few good chances but at least it’s one point.”

After Newcastle’s win on Tuesday, Dean Smith’s team are 18th but unbeaten in three league games, ahead of tough matches against Manchester City and Liverpool.

“The first 25 minutes we had two or three very good chances, so I think we should have scored at least one or two more,” the Kosovo winger admitted.

“But we showed two different faces because it was a bit different in the first and second half, but there were a lot of good and positive things to take from the first half, so we’re looking forward to the next games.”

It had all started so well though, with Rashica skinning Joel Ward to create a raucous celebration inside 40 seconds.

“It was very good,” he added. “We were practising this a lot in training and after two or three passes were in the position, so I was very happy that it worked.”

Watford are two points behind City with a game in hand and bottom team Burnley are three behind with three games in hand. Watford host Brighton and Burnley entertain Liverpool at the weekend.