David Wagner hails ‘fantastic’ Norwich display in win over Coventry

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2024 by PA

Norwich head coach David Wagner reflected on a job well done after watching his side come from behind to beat Coventry 2-1 at Carrow Road to boost their Championship play-off challenge.

Second-half goals from Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz saw the hosts stay on the fringes of the top-six battle.

Callum O’Hare had given the Sky Blues the lead shortly after the break before they finished the game with 10 men after Liam Kitching was sent off.

Wagner said: “I thought it was a fantastic afternoon, both with the result and the performance which I also thought was top class, especially in the first half.

“We didn’t get the goal we deserved and then went behind early in the second half with a goal that was avoidable from our point of view.

“But the players reacted well and to come back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 against a top side like Coventry is a fantastic achievement.

“It was good the players from the bench made an impact and that’s how it should be. We have a competitive group so when we lose our top scorer (Jon Rowe who missed the game with a hand injury) we can cope.

“It’s another good step in the right direction and we now look forward to the next challenge at QPR next Saturday.”

Norwich’s scorers both picked up injuries in the early part of the season but now appear to be back to something nearing their best.

Wagner added: “Borja has shown he can score great goals but he also put in a shift, which was very pleasing.

“Josh has shown what a big miss he was for us for four months – he can’t be at his best yet but he is working hard and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do over the next 16 games.”

After a low-key opening period the game burst into life three minutes into the second period when the visitors took the lead.

Norwich carelessly lost possession on the edge of their box and Victor Torp was able to play in O’Hare, who tricked his way past two defenders before curling the ball past Angus Gunn.

The Canaries responded well and were back on level terms on the hour mark as Sargent rifled home the loose ball after substitute Ashley Barnes’ effort had been blocked.

The Sky Blues were forced to play the final 19 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of Kitching for bringing down Sargent as the USA international prepared to race into the box – and the home side made the extra man tell.

With six minutes of normal time remaining, Sainz exchanged passes with Barnes on the edge of the area before finding the far corner with a delightful finish to settle a keenly-contested encounter.

Coventry manager Mark Robins felt his side were unlucky to come out of the game empty-handed.

He said: “I can’t help feeling hard done by after that – we played some decent football out there and to come away with nothing was bitterly disappointing.

“There’s no doubt the red card changed the game – at that point I felt we had a good chance to go and win it.

“We were still in it with 10 men but Norwich have a lot of quality and they punished us in the end.

“In the end I think it comes down to taking chances – we scored a good goal and then Haji Wright has had an excellent chance to make it 2-0 and I think it would have been game over then, red card or not.

“The keeper has made a save but he shouldn’t have had that chance. Kasey (Palmer) has also had a great chance at 1-1 but the keeper has saved again.

“It is a disappointing result and we also lose Liam Kitching for a couple of games now as it was his second sending off while Ben Sheaf is out for six-to-eight weeks.

“But we just have to take this on the chin – the games are coming thick and fast now and there are plenty of other good players in the building.”