Norwich 2-0 Sunderland: Tettey wonder goal brings home comforts for Hughton
Match zone
Click here for your ultimate stats package from the big game, including this set of elaborate passes that led to Alex Tettey's goal.
How pivotal will this result prove to both these sides come the end of the season?
Sunderland may have games in hand courtesy of two unfulfilled cup runs but as Canaries boss Chris Hughton pointed out, nothing beats having the points on the board and Norwich are now seven clear of the drop zone.
No wonder the mood at the final whistle was euphoric, made even sweeter by all the other results affecting the teams hovering around the bottom.
Make no mistake, Norwich have struggled to score goals all season and have been woeful away from home.
Had they lost, they might arguably have imploded, with three out of the current top four plus Manchester United providing a dangerous run-in.
Canaries singing: Alex Tettey fires in a contender for goal of the season at Carrow Road
Wonder goal: Alex Tettey wheels away after scoring to give Norwich a 2-0 victory over Sunderland
First blood: Robert Snodgrass opened the scoring with a left-footed shot on 19minutes
Huddle: Norwich team-mates crowd around Alex Tettey to celebrate the his first-half screamer
Match facts
Norwich (4-4-2): Ruddy 6; Martin 6, Yobo 6.5, Bassong 6.5, Olsson 6.5; Snodgrass 7, Howson 7, Tettey 7.5, Hoolahan 6 (Redmond 89); Elmander 6 (Johnson 87), van Wolfswinkel 5.5 (Hooper 71 6).
Subs not used: Bunn, Whittaker, Gutierrez, Becchio.
Booked: Snodgrass, Howson
Manager: Chris Hughton 8
Sunderland (4-5-1): Mannone 5; Bardsley 5, O'Shea 5, Brown 4.5, Alonso 3; Johnson 5 (Scocco 71 5), Bridcutt 5, Colback 4 (Larsson 40 5), Ki 4 (Cattermole 39 5.5), Borini 5; Altidore 4.
Subs not used: Ustari, Celustka, Giaccherini, Vergini.
Booked: Cattermole, Bridcutt, Alonso, Colback
Sent off: Alonso
Manager: Gus Poyet 4
Referee: Phil Dowd 7
MOTM: Tettey
Attendance: 26,654
*Ratings from SAM CUNNINGHAM at Carrow Road
But ‘win your home games’ is one of football’s old adages and at Carrow Road they have invariably come up trumps when the going gets tough and put on an impressive show for the visit of Gus Poyet’s men.
Poyet had pledged to attack but instead the home side tore into his flimsy rearguard straight from the off.
Attack followed attack and just as Sunderland seemed to have weathered the bombardment, Johan Elmander picked up a poor clearance from Wes Brown and teed up Robert Snodgrass who finished coolly.
The permanently misfiring Ricky van Wolfswinkel fluffed a golden chance for 2-0 but it wasn’t long before the lead was doubled with a contender for goal of the season, a 35-yard screamer from Alex Tettey which, nine times out of ten, would have flown wide or over but was hit with inch-perfect precision to collective gasps of wonderment.
The home crowd lapped it up, shaking their clappers – those modern-day rattles which make an awful din but certainly add to the atmosphere when things are going to plan – with passionate gusto.
Cue two immediate midfield substitutions by Poyet and as the shadows lengthened, so Sunderland stopped chasing them. Yet for all their second-half improvement, they didn’t work John Ruddy enough except for one terrific save from Wes Brown’s strong header.
‘It’s been an up and down season for us but we are one of eight or nine sides who have struggled for consistency,’ said Hughton, whose team should possible have won by more.
Support act: Robert Snodgrass points to Johan Elmander after being set up for the opening goal
It was all yellow: Robert Snodgrass celebrates in front of home fans after his goal puts Norwich in the lead
High-five: Sebastian Bassong (L) slaps hands with goal scorer Alex Tettey after he eases relegation fears
Sleep easier: Norwich manager eased the pressure on his job after calls that he should be sacked
Season at glance
- Premier League
- Premier League
- Championship
- League One
- League Two
- Scottish Premiership
- Scottish Div 1
- Scottish Div 2
- Scottish Div 3
‘But we’ve good at home and today I thought we were excellent. We needed a reaction from last week and because of the opposition we knew how big this was. Alex is not going to score many goals but it will be shown time and time again.’
'It has been a good day for us,' he added.
'More important than those results it has been a good day for us here. Ultimately, the results from now until the end of the season will determined where we are and we have to make sure our results our good enough.
'It is important to have a big a gap from where we are to the bottom three as possible. Last weekend we lost and other results didn't go our way, today they did.'
'We didn't shy away from the fact we knew it was a big game. We knew it was big and I thought we excellent from start to finish.
'They changed things and got the extra player up front. We have been good here at Carrow Road this year and haven't conceded many goals, that is equally as important.'
The one consolation for Sunderland is that all their rivals dropped points but with every passing week, the jitters will increase as the Black Cats strive to extend their seven-year stay in the top flight.
You're off! Marcos Alonso of Sunderland is shown a red card for handball in extra-time
Lean on me: Robert Snodgrass (R) of Norwich City blocks off Sunderland defender Wes Brown
Swedish sandwich: Sunderland defenders Wes Brown (L) and John O'Shea get ahead of Johan Elmander
Rally call: John Ruddy shouts encouragement to his defence as Norwich hold out for a clean sheet
Waste of money? Norwich may have won but record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel failed to impress again
DISTANCE COVERED STATS
MINS PLD KM MILES
Norwich - total 111.6 69.3
Robert Snodgrass 90 11.7 7.3
Alexander Tettey 90 11.4 7.1
Wes Hoolahan 89 11.2 7.0
Sunderland - total 115.6 71.8
Marcos Alonso 89 11.6 7.2
Fabio Borini 90 11.2 7.0
Liam Bridcutt 90 11.1 6.9
- Data courtesy of EA SPORTS, Official Sports Technology Partner of the Premier League
Poyet conceded his side, who have the unenviable task of going to Liverpool on Wednesday, deserved nothing.
‘We were bad on the day plus Norwich were very brave,’ he said. ‘The second goal was from was not from this planet but if I could I'd have changed seven or eight players. It was so unexpected but while we definitely need to play better, I’m not that worried - not when you consider where we were when I first arrived.’
Poyet was also aware that results elsewhere had cushioned the blow of defeat but will not be relying on other sides to help him in his quest to keep Sunderland in the top flight.
'If
we keep looking at the rest and that results went good for us today, we
forget about ourselves. You need to make sure you do your bit because
that is what you are getting paid for.'
Poyet made two tactical substitutions five minutes before half-time but refused to single out Ki Sung-yueng and Jack Colback, the players hauled off, and was left upset by a slow start.
Stuck in the middle: Robert Snodgrass (C) battles with Sunderland's Marcos Alonso (L) and Lee Cattermole
Chasing the game: Sunderland striker Fabio Borini (R) tries to get the ball off Norwich's Jonny Howson
Tight marking: Adam Johnson (L) fends off a challenge from Norwich goal scorer Alex Tettey
Eastern promise: Sunderland midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng gets past Norwich's Wes Hoolahan
On the inside: Johan Elmander (L) cuts in to evade Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley
Gaffers: Norwich boss Chris Hughton and Sunderland's Gus Poyet speak ahead of the game
Let's be 'aving yer! Celebrity chef and joint majority shareholder Delia Smith watches from the stands
'They made me make decisions I don't like - I don't like changing players in the first half. It wasn't a case of one or two players, It was seven or eight but you cant change seven or eight,' he said.
'I think it is very disappointing when you start a game with the importance of today the way we did.'
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Comments (27)
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Gordon Bennett...... I thought Norwich were poor, especially on their travels, but Sunderland were absolutely shocking. They have to be the third team to go down with Cardiff and Fulham.
Unfortunately little unknown tettey doesnt play for man united so the media couldnt care less about his wonder strike
Why does he still keep playing Wolfswinkle? My dogswinkle could have put at least one of those balls in the net!!
LALAS HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA BIG BREATH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Who won the Friendship Trophy ? Sunderland could have had a good season if it wasn't for the Gaff's in defence....could cost them a place in the Premiership.
Geordie checklist 1) did sunderland play? 2) did they win? 3) what was the attendance? 4) did newcastle play?
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Harris Pilton, Harrogate, United Kingdom, 12 minutes ago
I said at the time of the derby defeat that this season still had a lot to offer for Newcastle fans. Nothing to do with us, of course, just the unfolding comedy turn down the road. And yes Gazza, of course we are delighting in your surrender.As all fans know, if your team wins the only thing that can add to that warm feeling of satisfaction, is watching your local rivals getting hammered. And so it is panning out....this is going to be a GREAT end to the season. Send us a postcard from Blackpool or Bournemouth....or wherever you will be next season !!