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By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
It is a game Norwich City fans will be talking about for years.
Their improbable triumph over defending champions Manchester City has been a major Premier League jolt and the manner of this success surprised those supporters now used to manager Daniel Farke’s strategy.
This thrilling 3-2 win was typical of the extreme, front-foot style implemented from the German because he walked in to Carrow Road at May 2017 – and which reached its summit on Saturday night following the great reward of winning the Championship last season.
Could that work in the Premier League? Those delirious fans who greeted the final whistle on Saturday – their staff becoming the encouraged side to beat at Manchester City in 25 attempts since March 2015 – seemed in little doubt.
The time Norwich underwent an occasion in this way from Manchester City was in 2005 if the club hierarchy, Delia Smith’s most famous member, grabbed the mic at half-time once they had dropped a lead and started her notorious speech to fans.
Delia exhorted the Norwich lovers having an unscripted, impromptu address demanding:”We need a 12th man . Where do you? Where are you? Let’s be with you.”
The Canaries eventually lost that match 3-2. This could not have been a starker contrast. The joy was unconfined. Even the din ear-splitting.
Where they had been here, she knew. You couldn’t miss them and you can definitely hear them.
It turned out to be a 90 minutes in a rocking Carrow Road as every quality the rickety German Farke has thrown into his team was on display.
Noise levels had been high but the elation and also the din on the faces and from each home fan’s body language informed this magnificent narrative.
As Manchester City director Pep Guardiola, this was a menacing screen of hapless defending that has instantly brought the loss of Aymeric Laporte for 2 weeks into sharp focus into Vincent Kompany’s departure and a significant knee injury.
Liverpool have opened up a five-point gap that shouldn’t be allowed to grow any bigger year still.
Manchester City’s flaws, and the simple fact they will rely till January, will understandably be pored over.
But nothing has to be permitted to do any disservice to Norwich that was glorious.
Farke effectively had to run a head count ahead of the game after he crossed off the names of eight players.
No-one would have known as Norwich denied to feel sorry and accept they were doomed in the face of the riches of Manchester City and quality creating a performance which has been true to their supervisor and themselves.
Farke dismissed suggestions he’d go to the defensive, together with observations of the attacking approach suggesting it would leave them vulnerable to sides of quality, as demonstrated from the 4-1 loss at Liverpool and the 3-2 home defeat by Chelsea of Norwich.
He’s not taken Norwich this way to forsake his principles and this was for why those of us who tipped them for relegation may yet be ordering a large helping of humble pie May, a 95-minute advert.
Norwich may endure a little pain but that is a team which will not be left since they’re clearly decided to assault the Premier League with 32, wondering.
Farke’s beginning line-up cost the princely sum of 6.45m whereas the champions were built at a price of #406.1m – what a tribute to Norwich’s recruiting coverage.
From the early stages they had been fiercely drilled and organised into prison but make no mistakethey were entirely dedicated to strike if the opportunity presented itself and rough.
As Farke stated with the noise of celebrations reverberating across the streets outside the arena:”we would like to win each and every match and we are going to attempt to defend but together with our philosophy we can’t just press a button and then also park the bus.
“We have to go with what we’ve got and what we believe in, that will be being on the front foot. It was not possible to control the ball we had a special plan and mercifully it worked nicely.”
Backed by a raucous packed house, they delivered just two significant blows to Manchester City through Kenny McLean and Todd Cantwell, subsequently demonstrated grit and durability to shrug off the worries of Sergio Aguero’s goal right on half-time for Teemu Pukki to crucially restore their two-goal pillow.
It is a bold approach to shoot at the best level but Farke isn’t for turning and there’s absolutely no doubt he’s a group comprising the intensity and talent to win matches in the Premier League.
When measured in confidence along with self-belief and there will be enormous spin-offs out of this triumph from one of the clubs in Europe.
If any of the players supporters of Norwich have their ability to reside alongside the likes of Manchester City or any doubts regarding the style of Farke they can slide in the DVD of this memorable match.
It is almost unfair to mention names because every single player was exceptional but Ibrahim Amadou was top-class in defence although the guile, skill and energy of Emiliano Buendia is the best foil for Pukki and the strong running of the strong Marco Stiepermann.
Farke shared the second with his players in the final whistle before making a lap of the stadium by supporters.
This is a night for the champions, but the glory goes to Norwich because their season unfolds for a performance and result that could assume huge value.
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