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By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
It is a game Norwich City fans will talk about for several decades.
Their unlikely victory over defending champions Manchester City turned into the manner of the victory and an important Premier League jolt surprised even those supporters now accustomed to this bold way of director Daniel Farke.
This thrilling 3-2 win was typical of their intense, front-foot style implemented from the German since he walked in to Carrow Road in May 2017 – and which reached its peak here on Saturday night following the wonderful benefit of winning the Championship last year.
Could that work in the Premier League? Those delirious fans who greeted the final whistle – their team becoming the side that was promoted to beat at Manchester City in 25 efforts – seemed in doubt.
The time Norwich experienced an event like this against Manchester City had been in 2005 when the most famous member of this club hierarchy, Delia Smith, grabbed the mic once they’d lost a guide and started her speech to supporters.
Delia exhorted the Norwich lovers with an unscripted, impromptu speech requiring:”We need a 12th man . Where do you? Where do you? Let’s be with you.”
The Canaries lost that match 3-2. This could not have been a starker contrast. The joy was unconfined. Even the din ear-splitting.
She understood where they were here. They could not be missed by you and you can certainly hear them.
It turned out to be a crazy 90 minutes in a rocking Carrow Road as was on screen.
Noise levels were high but the sheer elation and also the din on the faces and into the body language of every home fan informed this magnificent story.
In terms of Manchester City director Pep Guardiolathis was an ominous display of hapless defending that has instantly brought Aymeric Laporte for just 2 months’ loss into a significant knee injury and Vincent Kompany’s passing into focus.
Liverpool have opened a five-point gap which must not be permitted to grow any larger, even with this season .
The defects, and the fact that they will rely before January of manchester City, will be pored over.
But nothing has to be permitted to perform any disservice to Norwich.
Farke had to run a head count after he crossed off the names of eight players.
No-one would have known as accept they had been doomed from quality and the face of the riches of Manchester City and Norwich denied to feel sorry for themselves producing a performance which has been true to their supervisor.
Farke dismissed suggestions he would go to the defensive, using observations of the attacking approach suggesting it will render them vulnerable to sides of quality, as demonstrated by the 4-1 loss at Liverpool and the 3-2 home defeat by Chelsea of Norwich.
Norwich has not been obtained by him this way to forsake his principles and this was for why those of us who tipped them may be ordering a large helping of humble pie May, a 95-minute advert.
Norwich may suffer a little pain over the way but that is a team which won’t be left since they are clearly determined to attack the Premier League wondering.
Farke’s beginning line-up cost the princely sum of 6.45m whereas the winners were constructed at a price of 406.1m – just what a tribute to Norwich’s recruiting coverage.
From the early stages they organised and were drilled from prison but make no mistakethey were committed to strike if the opportunity presented itself and rough.
As Farke said with the noise of celebrations reverberating around the streets away from the stadium:”we would like to win each and every match and we are going to try to guard but with our philosophy we can not just press a button and 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 feasible to control the ball so we had a special plan and thankfully it worked well.”
Backed by a raucous packed home, they delivered just two heavy blows to Manchester City through Kenny McLean and Todd Cantwell, then showed grit and durability to stave off the worries of Sergio Aguero’s goal right on half-time to get Teemu Pukki to restore their two-goal pillow.
It’s a bold approach to shoot at the best level for turning, but Farke is not and there’s absolutely no doubt he’s a group comprising the strength and ability to win matches in the Premier League.
And there will be huge spin-offs from this win from one of the teams in Europe when measured in confidence along with self-belief.
If any one of the players supporters of Norwich have their ability to reside together with the likes of Manchester City or any doubts about the style of Farke they can slip in the DVD of the memorable match.
It’s almost unfair to name names because every participant was outstanding 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 running of their strong Marco Stiepermann.
Farke shared the second with his players in the final whistle before making a lap of the scene amid roars of adulation from exultant fans.
This is a night for those champions, but the glory goes to Norwich for a performance and effect that could assume tremendous significance as their season unfolds.
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