3/1 To Win
Derby County’s ten-game unbeaten run came to an abrupt end after they fell to a 3-0 defeat to a rampant Norwich City in East Anglia.
Nelson Oliveira will take all the plaudits for the Canaries as he sunk Steve McClaren’s side by netting a perfect hat trick at Carrow Road, helping Norwich to a first win in four outings.
A bad afternoon in the first fixture of the New Year was worsened by an injury sustained to left back Ikechi Anya, whilst Jacob Butterfield was shown a straight red card in the second half for a dangerous tackle on the impressive Wes Hoolahan.
Despite the comfortable finish for Alex Neil’s side, that was far from the case in the opening stages of this meeting with Norwich starting nervously and tentatively – unsurprisingly off the back of eight defeats in 13 games.
The Rams made a bright start with it, registering the first attempt of the afternoon as Matěj Vydra, restored to the starting line-up, bent a free kick just wide of John Ruddy’s near post after Bradley Johnson had been hauled down on the edge of the box.
Slightly against the run of play, however, Norwich made the breakthrough they so desperately craved shortly before 15 minutes, starting after the hosts seized on a sloppy pass in the middle of the park. From a central position, Oliveira collected possession and switched the ball on to his left foot, before striking a low, firm, shot beyond the reach of Scott Carson.
That served as a serious confidence booster for Neil’s Canaries, who grew in stature and dominated the majority of the contest there on, after Tom Ince saw a free kick deflected over the crossbar on 18 minutes as Derby pushed for a swift equaliser.
Steven Naismith should have doubled the advantage a lot earlier than it was, but he fired over after being picked out by Ivo Pinto in the area, whilst Jacob Murphy saw a shot deflected into the grateful arms of Carson moments later.
The Derby ‘keeper had to be on top form in a busier spell after the half hour mark as a rampant Norwich pushed for a second goal.
Murphy was denied again, whilst Carson’s stops to deny Naismith and Martin Olsson were more impressive, but he, and Derby, also needed to be rescued by the post from the resulting corner as Alex Tettey unleashed a powerful drive from the edge of the area.
Derby had rode their luck over the first half, but that only heightened over the second 45 minutes as Norwich seamlessly picked up where they left off.
Within the opening 60 seconds, Oliveira had clipped the crossbar with a cross shot that had the beating of Carson, whilst Russell Martin lashed over from inside the area after being picked out by the industrious Murphy on the left.
Despite all that pressure, the Rams had a big chance to restore parity. Ince should have bagged his ninth goal of the season after he, somehow, weaved his way into the penalty area, avoiding a number of challengers, but saw his low shot palmed away by Ruddy, before the ‘keeper bounced on the loose ball.
It proved crucial as an afternoon to forget in East Anglia got worse with two separate incidents in a three-minute spell.
Ikechi Anya was forced off shortly after the hour due to injury and McClaren’s side were soon also reduced to ten men after Butterfield had been given his marching orders for a strong challenge on Hoolahan close to the left touchline that left the home faithful in uproar.
Any hope of Derby getting back into the game were extinguished 10 minutes later as Oliveira wrapped up his hat trick with two goals in two minutes.
He doubled the hosts’ advantage on 78 minutes with a free header from Martin’s left wing cross, before his firm hit from the edge of the area nestled into the bottom corner after the Rams failed to deal with a corner.
Darren Bent, on as a substitute, did have a chance to get the Rams on the scoresheet late on, but the 32-year-old was denied by the feet of Ruddy after he been sent clear on goal. The ironic cheers from the stands that accompanied that and the period of crisp passing play that followed it from the hosts were a sign of one thing. This had been a day to forget for McClaren’s side.
Norwich City: Ruddy, Olsson, Martin (C), Naismith (Pritchard, 90), Howson, Oliveira (Jerome, 90), Hoolahan, Klose, Jacob Murphy, Pinto, Tettey
Substitutes not used: McGovern, Whittaker, Bassong, Bennett, Josh Murphy
Derby County: Carson, Baird, Keogh (C), Pearce, Anya (Hanson, 63); Johnson, Bryson, Butterfield, Ince (Bent, 82), Russell (Weimann, 46), Vydra
Substitutes not used: Mitchell, Shackell, Rawson, Vernam
Attendance: 26,422 (1,041 away supporters)
