FARKE TAKES FANS’ FLAK AS NORWICH FALTER ONCE AGAIN

AS THE full-time whistle blew after this much-needed victory for Leeds, deafening boos rang out around Carrow Road. At least half of the Norwich team sank to their knees, crestfallen, staring at the turf and Tim Krul felt the need to apologise to the home fans as he made his way off.

It is only 10 games in to this Premier League season but Norwich have already lost eight of them and the full-time scene was the sort that would be expected when a team’s relegation is confirmed.

There is a long way to go before that but that is how significant this game was for Norwich, the first in a run of five matches against opponents they would hope to collect points against. Brentford, Southampton, Wolves and Newcastle are next up and this was not the start they had in mind.

There was a response following their 7-0 battering at Chelsea — but still no Billy Gilmour — and even a rare goal, just their fourth in the Premier League in the last 20 games which have all ended without a Norwich win. Their painful lack of quality at both ends was once again evident. Andrew Omobamidele, provided them with one crumb of comfort, scoring their goal and filling in admirably at leftback. But he is naturally a centre-back and his goal came from a corner.

The misery for Daniel Farke and his side goes on and the pressure on him continues to rise. In stark contrast, Leeds did have a cutting edge provided consistently by Raphinha, scorer of their opening goal, and for the winner by Rodrigo. Also, unlike Norwich, Leeds did take this presentable opportunity to claim a victory amid the doubts creeping in about the Yorkshire side and manager Marcelo Bielsa. It was just their second league win of the season and lifted them out of the bottom three.

‘The question of where the team’s season is going is justified when we put have negative results,’ Bielsa said, ‘but it is part of our job to manage these moments, maintain the calm and transmit confidence and security. It was a very important win given our position in the table.’

For Norwich boss Farke, he was left to bemoan individual errors. ‘What is lacking is the quality in both boxes,’ he said. ‘It is not enough at this moment to stay in the league. But I still believe in myself and the players and we will keep working to turn it round.’ The first half was, at times, fast and frantic... but goalless. When the first goal came in the 56th minute, the fast and frantic action at least has some reward, for a four-minute spell at least. Daniel James’ pass found Raphinha and he cut inside, tip-toeing past a string of backtracking defenders and firing into the bottom corner with the help of a deflection. Leeds were ahead for just two minutes. Meslier was involved in a mix-up that gifted Norwich a corner and, from it, Omobamidele headed in his first career goal.

But Norwich were level for just two minutes. Kabak was dispossessed by Struijk, Kalvin Phillips slipped the ball to Rodrigo, who beat Krul with an effort that somehow dipped under the Dutchman’s arm.