EMI IS THE PREM DE LA PREM
Buendia set for top flight
NORWICH BARNSLEY 6........Shots on Target .........2 2 ........Shots off Target .........4 7 ................Corners .................2 5 .................. Fouls.................. 13 3 ............... Offsides.................2 70.6..Passing Success %..49.3 571........ Total Passes........290 66.7.....Possession % .....33.3 36.9..Territorial Adv %...63.1
EMI BUENDIA boosted his Premier League return chances with a wonder-goal winner.
Arsenal will be even keener on a January swoop when they check out his 62nd-minute volley.
But the Canaries are determined to keep their Argentine playmaker for a promotion push that sees them four points clear at the top.
Either way, the 24-year-old is set to be back in the big time sooner or later.
Norwich boss Daniel Farke (above right) said: “He is still our player and will be our player.
“He is a key player in our push for a really good position at the end of the season.
“I’m delighted with his performance in this game and in the last couple of months. He is a great character and totally focused. He is on a long-term contract so of course we keep him.”
Barnsley’s preparations were dented by four stars testing positive for Covid, including skipper Alex Mowatt, and they named only seven subs.
That did not stop the Tykes, with their front three pressing hard, from becoming one of the few teams to attack Norwich on their own patch this season.
And they were almost rewarded with an 11th-minute opener when Cauley Woodrow, in his 100th Barnsley game, saw his shot rear up off a defender and Luke Thomas smack the loose ball off the bar.
Norwich survived another nervy moment when Callum Brittain nipped in behind their defence, and the wing-back was in the right place in the 24th minute to stop the hosts scoring.
Mario Vrancic played Teemu Pukki in and the Finn’s shot beat keeper Jack Walton, only for Brittain to clear off the line.
Vrancic fired a longranger at Walton with Callum Styles forcing fitagain Norwich keeper Tim Krul into his first save 10 minutes before the break.
The half ended with Canaries skipper Grant Hanley heading wide, Todd Cantwell chased down by a posse of Reds in the box and Woodrow failing to hit the target at the other end.
Walton pulled off a save to deny Pukki two minutes into the restart and soon had to foil Jacob Sorensen at his back post.
Buendia’s magic moment arrived just after the hour.
Kenny McLean picked out his run behind with a long ball met first-time on the turn to beat Walton.
Norwich were mighty relieved though when defender
Michal Helik toed wide from just a couple of yards out in stoppage time.
Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael said: “Normally he would score.
“He was disappointed with this chance but it was a great feeling that the guys fought to the last minute.
“You could see Norwich were worrying about the result.”