Leandro lets off fireworks as Norwich lack sparkle
GRAHAM POTTER needed a spark. He turned to his bench and managed to pick out the man who would provide it.
On a wet and windy day, Leandro Trossard came on and managed to light the fuse.
A game-changer the week before, this time he was the match-winner, providing the goal and assist that saw Brighton ease past Norwich.
His tap-in broke the Norwich resistance; his free-kick gave Shane Duffy the platform to wrap up the win.
Neither goal was a rocket but, just before bonfire night, Potter did not mind. His Seagulls super-sub had done it again.
Potter hailed the Belgian after the game, saying: ‘In the final third he’s especially good because he can see a pass, he can finish, he can take a touch and make good decisions.
‘We’re delighted for him. He’ll be frustrated because he’ll want to start matches.
‘But, because he’s been out since the end of August, it’s nice to have him to be able to help the team in the back end of the game when it becomes more open.’
Norwich have struggled since their memorable home win against Manchester City, while Brighton have quietly gone about their business.
It was no surprise to see Potter name an unchanged line-up, while Norwich made three changes from their defeat by Manchester United.
Aiming for a third straight win at home in the Premier League for just the second time in their history, Brighton came out flying.
Aaron Connolly sent a shot wide in the second minute with Pascal Gross screaming for the ball on the edge of the area.
But Norwich were not just here for a rainy jaunt to the seaside and came close to opening the scoring when Marco Stiepermann beat Mat Ryan with a lob, only to see his effort bounce back off the bar.
As time wore on though, the visitors looked more and more like a team without a win in five.
The impressive Steven Alzate beat the defence with a dribble before Norwich keeper Tim Krul denied him with an outstretched foot and then, in the 22nd minute, he sent a volley inches wide.
Brighton did not even look shaky when record signing Adam Webster had to be taken off on a stretcher and replaced by Duffy in the 36th minute.
By the interval, it was hard to see how Brighton had not taken the lead. Neal Maupay would have been kicking himself after firing over from yards out in stoppage time.
After a series of further misses, Potter eyed up his options and settled on Trossard. Just before the hour mark, he sent on the 24-year-old and soon enough had his reward. Brighton worked the ball well down the right and Martin Montoya swung in a cross. Trossard dashed across Ben Godfrey and met the ball first, sending it past Krul.
Norwich manager Daniel Farke said: ‘The first goal was disappointing because it was not necessary to concede a goal in this situation. The ball was out, there was a one-minute break and, after the break, you have to be sharp and more switched on for us to block the cross and defend the movement on the front post.
‘All week we spoke about how their strikers were not the people who will win the crosses with a header but they have good movement. We were aware of this but did not bring it on the pitch in a key moment.’
Equally bad was their marking for the second when Duffy got on the end of Trossard’s high, curling free-kick.
Farke made two changes just before the free-kick and admitted afterwards: ‘I’m a bit self-critical because I never substitute when there’s a set-piece for the opponent because you sometimes you lose your structure a bit.’
In contrast, Potter’s own alterations paid off. ‘Over the last couple of weeks the subs have helped us over the line,’ he said.
‘They want to start but they want to help the team even if they don’t. They want to make a contribution.’
While Duffy’s introduction was forced, Trossard’s was pure prescience. Potter’s choice of spark lit up the match.