Pukki streak sees Canaries likened to second-tier City
NATHAN JONES hailed Norwich as the Manchester City of the Championship after his Hatters became their latest victims.
A seventh straight win, courtesy of a Teemu Pukki brace and a third from Todd Cantwell, kept Daniel Farke’s side 10 points clear at the top.
Norwich beat Pep Guardiola’s side in an otherwise traumatic top-flight return last season and are close to clinching another crack at the big time.
Pukki is leading the charge, just as he did two years ago, with nine goals in his last seven games and 20 overall.
Luton boss Jones said: “At this level, these are Man City – so they are very difficult to play against. They score plenty and don’t concede much.
“We have to realise that this is the level we want to get to but we’re not there yet.”
Norwich are 11 points clear of third-placed Swansea and have 13 more than Brentford – the side they beat in midweek in a far tighter encounter than this one.
Farke said: “We were unbelievably greedy because we wanted to show a title-winning mentality.
“We wanted to prove this because that’s what winners do. Another three points, a clean sheet and three goals is really fantastic.
“I also take the compliments, it’s always good when good coaches praise your side. We don’t believe it is anything like mind games – why should Nathan play any mind games?”
The Hatters almost nicked a seventhminute lead, though, when Cantwell was robbed in his own half. Tom Ince’s ball across the box was met by a sliding James Collins, who saw his shot from six yards bounce back off a post.
Luton tails were up and Matty Pearson pinged a 25-yarder just wide of the other upright.
Pukki deflated them in the 12th minute with a cracking finish after Cantwell had set him up. The Finn took a touch and gave keeper Simon Sluga no chance from 14 yards.
A sensational passing move just before the half-hour mark saw Cantwell set up Pukki again but this time Sluga stuck out a hand to parry.
Pukki headed another chance wide, then doubled the lead two minutes before the break.
Emi Buendia’s shot was half blocked by Pearson and looped up for the striker to slide in at the back post.
Luton made a triple substitution on the hour mark that made them more solid but Cantwell still made it 3-0 in the 73rd minute. The midfielder cut in from the left and beat Sluga at his near post via a deflection off Jordan Clark.
Sub Kieran Dowell headed a decent chance to make it four over the bar as Luton accepted their fate.