Canaries’ Farke days are over
A DAY after claiming Norwich’s bus driver could probably have collected at least two points so far this season, Daniel Farke’s journey in the Premier League was abruptly cancelled.
Despite Norwich’s first top-flight victory of the season, Farke was sacked shortly after completing his media duties.
A Norwich statement said: “Norwich City can confirm that head coach Daniel Farke has left the club with immediate effect.”
And sporting director Stuart Webber said: “This decision was not an easy one. I know how determined Daniel and his staff were to succeed at this level, but we feel that now is the right time for a change to give ourselves the best opportunity of retaining our Premier League status.
“All at Norwich City should be forever grateful to Daniel and his staff for the significant role they have played in our journey. They helped deliver two Championship titles, many memorable moments and they all fully bought into our philosophy and what it means to be part of this football club.
“Daniel and his staff will always be welcome back here.”
And all this after the Canaries’ hard-fought victory.
Their travelling fans had waited 460 minutes to see an away goal – then two came at the same time.
They had Mathias Normann to thank for that. The classy Norway midfielder glided past four defenders to break Norwich’s away-day duck on six minutes.
Then he sent Teemu Pukki clear to win and convert a 29th-minute penalty.
Rico Henry pulled a goal back on the hour and it needed the second of two point-blank saves from Tim Krul to end the Canaries’ run of 20 top-flight games without a victory.
This was a fourth straight defeat for Brentford and boss Thomas Frank admitted the big frustration is that this was the third of those games his team should have won.
He said: “I thought we started extremely well. We created two half opportunities but then Mathias
Normann turned into Messi, ran through five people and put it into the back of the net.
“In the second half there was only one team on the pitch. I can’t complain about the effort.”
The visitors took the lead with their first attack.
Normann picked up Ivan Toney’s sliced clearance 30 yards from goal, drifted past four defenders before swinging a left-foot shot past Alvaro Fernandez from 20 yards.
Brentford continued to dominate but, with an equaliser seemingly minutes away, Normann threaded a pass through for Pukki who was brought down by sub Charlie Goode. The Finn got up and sent Fernandez the wrong way. Norwich then took control until a breathless second half kicked off.
Toney’s poor touch saw the first chance disappear and Norwich broke but Pukki shot wide.
From the restart Bryan Mbeumo raced clear to put the ball in the net – only for VAR to show he was offside.
Then Krul produced another point-blank save from Norgaard’s volley.
The goal arrived when Saman Ghoddos’ far-post cross found the unmarked Henry who volleyed home inside the six-yard box.
Sergi Canos then hit two tame efforts at Krul and it took a last-ditch Mathias Jensen tackle to deny Joshua Sargent.
Then in injury time Max Aarons’ limp header fell to Goode, but he blazed horribly over.