Norwich fans told not to blame Delia

Daniel Farke, the Norwich City manager, took full responsibility for their dismal defeat.

City supporters made it clear they no longer want celebrity chef and joint majority shareholder Delia Smith on the board but Farke jumped to her defence.

“Delia is not responsible,” said Farke. “I am responsible for this group of players. She has tried to bring success to this club. If someone has to be blamed then it has to be me.”

The German coach also insisted he was more angry with himself than his players. “I don’t blame the players, I blame myself,” he insisted. “I pointed out too much how important this game was and the players were too nervous”

When your defence is leaky and the attack dismal, as Norwich’s proved to be, then Dean Smith’s well-organised and up-tempo Brentford will sting you.

Lasse Vibe twice punished City with clinical finishes. Even a late consolation from Nelson Oliveira could not placate the faithful.

Despite Brentford’s propensity to lose points from winning positions, 21 so far this season, manager Smith was confident his side would see out the match. “I never felt they were going to score a second goal,” he said. “We managed the game very well in the second half. The players learnt from before and knew what to do.”

The London side made the early running as Ollie Watkins hit a post with a right-footed curling shot.

Angus Gunn, the Norwich goalkeeper, made a good one-handed save at full stretch to push away a Watkins header effort and was then down quickly to smother Vibe’s follow-up from the edge of the area.

Even the luxury of an unchanged line-up did not help Farke’s side and it took half an hour before they forced a good save from Daniel Bentley. Norwich’s failure to finish was compounded by their defence’s inability to clear and the lively Kamohelo Mokotjo slipped the ball into Vibe, who finished in a bottom corner in the 36th minute.

City did not learn their lesson and five minutes later Romaine Sawyers delivered another defencesplitting pass into Vibe’s path and he tucked the ball away in the same manner as before.

Oliveira took his late goal well with a low shot that beat Bentley.

Norwich City (4-1-4-1) Subs Booked Brentford (4-2-3-1)

Subs Booked Referee