NEIL: SHOW
ALEX NEIL cut a solitary figure on the touchline as boos rang out around Carrow Road after Norwich slumped to their third straight league defeat – as an industrious Leeds United moved into the top six.
Robbie Brady and Pontus Jansson had the scores locked at 1-1 with similar headers either side of half-time, and Leeds looked a step closer to victory when Chris Wood finished off a great team move from close range.
Kyle Lafferty appeared to provide Norwich with a point going into the last few minutes, but Ronaldo Vieira’s 35-yard effort was poorly dealt with by Michael McGovern as the visitors took all three points – with a section of the home fans chanting ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ to their own manager following Wood’s goal.
“I think once they scored the goal in the second half you can see the fear about us in terms of worrying what’s going to happen from that point onwards,” Neil explained.
“The second half seems to be for whatever reasons where we have our issues.
“Three weeks ago we were sitting top of the table so I don’t think in three weeks’ time I’ve become a bad manager, or those boys have become bad players. I think what’s happened is that we’ve become a bit comfortable and now we need to show a bit of desire and a bit of b*llocks.”
Leeds showed some attacking intent after coming through some early pressure unscathed. McGovern had to fly high to his left to push Kalvin Phillips’ longrange effort away, before having his palms stung by Wood’s header from the resulting corner.
It was a set-piece at the other end that provided the opening goal though. Alex Pritchard found Brady unmarked at the front post and his high dipping header was over the line before Robert Green could get a hand to it.
Just shy of the half-hour mark it was an unmarked header that proved Norwich’s undoing. Pablo Hernandez floated a corner in, with Jansson stepping backwards away from Cameron Jerome before heading high