Canaries flying high at top of Championship
Norwich cemented their place at the top of the Championship table with a ruthless 4-1 victory away at Swansea.
Daniel Farke’s men took full advantage of a defensive horror show in the first half to go 3-0 up thanks to a Mike van der Hoorn own goal in the 16th minute and strikes from Emi Buendia in the 24th, and Marco Stiepermann in the 37th.
Daniel James scored his first league goal on 41 minutes to give the home supporters a glimmer of hope before half-time, but that was quickly extinguished by Norwich striker Teemu Pukki who emphatically secured all the points on 60 minutes.
In-form Middlesbrough moved into second place with a 2-1 win at struggling Brentford.
Second-half goals from Jordan Hugill and Marcus Tavernier gave the visitors a two-goal cushion before Alan Judge gave the hosts hope.
Substitute Jamie Proctor denied Sheffield United the chance to go fourth as his stoppage-time goal earned Rotherham a point from a 2-2 draw.
Chris Basham’s late header had looked like handing United victory in the early game but a last-gasp leveller from Proctor left the Blades in fifth place behind Norwich, Boro, Leeds and West Brom.
United’s on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a string of outstanding saves throughout the match but Rotherham’s persistence finally paid off at the death.
Mark Duffy gave United an eighth-minute lead, before Jon Taylor’s effort levelled matters for Rotherham in the 66th minute.
Elsewhere near the top end of the table, Derby came from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough with all the goals coming before the break.
Adam Reach put the home side in front in the 12th minute, slotting the ball past Scott Carson from a narrow angle.
Derby hit back with goals from Harry Wilson in the 29th minute and Jack Marriott in the 35th to leave the Owls without a win in six games.
The win leaves Derby in sixth place in the table. In a northern derby, Preston extended their unbeaten run to eight games as they sealed a hard-fought 4-1 win over Lancashire rivals Blackburn at Deepdale.
Goals from Tom Barkhuizen on two minutes, Callum Robinson on 10, Louis Moult in the 74th and Alan Browne on 85, stretched the home side’s positive record as they produced a star-studded performance when it mattered most.
Blackburn, whose only consolation came through a second-half Danny Graham goal, are now without an away win since October 6th.