Middlesbrough continued their rapid rise up the Championship table as they beat Norwich 2-1 at Carrow Road to make it six league wins on the trot.

Michael Carrick’s rejuvenated side never looked back after Sam Greenwood opened the scoring in the first minute of the second half.

Substitute Sammy Silvera completed a deserved win by netting a second in stoppage time and although Jonathan Rowe pulled one back at the death, his eighth goal of the season was no more than a consolation for the struggling hosts.

It was a second home defeat in the space of four days for the Canaries, who have slumped alarmingly after a bright beginning to the season.

After a slow start Boro had the better of a scrappy first half and carved out a number of decent opportunities as the game passed the half-hour mark.

Josh Coburn sent a close-range header straight at George Long after the home goalkeeper had punched a Jonny Howson high into the night sky and then Lukas Engel fired just over after being set up by a glorious crossfield ball from Isaiah Jones.

The visitors went even closer a few minutes later as the hosts carelessly coughed up possession deep inside their own half, allowing Hayden Hackney to bear down on goal but, although his shot beat Long, defender Shane Duffy was behind him to block.

After the recalled Marcelino Nunez had got an early shot on target, Norwich barely threatened despite having plenty of the ball and were booed off by some fans at the break.

The mood of the home faithful hardly improved when Boro took the lead 33 seconds into the second period
following a woefully misplaced pass by defender Dimi Giannoulis.

Hackney nipped in to intercept and sent Coburn racing through and the youngster simply squared for an unmarked Greenwood to slide the ball home with ease.

Norwich responded in spirited fashion, with Nunez cracking a shot against the crossbar after being fed by Giannoulis and Ben Gibson sending a powerful header inches wide against his former club.

Boro seemed content to soak up the pressure and rely on the occasional counter-attack and as the half wore Norwich struggled to get a clear sight of goal themselves.

It was the visitors who wrapped up the points in the second minute of stoppage time when substitute Silvera picked up a loose ball and skipped into the area before guiding a low shot into the bottom corner.

Rowe produced a tremendous finish from a tight angle to reduce the arrears in the ninth minute of added time but there was no time for another Norwich response.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke was full of praise for his players as they recovered from a 2-0 half-time deficit to win 3-2 at his former club Norwich.

The visitors moved up to third in the Championship table after producing a storming second-half display to maintain their upward momentum.

Farke admitted Norwich had given him an almighty scare but was delighted his new team found a way to prevail.

He said: “I am exhausted and ready for the sofa after that. It was a great game, a really good advert for the Championship between two good sides.

“Norwich made it very difficult for us, as I knew they would, but in the end I thought it was a deserved win.

“In the first half we created more chances than you would expect but we missed them and Norwich scored twice.

“Normally when you are 2-0 down at half-time you would say there was something wrong but I thought, no, we are playing well. We just need to stay on it and be more clinical and we were.

“It was a brilliant second half for us and a massive three points and all the praise has to go to the players. These sort of wins are the best when it comes to building up confidence and we are all delighted.”

Farke was jubilant at the final whistle but said he kept his celebrations in check out of respect to the home fans.

“It was quite emotional for me coming back to Norwich, which will always be a special place for me,” he said.

“I had four-and-a-half unbelievable years here. So I didn’t think it would be right to dance around and celebrate over the moon, even though I was so happy with my lads.”

Leeds wasted chance after chance in the opening period and were punished as Norwich took two of theirs.

Shane Duffy opened his account for the Canaries by heading home a fourth-minute corner from Gabriel Sara, who doubled their advantage in the 43rd minute when he powered through some weak tackling to blast home.

The visitors got back in it just past the hour mark as Duffy scored at the wrong end, deflecting a Dan James cross into his own net after it had eluded keeper George Long, on for the injured Angus Gunn.

The fortunate break gave Leeds the impetus to go on and win it, with Crysencio Summerville producing well-taken strikes in the 77th and 85th minutes to turn the game on its head.

Norwich head coach David Wagner felt there were positives for his team despite the heartbreaking finish.

“In football you get praised if you win and criticised if you lose but sometimes you have to look beyond the result,” he said.

“I have mixed emotions because although I am obviously disappointed with the result there were many things about our performance that pleased me.

“My job is not to get carried away if we win of it we lose. It is to look at the performance and if we continue to perform at a good level like that we will start winning games again.

“We were up against a very good side and that is why we conceded more chances than we would normally do.

“But we created plenty ourselves and I feel really sorry for the lads because they have put in a real shift out there.

“I saw plenty of good things although I was not happy with the way we defended for the first and third goals and that is something we need to look at.”

Daniel Farke made a triumphant return to Carrow Road as his Leeds side hit back to record a dramatic 3-2 victory over his former club Norwich.

The Canaries were two goals to the good at the break, with Shane Duffy heading home early on and Gabriel Sara firing in just before the interval.

But Duffy scored at the wrong end to bring Leeds back into it just after the hour mark and a late double from star man Crysencio Summerville turned the match on its head and earned the visitors all three points.

The defeat continued a poor run from the Canaries while it maintained the upward momentum of the visitors, who have now lost just once in 10 Championship games.

It was an action-packed first half with Norwich scoring early and late and Leeds missing a whole host of chances in between.

The Canaries went in front after just four minutes when the first corner of the game from Sara was headed in at the near post by Duffy, with the defender’s first goal for the club owing much to some poor marking from the visitors.

Farke’s side reacted to the early setback in impressive fashion but lacked a killer touch in front of goal.

Summerville curled an effort just wide and Georginio Rutter fired straight at Angus Gunn before three presentable chances were wasted in the space in three minutes midway through the half.

Glen Kamara was off target after playing a neat one-two with Rutter and Joel Piroe also got his angles wrong after being put through by Dan James before Rutter fired another effort wide.

It was by no means all Leeds, however.

City also had their moments after the disruption of losing Gunn to what looked liked a thigh injury, with George Long coming on for his league debut on the half-hour mark.

Their efforts were rewarded on 43 minutes when they stretched their lead.

Onel Hernandez did well to pick out Sara in a crowded area after a burst down the left and the Brazilian midfielder muscled his way through some weak tackling to blast the ball home.

Leeds continued to press after the break but they needed a slice of good fortune to reduce the arrears on 63 minutes.

James did well to get to the byline after a swift counter-attack and his cross evaded Long before hitting the back-tracking Duffy and trickling over the line.

Illan Meslier did well to tip a curling free-kick from Sara around the post and then parry an effort from Jack Stacey as Norwich sought to restore their two-goal advantage.

But Leeds kept pushing and got a deserved equaliser on 77 minutes.

Norwich left Summerville unmarked on the edge of the box at a corner and were punished as the Dutchman fired home in impressive fashion, with his looping shot going in off the far post.

Leeds completed a dramatic turnaround as Summerville scored his second eight minutes later after Norwich had been caught short at the back when pushing forward.

Summerville had a clear run at goal from inside his own half and made the most of it as he powered forward before cutting inside and burying a low shot past the exposed Long.

Angus Gunn feels like he has been a Scotland player for years given the way he has fitted into the squad and enjoyed some major memories.

Now he believes he and his Scotland team-mates can cap off an extraordinary six months by getting a result in Spain on Thursday and qualifying for Euro 2024.

The goalkeeper only made his debut in March but has experienced victory over Spain – on his second appearance – and a dramatic comeback win against Norway in Oslo.

In five competitive games, the Norwich player has only conceded one goal – an Erling Haaland penalty.

“It’s been seamless really,” the 27-year-old said. “The lads have made it so easy for me, the coaching staff as well have been great.

“It’s like I’ve been here for years. I feel very comfortable and obviously the results help. I am really enjoying it and hopefully it can carry on for years to come.

“I definitely feel I am getting more comfortable every camp, that’s only natural. I have definitely grown in confidence every time.”

Gunn represented England at youth level up to the under-21s and was also called up to the senior squad in 2017, but eventually opted to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for Scotland.

“International football is the pinnacle of any player’s career really,” the former Southampton and Manchester City keeper said.

“From my point of view I wasn’t playing regularly at my club to warrant playing international football.

“When I was, and when I spoke to the manager here and decided to come and be involved, things have gone from strength to strength confidence-wise and given me the boost I feel like I needed in my career

“It’s been an unbelievable year and hopefully we can push on and go that one step further.”

Gunn has found himself reliving the special moments while away from international duty.

“It’s been unbelievable the nights we have had so far,” he said. “Beating Spain and going to Norway and getting that last-minute winner.

“I find myself at home watching all the videos back and the commentaries. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind but it’s been unbelievable and hopefully there’s more to come.

“Every time I watch them I get goosebumps. Kenny (McLean)’s winner in Norway, I always go back to the club and play it loud in the changing room so all the lads can hear it.

“Those kind of moments live long in the memory of the fans and not just them, it’s the players as well.”

His father, Bryan, also has six caps for Scotland and the former Aberdeen and Norwich goalkeeper is making the most of his son’s involvement.

“He was over in Norway as well, he was enjoying it with the Tartan Army,” Gunn said.

“I remember seeing him after the game and he was pretty… jolly.

“All my family are on a journey with me as well. Fingers crossed everything goes well, I think it will be a proud moment for them to hopefully come over to a major tournament and see me play.”

Scotland will qualify if they get a point in Spain or if Norway fail to beat Cyprus on the same night – or subsequently fail to beat the Spaniards on Sunday.

Steve Clarke’s men want to get the job done themselves after beating Spain 2-0 at Hampden in March.

“We are confident,” Gunn said. “It’s a great atmosphere in the squad. We have done unbelievably well so far and we are nearly there so it’s down to us to stay professional and go over to Spain and hopefully get the result we want.

“With what we have done so far, we have given ourselves the confidence that we can go there and get a result, and obviously the points we have on the board gives us less pressure to get a result, so we can play with more freedom and hopefully, like we have done at Hampden, go away and score a few goals as well.”

Mark Robins admitted his disappointment as Coventry salvaged a point against Norwich with a 1-1 draw at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Ben Gibson’s 88th-minute own goal handed the Sky Blues a point and maintained their unbeaten home start to the season after Jonathan Rowe poked in his sixth of the season before half time.

The Sky Blues had chances to take all three points after Milan van Ewijk and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto had chances to steal all three points in added time.

Robins explained: “We deserved a point very much so, but I think we can be a little bit disappointed that we didn’t go on and win it.

“During the game that’s the first time we feel that we’ve been able to have any sort of meaningful possession, and even though we went behind we knew we were in the game.

“We got in at half-time at 1-0 and we knew we were in the game, well in it. The fact that we were shows that there’s been a significant step forward been taken.

“The fact that we ended up pinning them in for large parts of the second half and especially at the end, when I made the changes, I think that had a benefit because it re-energised us, which was really important.

“The ball into the penalty area for the own goal, the quality on the ball meant that Gibson had to head it and thankfully it hit the back of the net.

“It keeps our unbeaten record at home intact and that’s huge. This point is a big point on the back of the two previous wins, so seven points from three games is really good and we can look forward to building, and hopefully we can start to get a few players back now and hopefully things will start to look a little bit better after the international break.”

Norwich manager David Wagner rued the missed chances that could have seen his side double their lead in the second half as he reflected on a hard-fought point on the road following three consecutive away defeats.

“The result is because we conceded so late, even if I can say I think it was a fair result.” said the former Huddersfield boss. “I was very pleased with how the players execute our idea, to give Coventry a little bit possession, make sure we defend from a low block and be a threat on the transition.

“I think it worked, they put in a real shift. Obviously, you have to defend your crosses and you have to have some blocks but there were no real big chances which I’ve seen over a long period.

“We scored a great counter press goal and had two further golden opportunities from Adam Idah and Liam Gibbs where we have to kill the game, especially in the second half where we had this period of 25-30 minutes where we were very comfortable on the ball, there we have to kill the game and this is unfortunately what we haven’t done.

“If you defend crosses then always a mistake can happen what happened and then you concede a goal and obviously the feeling is totally different even if you have done exactly the same game, exactly the same performance because the outcome is different, but I was pleased with the effort, with the togetherness, with the commitment, it was a hard fought point which they deserved.”

Ben Gibson’s late own goal handed Coventry a point as they came from a goal behind to draw 1-1 with Norwich.

Jonathan Rowe had prodded Norwich ahead in the first half before Gibson headed through his own net to prevent a first Coventry home defeat since April.

The Canaries came into the weekend with three away defeats on the bounce and had conceded the most goals away from home in the Championship.

David Wagner made four changes to his starting line-up and the Canaries made the brighter start as former Coventry academy graduate Sam McCallum fizzed a cross across goal which narrowly evaded the sliding Adam Idah.

Rowe, Gabriel Sara and Idah all had efforts at goal inside the opening six minutes as Norwich looked for an early opener.

Liam Kitching was making his first start for the Sky Blues since his summer move from Barnsley and he came closest for Coventry in the opening 45 minutes as Angus Gunn was forced to beat away his goal-bound header.

Josh Eccles was left rueing his mistake on the edge of the box when he lost possession to Liam Gibbs, who was making just his second start of the season.

The Norwich midfielder drove into the box and his backheel picked out Jack Stacey, who calmly played in top scorer Rowe to take a touch and poke his effort beyond Ben Wilson.

It was the first time Coventry, who had earned back-to-back wins against QPR and Blackburn, had found themselves behind at half time this season.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Yasin Ayari had been recalled to the starting XI by manager Mark Robins and they combined early in the second half when the Japan international wriggled his way into the box and picked out Ayari, whose shot was blocked for a corner.

Gibbs could have extended the lead after Rowe drove at the Coventry back line and played in the former Ipswich man, but his effort was well blocked.

Summer signings Ellis Simms and midweek match-winner Haji Wright started together for the first time up front but failed to make an impact as the latter was replaced by Matty Godden.

The Sky Blues top scorer teed up Eccles, but his sweetly struck volley was straight at Gunn.

Coventry pushed for a late equaliser as Eccles’ second effort was tipped over by Gunn for a corner.

The Sky Blues finally had their reward a minute from time when Gibson diverted Milan van Ewijk’s inviting cross beyond the despairing Gunn to haul the hosts level.

Mark Robins’ men smelled blood as they went in search of a winner as the returning van Ewijk’s effort was blocked by Gunn before Sakamato’s header from close range was also blocked.

Swansea centre-back Ben Cabango has given Wales boss Rob Page another injury worry after he limped out of his side’s 2-1 home win over Norwich in the Championship.

Wales are already without Aaron Ramsey and Brennan Johnson for the vital Euro 2024 qualifier with Croatia on October 15 and Swansea boss Michael Duff confirmed Cabango suffered a hamstring issue after he went off in the second half of his club’s victory on Wednesday night.

“Ben did the right thing in coming off. He felt something in his hamstring in the first half and then again later on,” said Duff.

“If he isn’t fit for the weekend, then I don’t think he’ll be able to go off to play for Wales during the international window.”

The win gave Duff’s new-look side a haul of 10 points from a possible 12 in their last four Championship matches having failed to win in any of their opening seven games in all competitions.

“I was delighted with the result and the performance. We started with real intent and the first goal came from a high press,” said Duff.

“Then their goal came from us getting our press wrong. In the second half we defended our box well and got the winner.

“Norwich are one of the best teams in the league and we finished very strongly against them. The fans really got behind us in the added six minutes at the end because our lads were out on their feet.”

Norwich boss David Wagner was “very disappointed” after seeing his side fail to press home their advantage in the second half.

“We didn’t do our job properly in each box, goals change games and we didn’t take our chances,” said Wagner.

“That’s three away defeats in a row now and we lost a game that we could have won. We have to be better in both boxes.

“After two away defeats in a row we knew we had a chance to pick up some points in an important game. It was there for us, but we didn’t do our job.

“Obviously the result is very disappointing. Performance-wise, first half we were not good, second half we were much better.

“Second half we have to kill the game. We had enough very good opportunities until 75-80 minutes.

“After that they put pressure on us with set-pieces. If you don’t kill the game, then one situation can cost you.

“It’s very frustrating that we were not clinical in both boxes today and have not won a game we had opportunities to win at 1-1.”

Bashir Humphreys hammered home his first senior goal to make it three wins in a row for Swansea as they beat Norwich 2-1.

The 20-year-old left-back powered a half-volley into the roof of the net from an 82nd-minute corner to make it 10 points from the last 12 for Swansea and move Michael Duff’s men up to 15th in the Championship.

Last season it only took the Canaries 58 seconds to open their account in west Wales with a goal from their then Finnish star Teemu Pukki that turned out to be the winner.

This time it was Swansea who struck early as Jamal Lowe found the back of the net in the third minute.

Lowe nipped in to take the ball off a dithering Adam Forshaw to allow Matt Grimes to pick up the pieces and the home skipper then turned it into a one-two with Low, who scored his third goal of the season.

Norwich hit back in the 22nd minute when a long carry by Jonathan Rowe up the left flank engineered a goal for Gabriel Sara. Rowe’s initial cross was blocked by Ben Cabango, but a second from Dimitris Giannoulis took a slight deflection before finding the head of Sara on the six-yard box.

That sparked new life into David Wagner’s men and two minutes later they worked an overload on the right that enabled Jack Stacey to race up to the edge of the box before letting fire with a vicious right-foot shot that was heading into the top-left corner until Carl Rushworth in the home goal got a fingertip to it to push it past the post.

Swansea almost crept back into the lead in the 36th minute when a cross from the right was touched on by Jerry Yates, but went agonisingly wide of Angus Gunn’s far post.

Norwich started the second far more positively and put their hosts on the back foot. Referee Tom Nield issued three yellow cards to Swansea players in the space of seven minutes soon after the restart and a shot across goal from the dynamic Rowe almost gave the visitors the lead in the 57th minute.

Moments later Wagner made three substitutions, bringing on top scorer Adam Idah, Oriel Hernandez and Przemyslaw Placheta. Placheta presented Idah with a golden chance to score with a cross that he somehow header over the bar in the 75th minute, shortly after Jerry Yates had a goal ruled offside from a corner.

Shane Duffy somehow kept out a header from Yates at the far post, but in the 83rd minute there was no stopping Humphreys’ thunderbolt.

Norwich head coach David Wagner was pleased to put a painful defeat behind him as his side recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Birmingham at Carrow Road.

The Canaries went into the Championship clash on the back of a 6-2 drubbing at Plymouth last weekend, having also lost to Fulham with a much-changed team in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Wagner was impressed with his side’s response to the setback with second-half goals from Gabriel Sara and Jonathan Rowe securing the points.

He said: “It is not a match I like talking about and it was good that we put it to bed.

“The Plymouth defeat showed what can happen when you lose your structure in a game – but I couldn’t be happier with the way we played today.

“We looked in control, we defended well and we created our moments. We scored two excellent goals and after that our game management was really good.

“There is no doubt we got what we deserved – there was a lot of focus out there, a lot of effort and most importantly of all we got the win.

“I think the players learned their lessons from the previous league game – there have been two good performances since then, at Fulham in the cup as well as today, and now it is time to look forward, with a busy spell of games coming up.”

The match was settled by two goals inside five minutes early in the second half.

Sara set the ball rolling for Norwich by heading home a Dimitris Giannoulis cross after 55 minutes and it was 2-0 just before the hour mark when Rowe burst through the middle and fired past the exposed John Ruddy.

Birmingham had their moments, with Jay Stansfield being denied by Angus Gunn just before the opening goal and Koji Miyoshi hitting the crossbar.

But they were second best on the day and have now gone five league games without a win after starting the campaign in impressive fashion.

“It’s frustrating because there have been some excellent performances in that spell,” said manager John Eustace.

“We didn’t deserve to lose at Watford and Preston and should have beaten QPR in our last home game.

“Today we were up against a top team, with top players, who will probably finish in the top two or three this season and that needs to be taken into account.

“We were perhaps a little too passive in the first half but we defended well and then created some good chances and could have gone ahead just before they scored.

“I was very disappointed with the way we defended for their two goals -it was so sloppy and not like us – and it was always tough after that.

“But overall it has been a solid start to the season, with just three defeats in nine games, and we now have two home games coming up which we are looking forward to.”

Norwich put last weekend’s humiliation at Plymouth firmly behind them with a comfortable 2-0 win over Birmingham at Carrow Road.

The Canaries were hammered 6-2 at Home Park, and had also lost their previous home game against Leicester, but two goals inside five minutes early in the second half got their Championship campaign back on track.

Gabriel Sara set the ball rolling in the 55th minute with a close-range header and the hosts gave themselves some breathing space on the hour mark with a well-taken goal from Jonathan Rowe, his sixth of the season.

For Birmingham it was a fifth league game without a win, following a bright start to the season that had seen them among the early pacesetters.

Norwich had the better of a low-key first half, although a well-drilled visiting defence was largely untroubled.

Adam Idah drilled a low shot just wide on 16 minutes before Dimitris Giannoulis was also narrowly off target after intercepting an attempted header back to his keeper from Cody Drameh.

Idah then headed a right-wing cross straight at John Ruddy while the keeper also safely gathered a snap-shot from just outside the box by Christian Fassnacht.

Birmingham seemed content to soak up the pressure and it took them nearly 40 minutes to register an effort on goal, with Jay Stansfield’s long range strike sailing well over the bar.

The Canaries were quick out of the blocks in the second half, almost forcing the ball in from a goalmouth scramble in the very first minute.

But it was the Blues who almost edged in front on 51 minutes.

Stansfield found himself with a clear sight on goal after neat through ball from Koji Miyoshi and it required an excellent stop from Angus Gunn to keep out his powerful shot.

Norwich were stung into action and finally got the goal their dominance deserved four minutes later.

The ball was fed wide to Giannoulis on the left and his cross was delivered perfectly for Sara to head home from inside the six-yard box.

That eased the nerves inside Carrow Road and it was 2-0 shortly afterwards as Birmingham carelessly lost possession in their own half and Rowe burst into the area before beating the exposed Ruddy low to his left.

Miyoshi hit the crossbar with a well-struck shot as the visitors sought a response but that was as good as it got, with Norwich seeing out the game with the minimum of fuss.

Marco Silva called for Fulham to be more ruthless in front of goal after their narrow 2-1 win over Norwich in the Carabao Cup third round.

Goals from Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi sealed victory for the Cottagers despite Borja Sainz’s 75th-minute effort for the visitors.

Manager Silva believes Fulham need to convert more chances after they nearly paid the price for their earlier missed opportunities.

“We had some good moments but we missed many chances to kill the game before and to score more goals,” Silva said.

“Until the moment (Iwobi’s goal) we did not take the goal and against this type of team who have enthusiasm in this competition the game was tough and was always open.

“We created a big number of chances but we need to be more ruthless and effective.

“We have to finish moments when the ball is inside the box. We had it from the right and from the left so many times.

“We need to be more assertive in those moments because we created enough.”

Iwobi’s memorable second-half strike was his first Fulham goal since his reported £22million move from Everton on deadline day.

Silva lauded the Nigerian and mentioned the reasons behind signing the midfielder.

“As you know he’s a player I know really well and I was responsible for him to sign for Everton as well,” Silva added.

“I know what he can do as a player for ourselves in different positions on the pitch.

“He has qualities, he’s dynamic and his energy as well is going to make him an important player for us.”

Norwich manager David Wagner credited his side’s performance on a night where they narrowly avoided drawing level and forcing the game to penalties.

He said: “It was good to see us play by our structure and principles. We are a side who can be good against a Premier League side which is still the case even though we made changes.

“It was good and it will give us a major boost for what is in front of us.”

Fulham advanced into the Carabao Cup fourth round after they fought hard to beat Norwich 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Goals from Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi were enough for Marco Silva’s men who responded well after the weekend’s lacklustre 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

Fulham found success early on down the left flank through Willian and Fode Ballo-Toure, who created a 10th-minute chance for Vinicius that the striker headed over.

Vinicius justified a run out after his winner against Luton two weeks ago and he opened the scoring in the 10th minute.

Willian’s floated delivery found Iwobi at the back stick and he headed it across goal to Vinicius who tapped home.

Silva had called for more chances to be created during games and Fulham did just that through Harry Wilson, Willian and Tom Cairney.

Norwich responded and fluffed a golden chance to level against the run of play in the 19th minute when Przemyslaw Placheta’s driven cross fell kindly to Tony Springett, who dragged his shot wide.

Minutes later Norwich’s whipped corner found the head of towering centre-back Jaden Warner and Marek Rodak saved.

A neat switch from Wilson in the 39th minute resulted in the ball being played back in the other direction to Vinicius who should of doubled his tally from six yards.

The tide changed after half-time and it was Norwich’s turn to put pressure on the hosts.

It started with Sam McCallum who beautifully slalomed through white shirts before firing wide.

In the 51st minute, Kellen Fisher let fly from outside the box but his effort clipped the outside of Rodak’s post as Norwich were denied any rewards for their attacking flurry.

Craven Cottage demanded more and on the hour Silva’s men threw numbers forward in an effort to firm their grip on the tie.

Willian, who was the standout player for the hosts, delivered a floated corner which fell to the unmarked Wilson who sweetly volleyed past goalkeeper George Long before Adam Forshaw managed a last-ditch clearance off the line to keep it at 1-0.

But Fulham doubled their lead in the 72nd minute.

Iwobi drove forward with the ball and combined with Wilson before the Nigerian guided the ball into the bottom corner to open his Fulham account.

But typical of the end-to-end game, Norwich equalised after 75 minutes through Borja Sainz.

The explosive Adam Idah burst away on a counter-attack and found Sainz whose first attempt was denied by Rodak before he managed to bundle the ball into the net to give the Norfolk side hope.

Despite Norwich’s best efforts Fulham held their nerve during five minutes added time to seal victory.

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher was thrilled to see his side show their true colours after bouncing back from their midweek mauling at Bristol City with a stunning demolition of Norwich.

Argyle were humbled 4-1 at Ashton Gate on Tuesday but it was their turn to dish out the pain on Saturday as they thrashed the Canaries 6-2 at Home Park.

Morgan Whittaker led the way with a hat-trick while Dan Scarr, Finn Azaz and substitute Luke Cundle were also on the scoresheet for the rampant hosts, who led 4-0 at half-time.

Norwich pulled two goals back through Adam Idah’s brace but they were already 5-0 down at the time and well on course for a comprehensive loss.

Schumacher said: “I thought we played really well and I spoke earlier in the week about how our performance on Tuesday didn’t look like us.

“It’s been a while since we had a performance like Tuesday and we felt we could do something about it.

“It wasn’t a hard fix really. It was just about putting in a bit more effort and obviously getting people in the right positions and doing the basics right.

“When we get that right as a team we always look a threat and so I was really pleased with the reaction from the lads.

“We knew that the speed that we have got up top would cause their centre-backs problems.

“What pleased me the most was the understanding of what we were trying to do and then the execution of it was brilliant.”

Whittaker opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Scarr added a second 20 minutes later but it was in first-half stoppage time where Plymouth did the real damage as Azaz and Whittaker doubled their lead in a decisive spell.

Schumacher added: “We were thinking of going in at 2-0 at half-time and all of a sudden we were going in at 4-0. That was a bit of a mad few minutes but it gives you that cushion.

“We spoke about having to concentrate because we know the quality they have got and if they got the first goal early then there would be 45 minutes for them to score three goals and they could easily do that.

“We said stick to the plan keep doing what we are doing and if we got another opportunity to counter-attack try and take it.

“When we got the fifth goal it settled everybody down.”

Whittaker was celebrating his first Championship hat-trick and Schumacher said of the 22-year-old: “I am buzzing for Morgan. He’s obviously a huge player for us.

“Before today he had one goal and four assists, now he’s got four goals so he’ll be pleased with his day’s work. I thought him and Finn Azaz today were outstanding.”

Canaries boss David Wagner was left fuming at his side’s performance, saying the players lost their heads.

He said: “It was a disappointing result and a horrible afternoon for us.

“I am very angry about how we responded after we conceded the first goal which was an offside situation.

“For the second goal we didn’t do our job in the wall when they had two players on the ball, and after the two goals unfortunately we totally lost our heads and this is something that should not happen.

“Then we conceded four counter-attack goal -because we lost our heads we played in spaces where we shouldn’t play.

“We have been quite solid at the back in the past and haven’t looked vulnerable on the counter-attack and today was totally the opposite and this is something that is not good enough.

“We lost our heads after the first two goals and conceded a deserved heavy defeat because of it.

“We wanted them to win the second half and make it better but we conceded two further counter-attack goals in the transition.

“This game is quite easily explained, and the players are smart enough they know exactly what went wrong and we will show them again and discuss this.

“This can’t happen. Football is a game of mistakes but you can’t lose your head.”

Morgan Whittaker scored his first Championship hat-trick as Plymouth stormed to a 6-2 mauling of Norwich at Home Park.

Promoted Argyle had the points all-but wrapped up by half-time after racing into a 4-0 lead through a brace from Whittaker and further goals from Dan Scarr and Finn Azaz – two of them coming in stoppage time.

Whittaker then added his third of the afternoon just before the hour and, although Norwich pulled two goals back through Adam Idah, Plymouth wrapped up a comprehensive win late on through Luke Cundle.

Attacking midfielder Whittaker got the ball rolling in the 15th minute when he latched on to an incisive through-ball from Adam Randell on the edge of the box. The 22-year-old beat his marker and swept the ball home past keeper Angus Gunn from close range.

Central-back Scarr profited with Argyle’s second goal in the 35th minute, firing home as City failed to clear a dangerous Azaz cross from the right.

Scarr’s fellow defender Lewis Gibson met the ball with a thumping shot that crashed off the Canaries bar and Scarr was first to react, netting with a thumping close-range strike which gave Gunn no chance.

Argyle doubled their lead in the five minutes of first-half stoppage time, with top scorer Ryan Hardie providing both assists.

First the Scottish striker teed up Whittaker on the edge of the box and he made no mistake with a measured finish from 20 yards.

Two minutes later Hardie again proved provider with Azaz benefitting, finishing off a mazy twisting and turning run into the penalty area with another sweet strike, curling the ball around the diving Gunn.

Whittaker could have completed his hat-trick in the opening minutes of the second half as Argyle countered but after being teed up by the unselfish Azaz, the two-goal forward’s shot was saved by Gunn’s outstretched leg.

Norwich looked for a lifeline and Conor Hazard made a superb save in the 58th minute, getting down well to keep out Idah’s first-time shot from a cross from the right.

It proved a double blow for the visitors as a minute later Argyle swept up the other end of the pitch and made it 5-0.

With Norwich committed, Hardie collected the ball midway in the opposition half, beat two defenders and then set Azaz on his way down the left.

His ball into the on-running Whittaker enabled the £1milllion summer signing from Swansea to complete his first Argyle hat-trick with a side-footed finish past Gunn.

Norwich gained late consolation when Gabriel Sara put Idah in on goal and he finished clinically in the 72nd minute, and soon after the Republic of Ireland forward doubled his tally from the spot after Argyle’s former City player Bali Mumba fouled substitute Onel Hernandez.

That made it 5-2 but Azaz and Argyle were not finished.

The playmaker’s cross-field ball set Mustapha Bundu away and he put fellow substitute Cundle in on goal for a close-range finish.

Leicester manager Enzo Maresca was impressed with the way his side coped with a stern challenge as they edged to a 2-0 win at Norwich to maintain their excellent start to the Championship season.

Maresca’s team have now won six of their seven league games to lie second in the embryonic table but they were made to work hard for their success by a home side who had won all their games at Carrow Road before this one.

Kelechi Iheanacho and Kasey McAteer struck for the Foxes.

“I am very pleased with our performance because of the opponents we were up against,” he said.

“I have watched all their games and they usually score goals – 15 I think – so I am very pleased to come away with a win and a clean sheet.

“We had to work very hard for the points – I said to the lads afterwards that you can work on the way you play, the way you defend but you also have to have the desire out there on the pitch.

“The way the team defended was unbelievable, clearing the ball from corners and second and third phase play and that made all the difference tonight.”

Maresca made five changes to the side that won at Southampton last time out, with Jamie Vardy and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall among the players left on the bench, and he was delighted with the way the new-look line-up coped.

He said: “It’s a 46-game season and you can’t just rely on a small group of players. You need at least 20 and I want to get them all involved. You can’t just play in every game.

“It was tough because they went man for man, which meant our keeper (Mads Hermansen) saw a lot of the ball and he played an important role for us when we played out, and he also made a great save – I think he is the complete keeper.”

A tight match was settled by late goals in either half, with Leicester getting their noses in front in the 44th minute through Iheanacho’s penalty.

Referee Graham Scott pointed to the spot when Stephy Mavididi went down under a challenge from Christian Fassnacht and Iheanacho did the rest, despite a valiant effort from keeper Angus Gunn.

The Foxes had to withstand plenty of pressure after that, with Hermansen making a terrific reaction save to keep out a close-range header from Shane Duffy and Kenny McLean hitting the underside of the crossbar with a well judged chip.

But a well drilled defence stood firm and Leicester sealed the points in the 87th minute when Dewsbury-Hall squared for an unmarked McAteer to tap home.

Norwich head coach David Wagner felt hard done by afterwards.

“We are obviously disappointed to lose but I am fine with the performance – it was top class,” he said.

“I am unhappy we twice gave the ball away in the lead-up to the penalty but apart from that I am very pleased with the way we played.

“We were the better side in the second half and created three or four very good opportunities but unfortunately we were not clinical enough. The lads battled hard, never gave up and in the end were beaten by a quality side so we move on.

“I think Leicester will finish top this season and the rest of the teams will be battling for the other positions. It’s tough to take but I have every faith in this group of players going forwards.”

Striker Ashley Barnes limped off early in the second half and Wagner added: “It looks like knee ligaments and we will know more after a scan tomorrow. Hopefully it is not too serious but we have strength in depth now which is good.”

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