- Norwich are undefeated against Ipswich since 2009 and won again
- Marcelino Núñez’s goal in the first half was enough to give the Canary Islands the three points
- They have a seven-point lead over Coventry but Ipswich’s title hopes have taken a hit
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David Wagner believed his Norwich team deserved their victory over fierce rivals Ipswich Town, which dented the Tractor Boys’ automatic promotion push.
A Marcelino Núñez free kick in the first half made the difference on sunny Carrow Road.
The home team were better throughout, as their foes looked strangely flat after recent performances.
Coach Wagner was clearly pleased with the performance and was clearly enthralled by the home fans throughout the match.
He said: ‘There was great faith in the dressing room before kick-off. The players wanted to bounce back after a poor performance against Leicester.
Marcelino Núñez scored the only goal of the game and Norwich once again boasted about Ipswich.
Norwich are now seven points clear of Coventry City, although Mark Robins’ men have two games in hand
Ipswich were top of the table and had won three in a row before this, but it gave Leeds and Leicester the chance to overtake them.
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“To play against the league leaders and biggest rivals and keep a clean sheet against a team that scores so many goals, the players totally deserve the positive headlines.
‘The atmosphere was fantastic, today was extraordinary, the best since I’ve been in charge.
‘Everyone can see the great influence that fifty-fifty challenges have. At the end of the day my players were better.
“Today is about us, about how we play and we also need points. We also have goals and that is what the players wanted to show.”
Norwich continued their voodoo over their Suffolk rivals with a generally superior performance.
Ipswich have failed to beat the Canaries since 2009, and they looked fatigued and worked against their spirited opponents.
The home team had a better chance of taking the lead, and that’s what they did with seven minutes left in the half.
After Sargent won another free kick, Marcelino Núñez took a free kick that Vaclav Hladky managed to send off the post and into the net. It was not more than the local team deserved.
The goal briefly woke up a previously lethargic Ipswich side, who began to play with more pace and energy towards the end of the half.
However, they still failed to catch on against a Canary Islands team that was still dangerous.
Sargent was brought down by Sam Morsy on the hour mark, just on the edge of the area, but despite protests on and off the pitch no foul was called.
While the visitors pressed late, their ability to score late deserted them this time, and manager Kieran McKenna felt a ten-minute period made the difference.
He said: “I didn’t think it was our best performance by any means, we didn’t reach the level we would have hoped for. In a game that wasn’t a high level.”
“It was a ten-minute period in the first half where decisions and set pieces went against us, and that culminated in a free kick from thirty yards.”