Norwich City picked up their first away points of the Championship season with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. The win comes as the club sits 20th in the table with three points from four games, and amid reports of Hollywood interest in an investment.
According to the club's official match report, Anthony Musaba opened the scoring for the Canaries with a right-footed finish into the top corner. Patrick Bamford equalised for the Blades midway through the first half, but Mohamed Touré restored Norwich's lead just before the interval. Substitute Mathias Kvistgaarden sealed the three points in the second half after coming off the bench.
Philippe Clement made three changes from the midweek defeat at Stoke, bringing in Kellen Fisher, Ben Chrisene and Musaba. Former Sheffield United players Anis Ben Slimane and Andre Brooks also started, with Brooks heavily involved in the attacking play. The result leaves Norwich with five goals scored and seven conceded this season, a goal difference of minus two.
In an interview with British broadcaster TalkSport, actor Hugh Jackman said he is "very, very interested" in discussing buying a stake in Norwich City. Sportsnet Soccer reported the story, noting Jackman's long-standing fandom stems from his mother's roots in the city. He called it a "little exclusive" when asked if he would follow his friend Ryan Reynolds, who co-owns Championship rivals Wrexham.
"Good on Ryan, you do your thing, I'm all about the Canaries," Jackman said, using the club's nickname. He praised the team's turnaround under manager Philippe Clement, who was appointed last November. Norwich and Wrexham are both considered promotion contenders this season, with the Canaries currently seven points behind league leaders Swansea.
Manager Philippe Clement is not panicking despite Norwich City's difficult start to the campaign. Speaking to the Pink'un after the midweek loss at Stoke, Clement expressed disappointment with the Millwall defeat but believed his side were the better team against Stoke. "Every neutral will say that Norwich had to win," he stated, referencing the 1-0 defeat where City dominated possession.
Clement emphasised the need for consistent performance levels. "The only thing you can do as a team is to have consistency in your performances. If you do that, points follow," he said. He acknowledged the Championship is a "relentless league" where games are decided on tight margins, but felt the margin against Stoke was not so tight for performance. The manager will be without several players for the next game, including Paris Maghoma who recently returned from injury but was on the bench at Bramall Lane. The full injuries list also includes Ali Ahmed, Jovon Makama, Lucien Mahovo and Mirko Topić.
Norwich City's next challenge is a home fixture against Birmingham City on September 9th. Birmingham currently sit 8th in the Championship table, presenting another tough test for Clement's side as they look to climb from 20th position. Fans can check the full upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page.
The team will aim to build on the momentum from the Sheffield United victory. They controlled large portions of the second half at Bramall Lane, with Kvistgaarden's goal confirming the win after a Brooks shot was cleared off the line. Norwich City host Birmingham at Carrow Road in three days' time.
