Premier League 2019/20: Norwich City 3-2 Manchester City, three players who won Daniel Farke the game

Norwich City beat the Premier League champions last night at Carrow Road.
Norwich City beat the Premier League champions last night at Carrow Road.

Carrow Road was already buzzing last evening as the Championship winners, Norwich City met the Premier League champions, Manchester City, but little did Norwich fans know that by the end of the ninety minutes, the stadium would engender a mini-earthquake in the North-East of England.

It took only 18 minutes for the Canaries to strike first when Emiliano Buendia's corner at the near post was met by Kenny McLean who rose above the City defenders to score a perfect header in the top right corner of the goal.

On the 28th minute mark, Norwich doubled their lead when Teemu Pukki was clear for a goal scoring opportunity but the Finnish striker spotted Todd Cantwell and squared it to him who happened to tap the ball in the empty net.

Sergio Aguero pulled one back for Manchester City just on the half-way mark, when Bernardo Silva produced an inch-perfect ball for the Argentine to head home. It was a gross mistake by Norwich City to leave Aguero unmarked in that area.

Everyone across the world would have expected City to dominate in the second half once they had opened the scoring, but the scenes were exactly the opposite as Daniel Farke's men took advantage of some sloppy defending by a distracted City defense to score their third goal of the night. Their top-scorer Teemu Pukki scored the goal.

A Manchester City goal was always coming, and in the 88th minute, Norwich succumbed to City's constant threat, when Rodri smashed a goal past Tim Krul from the edge of the box to partially bring back the champions in the game.

Some really disciplined defending and some luck from City ruing their own chances led to Norwich pulling off one of the most shocking results of the season which has just started to take shape.

Today we take a look at the top three men who won Norwich and Daniel Farke the game last night.


#3 Teemu Pukki

Teemu Pukki has now scored 6 goals in 5 games for Norwich.
Teemu Pukki has now scored 6 goals in 5 games for Norwich.

The Championship player of the season last year is now running riot in the Premier League and it has been less than two months since the league begun.

Teemu Pukki has already scored six goals in five matches for the Canaries, which includes his hat-trick against Newcastle last month when he was just unstoppable. Pukki scored 44 goals last season for club and country, and was probably the most influential player leading to Norwich's promotion.

With Daniel Farke announcing a great number of injury updates in his press conference, fans would have expected Norwich to park the bus and Teemu Pukki not to have so much involvement in the offensive part of the game.

But some sloppy defending from City and poor man marking led to Pukki being clear for goal-scoring opportunities many times during the match, one of which he capitalized by scoring a goal, another he assisted to set Todd Cantwell up, and a few he missed as he lacked a little precision.

There can only be more progress for the 29-year-old striker who is at his career's peak, as he leads Farke's team in the front getting goals week in week out. Definitely he was one of the key players who won the match for Farke yesterday.

Todd Cantwell exults after his goal.
Todd Cantwell exults after his goal.

#2 Sam Byram

Sam Byram had a debut to remember last night for Norwich City.
Sam Byram had a debut to remember last night for Norwich City.

It was always going to be a tough match for right-back Sam Byram who was pitched to defend against Raheem Sterling, who has been in really impressive form since the beginning of this season.

Byram was highly impressive in marking a player of Sterling's quality and also the occasional overlapping runs by City full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko. Byram won eight duels and had five ball recoveries, but that doesn't even appear to highlight the importance of the full-back on field last night.

With a total of 11 clearances, the 25 year old, who joined the Canaries this summer, had a great home debut to remember, helping his team in the effort to beat one of the best teams in Europe and the current reigning champions, Manchester City.

Byram's discipline in the right-back position and clear instructions from Daniel Farke forced Sterling to cut back on the inside far often than his usual runs to take the ball deeper on the left wing. This was probably one of the most important tactical points throughout the game.

If the Englishman continues this form, he will surely cement his position in the injury struck Norwich side.

#1 Emiliano Buendia

Emiliano Buendia was the difference between the two sides last night.
Emiliano Buendia was the difference between the two sides last night.

One of the most under-rated and highly influential players from the Championship last season - Emiliano Buendia - was definitely the difference between Norwich City and Manchester City last night.

The 22-year-old Argentine's high pressing and dominance in the midfield helped his team in every goal that the Canaries scored yesterday. He was directly or indirectly involved in every move which led to a Norwich goal.

His inch-perfect ball at the near post set up McLean's goal from the corner in the 18th minute and he dispossessed Kyle Walker in the center of the park to set up Pukki and Cantwell for the second goal which literally raised the roof at Carrow Road.

Norwich's pressing was the biggest talking point last night and Buendia was the talisman leading the high-pressing from the front. His awareness in the second-half and some luck from City's sloppy defense led to him squaring the ball for Pukki's goal.

The Buendia and Cantwell midfield duo is surely going to be one of the best young midfield partnerships to watch in the Premier League this season.

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Edited by S Chowdhury
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