Alex Neil: ‘Norwich City patience rewarded against West Bromwich Albion’

Norwich manager Alex Neil tells his team’s news site that wants his entire lineup to step up today.

The first chance for Pulis’ team came five minutes into the second half when Craig Gardner, from the edge of the area, shot narrowly wide but it did not take long for Norwich to take the lead.

“It is a case of getting some players game time, but also making sure the squad and team are going to be strong, certainly strong enough to win the game”, Neil said.

Pulis added: “With it at 1-0 we had a number of very, very good opportunities”.

Tony Pulis has admitted James McClean must accept abuse after turning his back on the England flag when the national anthem was played during a pre-season friendly in the US.

All it did, however, was leave them vulnerable to the counter, and with five minutes remaining O’Neil capitalised by playing in substitute Lafferty to run clear and produce a composed, left-footed finish to double their advantage and secure victory.

“The two goals at the end were disappointing for us and I don’t think it was a reflective scoreline”.

“No, (it didn’t backfire) not at all”.

Norwich never looked in trouble and it was them who definitely had the best of the first half. “McClean, we were disappointed he’s not stuck a couple away but he brought us energy and life when he came on”.

Manager Alex Neil praised his performance, and that of fellow goalscorer Lafferty – recently the subject of speculation surrounding a transfer elsewhere – before revealing his displeasure at being drawn away to Everton in the competition’s fourth round.

Matt Jarvis had earlier grabbed another crucial goal for Norwich as the Canaries clinched a place in the last 16. “He got his goal, and for the third goal if he is not in that position then the chances are the ball doesn’t go into the net”. Everything worked really well for us. “I would have preferred a home draw”.