Ben Gibson: Norwich City must learn from 'unbelievable Anfield experience'
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Ben Gibson finally scored his first Norwich goal, having made his debut in October 2020
Norwich City defender Ben Gibson says playing Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup was an "unbelievable experience" for the Championship side.
They lost Sunday's tie 5-2, despite Gibson scoring his first goal for the Canaries on his 106th appearance.
He has been combining football with hospital visits to see his baby daughter, born prematurely last month.
"It [the goal] was a nice moment for me and my family, I'm super proud of all of them," he told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"Our little girl is doing really well, she'll hopefully be out of hospital soon, she's been in in intensive care at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, they're absolutely wonderful there.
"It has been tough at times, getting the balance between being at home with my son and being at hospital by the incubator, and also trying to be the best professional I can be to perform well on the pitch for the club that pays me."
His goal brought Norwich level at 1-1 but the Premier League leaders eventually proved too strong for David Wagner's side.
"The goals [conceded], we're disappointed with, bits of sloppy defending. It's fine margins when you come somewhere like this, against this level of team. You get punished for mistakes that you might not in the Championship," 31-year-old Gibson said.
"You have to be realistic, the club's [Liverpool] a level above and if you're not absolutely clinical and perfect in everything you do, you're going to get caught out here.
"There will be regrets, because there are goals that were certainly avoidable, but this is a level in our league that we don't see every week and it's an unbelievable experience of the different levels in football."
FA Cup: Liverpool 5-2 Norwich - highlights
The Canaries must now focus on their attempt to reach the Championship play-offs, having twice achieved promotion to the Premier League - in 2019 and 2021 - under former boss Daniel Farke, now in charge of Leeds United.
Gibson added: "Norwich have seen it in glimpses, none of the stays have been long enough in the Premier League but this is where you aspire to be - not just being in the Premier League and taking a place up, not going well and getting relegated, the ultimate aim is to survive in this league and grow as a football club, grow as a community and a team.
"We've come here, managed to score two goals, we stuck together in a difficult time as we have done [previously] this season, and you have to take the positives from it and move on now."