Callum O'Dowda (right) scored an injury-time winner for Cardiff as they beat Norwich 2-1 in November
Norwich City ended the Championship season with a thumping win over the 10 men of already-relegated Cardiff City, as caretaker Canaries boss Jack Wilshere got the better of his counterpart and former Arsenal team-mate Aaron Ramsey.
Neither team had anything to play for at Carrow Road but Norwich, who had drifted out of play-off contention, ruthlessly wrapped up victory before half-time against their pitiful opponents.
Although Cardiff missed three early chances, they wilted at the first sign of pressure as the hosts raced into a 3-0 lead after 23 minutes thanks to two goals from Marcelino Nunez and one from Borja Sainz.
Lamentable Bluebirds defending allowed Nunez to tap in the first before Calum Chambers was sent off for the visitors for denying Josh Sargent a clear scoring opportunity, with Nunez brilliantly curling the subsequent free-kick into the top corner.
Sainz punished yet more charitable defending to fire into the bottom corner.
Cardiff at least showed some fight after the interval, as Yousef Salech scored a penalty he had earned himself after impressively running with the ball from his own half to the opposition box.
Shane Duffy restored Norwich's three-goal advantage when he headed in from Jacob Wright's corner, before Salech scored his second to make the scoreline respectable.
This was Bluebirds caretaker manager Ramsey's first defeat in his third and final game in charge, while Wilshere picked up his first win at the second attempt – and may yet be in the frame to succeed Johannes Hoff Thorup permanently.
The result also meant it was a winning send-off for the Canaries' goalkeeper and captain for the day, Angus Gunn, who had confirmed he would be leaving the club for whom he and his father, ex-goalkeeper Bryan, have given decades of service.
Norwich finish the season 13th in the Championship, while Cardiff end it at the bottom of the table as they prepare to play in the third tier for the first time since 2003 next term.
- Published3 May
This has been an utterly miserable campaign for the Welsh club, whose relegation to League One was confirmed with a goalless draw at home to West Bromwich Albion a week earlier.
Bottom of the Championship having won fewer games than anyone else, the Bluebirds initially appeared to be liberated by the lack of jeopardy in this game as they started positively with Cian Ashford, Joe Ralls and Chambers all forcing Gunn into fine saves during the opening 10 minutes.
But 13 minutes later, they found themselves trailing 3-0 and down to 10 men – a microcosm of their nightmare season.
Norwich's first goal was embarrassingly easy as Jack Stacey was given too much time and space in the penalty area to cross to an unmarked Nunez, who tapped in at the back post.
Chambers made matters worse three minutes later when he was sent off for pulling back Sargent with the American seemingly in on goal, and Nunez compounded the punishment with his superb free-kick.
Sargent then hit the post and Sainz drilled in the Canaries' third goal from Nunez's pass, before Ruairi McConville headed against the bar.
Cardiff were fortunate not to be more than three goals down at the break and, from nowhere, Salech gave their travelling fans rare reason to cheer as he set off on a mazy run from his own half, surged into the Norwich box and was pushed over by Callum Doyle.
Salech rolled his penalty into the bottom left corner but his team's relative joy was short-lived as Duffy nodded the home side 4-1 in front.
To their credit, Cardiff's 10 men kept grafting and got their reward when O'Dowda nodded the ball down to Salech, who scored with an instinctive half-volley.
But as has often been the case for the Bluebirds this season, that was too little too late.
Post-match reaction
Norwich caretaker manager Jack Wilshere told BBC Radio Norfolk:
"I really did enjoy it. It's clear where we need to improve. I thought we played some good football and the players did exactly what we asked them to do.
"They really started the game well and we tried to focus on putting them under pressure, putting the ball in the box, and we did and got our reward for that.
"We then have to manage that better, where we use the crowd, use momentum. It can be hard against 10 men, trying to force it and not managing transitions, but that's been an issue all year. But I'm really happy."
Cardiff caretaker manager Aaron Ramsey told BBC Radio Wales:
"I was really happy with the way we started. We started on the front foot, we caused them a few problems and had a few chances, should have been one or two up.
"These things happen then, the sending-off and you find yourself 2-0 down so it's about sorting that out and as soon as we made those tweaks I felt we were much more in control.
"I can't fault the boys' effort. For them to take on all the information we gave them, that speaks volumes. That's the culture and those are the habits we need if we're going to be a serious team and bounce back."
