Norwich City

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Saturday's smash-and-grab at Coventry may have been mission incomplete when Haji Wright poked home an equaliser in the 96th minute, but it was still an impressive point for Norwich City.

When you know the opposition can outplay you in attack, it's all about rummaging in the locker marked 'game management' and seeing what tools you have.

And Norwich were more tooled up than a freshly-stocked DIY warehouse.

The defence was alert, hoovering up several balls that would have normally found their way on to Coventry heads and feet.

If there was a Norwich Man of the Match, it would surely have been keeper Vladan Kovacevic, who made three amazing saves to keep them in the game.

The boos around the ground told you the number of injury stops had the whiff of the dark arts in play by Norwich.

But needs must - and it shows the defence is probably not the area of concern for this developing side right now.

Play along with our Norwich City quiz for the ultimate Canaries fan, brought to you by BBC Radio Norfolk.

Every Friday, Chris Goreham and Rob Butler bring you 'Quiz Goreham' which consist of five questions all relating to Norwich City.

Think you know all the answers? Send them in to thescrimmage@bbc.co.uk

Listen to previous editions of 'Quiz Goreham' and more Norwich City on Sounds.

Coventry City are yet to lose in the Championship and will be hoping that continues as they welcome a Norwich side that have struggled for consistency on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Sky Blues have scored more goals than anyone else in the division, largely down to their 7-1 win against QPR in their last home game.

Norwich are aiming for back-to-back wins for the first time this season having won two and lost two of their opening four games.

• Coventry are winless in their last 10 league games against Norwich (D3 L7), losing six of their previous seven.

• Norwich have won on four of their last five league trips to Coventry (D1), one more than in their first 48 league visits (W3 D9 L36).

• After beginning the 2025-26 season with a goalless draw against Hull City, Coventry's last three league games have seen 20 goals scored (F14, A6). Indeed, since Frank Lampard's first game in charge in November, no side in the competition have seen more goals in their games than the Sky Blues (95 – F56 A39).

• Norwich are looking to win three successive away league games for the first time since October 2022 under Dean Smith.

• Josh Sargent's is currently on 49 Championship goals for Norwich following his brace against Blackburn Rovers last time out; since his debut in the competition (30th July 2022) only Joel Piroe (51) has reached 50 goals in the competition.

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City striker Josh Sargent has been named Championship player of the month award for August.

The USA international has scored five of the Canaries' six goals across their opening four games and captained the first three while skipper Kenny McLean recovered from injury.

Sargent had been linked away with a move away from the club in the summer, with boss Liam Manning stating keeping a hold of the 25-year-old was "the biggest piece of business we did in the window".

"I'm really happy and proud to receive this award," said Sargent. "For sure, there has been a lot of noise during the recent months, but I've been fully focussed on doing everything I can to help the team here.

"I'd like to thank everyone at the club, but especially my team-mates, for their support. We're excited for the season ahead and we must now continue to build on some of our recent performances."

Sargent beat Stoke City winger Sorba Thomas, Coventry City midfielder Victor Torp and Bristol City wing-back Ross McCrorie for the award.

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards, Coventry City's Frank Lampard, West Bromwich Albion's Ryan Mason and Stoke City's Mark Robins have been nominated for the Championship's manager of the month award for August.

Edwards will be a strong contender as Boro occupy top spot after an unblemished winning start to the season, while Mason has enjoyed an unbeaten start in his first permanent managerial role with his Baggies side in second.

Lampard is also recognised as Coventry are yet to lose, while influential Sky Blues midfielder Victor Torp has earned a nomination for player of the month for his four goals in four matches.

Stoke City have another nominee in new signing Sorba Thomas, who has two goals and three assists across his four games, with the Potters who lie third under Robins.

Meanwhile, Norwich City striker Josh Sargent and Bristol City full-back Ross McCrorie round out the player of the month nominations after strong starts to their respective seasons.

Sargent has found the target five times in four games, while McCrorie delivered three assists and scored one goal in August.

The winners will be announced on Friday.

Phil Daley
Radio Norfolk sports editor

Image source, Phil Daley

Norwich City head to Coventry City on Saturday (15:00 BST) for their first game back after the international break.

The Canaries beat Blackburn 2-0 away from home in their last match.

Head coach Liam Manning has been speaking to the media in the build-up to the game against Coventry. Here are some of the key points:

• All the international players have returned - or are on the way back - and are injury free.

• Speaking for the first time since the transfer window closed, Manning said he is "delighted" to have kept hold of Josh Sargent, and that it was "the biggest piece of business we did in the window".

• "Him as a pro, him as a player, he's settled here - it would have been impossible to replace all that."

• Right-back Jack Stacey is out of the concussion protocol and is fit after suffering a head injury in the match against Middlesbrough.

• Left-back Lucien Mahovo is back in training and did every session during the break, but needs time before being considered for the matchday squad.

• On Coventry: "They haven't made many changes from last season, which means they're very stable. After what we did away last time out, we should be desperate to get out there again."

• Manning said City have already improved since the first game of the season and they want to accelerate that process.

You can listen to full live commentary of Coventry v Norwich City with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB from 14:00 BST on Saturday.

"No matter how good you are with your club team, if you haven't scored in six years or since you've reached 20 years old, it's kind of hard to keep the fanbase behind you."

BBC Radio Norfolk's Rob Butler and Chris Reeve are joined by US football journalist Favian Renkel to discuss why Americans haven't warmed to Norwich City forward Josh Sargent.

Listen to the full episode of The Scrimmage and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, BBC Sport

Norwich City striker Ante Crnac says he is trying to be "the best version of himself" as he reflects on his start to the season.

Crnac, 21, joined the club at the beginning of the 2024-25 season from Polish side Rakow Czestochowa, and has started every league game for new boss Liam Manning this campaign.

"I feel very good playing through the middle, obviously I have to work on some things, like my finishing," he said.

"In the pre-season I tried to focus on my muscle building and my strength and I think I'm ready now."

The Canaries have been boosted by the confirmation that USA striker Josh Sargent is staying at the club, something that Crnac hoped would happen.

"We were all hoping he would stay and now we can just enjoy playing with him. He is a terrific player and thanks to him, we all look forward to playing," Crnac added.

"Our whole squad is very good, we are very dangerous. We still have to work on some things, but it is still very early on in the season.

"Our goal is to win every game, certainly as many as we can, and then we will see where we are at the end of the season."

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City are mourning the passing of Jimmy Bone who scored their first goal in the top flight of English football.

Bone died at the age of 75 having spent 13 months with the Canaries in the early 1970s.

The striker joined Norwich from Partick Thistle in February 1972, helping them to win the Second Division title and promotion to the top tier for the first time in their history.

Bone then scored Norwich's first goal in Division One in a 1-1 draw at home to Everton in August 1972 before being sold to Sheffield United in March the following year.

In total the Scotland international made 39 appearances for Norwich, scoring nine goals in a career which also saw him play for clubs including Celtic, St Mirren and Hearts.

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City defender Ben Chrisene has been called into the England Under-21 squad for their upcoming Euro 2027 qualifier against Kazakhstan.

The 21-year-old has been added to the squad, along with Sheffield United midfielder Sydie Peck, after Manchester City pair Rico Lewis and Nico O'Reilly withdrew because of injuries.

Chrisene has made one appearance for the Under-21s when he came on as a substitute in a goalless draw against Spain in November 2024.

England are the defending European champions, having beaten Germany 3-2 in this year's final, and start their qualification campaign against Kazakhstan in Almaty on Monday, 8 September.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United youngster Zach Baumann is joining Norwich on a permanent deal.

The Championship side are not paying a fee for Baumann but the deal contains a number of performance clauses which will ensure United generate a decent amount of money if the 18-year-old does well.

Baumann has played for Ukraine at under-19 level and was a key member of United's Under-18 Premier League title-winning side.

However, he has opted to take the opportunity to progress his career away from Old Trafford.

Norwich boss Liam Manning was delighted by his side's second away win of the Championship season in their final game before the first international break.

"It's a lot nicer feeling going into the two-week international break with a win, especially off the back of a couple of tough results that didn't necessarily reflect the performances," he told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"I really enjoyed large elements of the first half. Having Kenny (McLean) back is massive, the control he gives us, and that allowed us to keep Ben (Chrisene) higher, and I thought he had a good game.

"We created some terrific chances in the first half and in the second half. As last week against Middlesbrough, we saw the threat you can carry with 10 men because you can take more risks as you're chasing the game a bit.

"We didn't manage the game the way we would want to in the second half but it's another strong learning experience that will improve us in the future."

Norwich will resume their Championship campaign away to Coventry City on 13 September.

After picking up their first points of the season with a 3-0 drubbing of Hull City, Valerien Ismael's Blackburn Rovers will seek to get on track at Ewood Park as Norwich visit on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Liam Manning's Canaries have suffered three home defeats already this season but will seek to stay unbeaten on their travels after the 2-1 win at Portsmouth in their only previous road game in the Championship.

• Blackburn Rovers have won just two of their past 14 league games against Norwich City (D5 L7), though are unbeaten across their last four against the Canaries (W1 D3).

• Norwich City are unbeaten across their past seven away league games against Blackburn Rovers (D2 L5), drawing both of their last two such visits to Ewood Park 1-1.

• After losing their home opener 2-1 to Birmingham City, Blackburn will be looking to avoid losing each of their opening two home league games of a campaign outside the top tier for the first time since 1956-57.

• Norwich have lost two of their opening three league games this season (W1), and will be looking to avoid losing three of their opening four outside the top tier for the first time since 2000-01.

• Norwich have won just one of their past 11 league games against sides from Lancashire (D5 L5), though that victory did come on the road at Preston in April 2024 (1-0).