Norwich City

Rob Butler
BBC Radio Norfolk Canary Call presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City's slim hopes of making the Championship play-offs took a huge dent on Saturday as they were beaten at bottom club Plymouth.

On Tuesday, the Canaries are back at Carrow Road to host Sunderland (19:45 BST), who are almost guaranteed to finish in the top six.

Ahead of the game, City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has been speaking to the media.

Here are some of the key points:

• After the game against Plymouth, on-loan Manchester City midfielder Jacob Wright said he wanted to make his move to the club permanent in the summer. Thorup says no decisions have been made but the Canaries are in a "strong position" to sign him.

• After winger Matej Jurasek missed the Plymouth game with a quad injury, Thorup says he is not sure when he will be available again. "I would love to bring him in and give him some playing minutes." Thorup says there is hope that Jurasek could still play a part in this campaign.

• Defender Lucien Mahovo is still absent, he now has a knee injury.

• Midfielder Liam Gibbs should be "around the squad" for the Sunderland game after being out injured since November.

• Thorup wants to see his team become more effective from set-pieces. "We have scored more than 60 goals this season and only three of them have come from corner kicks, this should be close to 20," he said.

• Thorup said that clear objectives were set in recent meetings with the club owners in the US. He says he fully believes the team will be where it should be in six months.

You can listen to full live commentary of Norwich City v Sunderland with BBC Radio Norfolk FM and DAB from 19:00 BST on Tuesday.

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup says he is unhappy with how his side defended in their 2-1 loss at struggling Plymouth Argyle.

The defeat by the Championship's bottom side leaves the Canaries in 11th place, eight points off the play-off places with six games to play.

"It sums up our weakness as a team - and that's to defend all those situations where the ball is brought into the box from the opposition, second ball situations, third ball situations we really, really struggle as a team to defend that," he told BBC Radio Norfolk:

"It tells a bit of a story because up until the first goal we have the control of the game exactly as we want, we created an amount of situations in the box and had a couple of crosses where were very close to getting a foot or head to it.

"Then it's probably the first situation around our goal and they score a goal, and that's been the story of the season.

"I'm tired that our defensive line cannot keep troubles away."

Plymouth's battle for Championship survival continues with the visit of play-off chasing Norwich to Home Park on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Basement-boys Argyle are effectively eight points from safety, such is their inferior goal difference, with seven games remaining after Derby's win over Preston on Wednesday night.

The Canaries' last-gasp win over West Brom on Saturday took them back into the top-10 and within five points of the play-off spots.

• Plymouth Argyle have lost five of their past six league games against Norwich, winning the other 6-2 at Home Park last season.

• Norwich won 6-1 earlier this campaign against Plymouth at Carrow Road. The last time the Canaries scored 10 league goals against an opponent in a season was against Millwall in 2014-15 (10).

• Across their past 13 home games in all competitions, Plymouth's only clean sheet came against current Premier League leaders Liverpool in a 1-0 FA Cup win in February.

• Of Norwich's last 36 Championship goals, only six have them been scored away from home. Just 26% of their goals have been scored on the road (16/61) with only Plymouth scoring a lower percentage away (8/40, 20%).

• Josh Sargent has scored nine goals in his past 11 Championship appearances for Norwich and overall he's scored 42 in 93 games at this level – the only Canaries player with more since 2004-05 is Teemu Pukki (65).

Image source, PA Media

Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has been speaking to the media ahead of the trip to Plymouth on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Canaries are five points behind the Championship play-off spots in 10th. Here are some of the key points from Thorup's press conference:

• On the race to try and reach the top six: "We still know there is a very, very hard and difficult job to do to make it even more realistic but it starts with the next game."

• Thorup continued: "We definitely believe in ourselves because we think we are a good team and when we are at our best, we should be a team that can compete for play-off positions. Now we're in a little bit more difficult position but it's just a challenge and we are up for that."

• There are no fresh injury concerns following the 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

• Matej Jurasek continues to improve his strength and conditioning work to be Championship ready after missing five games with a thigh strain before returning to the bench last weekend.

• Manchester City loanee Callum Doyle remains at Carrow Road despite suffering an injury. It's hoped he will be able to play a part in the final few games of the season.

• Thorup praised goalkeeper Angus Gunn's performance on Saturday. He said: "The two moments in the game we really needed him - he was there."

• On bottom side Plymouth, Thorup says he's expecting a team who are very difficult to break down: "It's for us to find the right balance so we can make good chances."

• "Now it's clear who's fighting to stay in the league so it will not be an easy game for us," said Thorup.

• On the fans making the journey: "I was impressed even in pre-season with the amount of fans who travel to see us. It's impressive. Every time we play away we try and give them something to shout about and we appreciate them."

You can listen to full live coverage of Plymouth v Norwich on BBC Radio Norfolk from 14:00 BST on Saturday.

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Norwich City forward Josh Sargent says he is not "definitely leaving" at the end of the season.

The USA international scored a 92nd-minute winner against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday as the Canaries ended a four-game winless run to keep alive their Championship play-off hopes and then looked to calm talk of an imminent exit from Carrow Road.

"It's my favourite goal of the season so far - just for the timing of it against a good opponent and it's the most relief I've had scoring a goal this season for sure," Sargent told BBC Radio Norfolk.

The 25-year-old is under contract until 2028 but has been linked with a move to the Premier League and also a potential reunion with former Norwich boss Daniel Farke at Leeds.

"I have a contract here at Norwich. I'm very happy, my family is very happy here so it's no way saying I'm gone," said Sargent.

"I'm very happy with the manager and the team. I was just trying to say there will be options but that's not to say I'm definitely leaving - that's a decision for my family and me to make and obviously the club has to agree to me leaving in the first place."

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There is also a look ahead to the Canaries' trip to Plymouth on Saturday as the panel are joined by Argyle fan Aaron Hocking.

Plus, there's an interview with City striker Josh Sargent and the couple who got engaged on the pitch at Carrow Road.

Listen to The Scrimmage podcast on BBC Sounds.

Image source, BBC Radio Norfolk

There was a warm glow around Carrow Road on Saturday and it wasn't just because Norwich snatched a 1-0 win over West Brom to keep their play-off hopes intact.

At half-time, Jack Garwood was allowed onto the pitch on the pretext that he was to take part in a crossbar challenge - only to instead propose to girlfriend Brandis.

He used to live in Norfolk but they are now together in the state of Virginia in the USA.

"She had no idea it was going to happen. I have no idea how I kept it quiet but I managed to - I just want to shout out the club and say thank you for being so accommodating," Jack told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"I wasn't sure I'd be able to when I came up with the idea, but they were brilliant - what an afternoon."

Brandis was attending her first football match and said: "We were going out there and I thought 'do I have to kick this?' because I don't know how to kick a football.

"We've been together two-ish years but I was not expecting that right now."

Fortunately, she also said yes.

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An injury to left-back Callum Doyle forced a tactical rethink by Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup, which paid off with a dramatic 1-0 win over West Brom.

Doyle missed the game with a calf problem and the Dane opted for a back five instead of a four, with Kellen Fisher deputising down the left.

"Knowing that we will be without a left-back for probably the rest of the season was one of the reasons behind the different approach because last time we played against West Brom, (Tom) Fellows on the right side created problems for us," Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"When you decide to have a five in the backline instead of four, you probably lose a bit of intensity in the first line of your pressing game and that's what we had to accept and do what it takes to be compact as a team.

"At the end of the day, everyone just wants to see us win so we do what is necessary. Is it my favourite kind of football? No, 100% not - but I'm not that stubborn, not to do once in a while what it takes to get a result."

Asked about Doyle's injury, Thorup replied: "He's still with us, he's doing his rehab with us but he felt some pain after the Bristol (City) game and we scanned it and could see it was a calf injury.

"It's probably three to five weeks - if we are optimistic and it's three, then we can use him (again this season), but if it's the opposite, then his season can be over."

Norwich are next in action away to Plymouth Argyle next Saturday.

Norwich City are looking to end a four-match winless streak when they host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (15:00 GMT)

The Baggies are going for a first away league win since 10 November.

• Norwich City have won just one of their past seven league games against West Brom (D3 L3), though that sole victory did come in this exact fixture last season (2-0).

• West Brom have won three of their past five away league games against Norwich City (D1 L1), with each of those victories coming via a one goal margin.

• Norwich have lost two of their past four home league games (W1 D1), as many defeats as across their prior 30 matches at Carrow Road combined (W18 D10).

• West Brom have failed to win any of their past 11 away league games (D7 L4), last enduring a longer winless run on their travels between September 2017 and March 2018 in the Premier League (15 games).

• West Brom's Adam Armstrong has struck four goals across seven prior Championship meetings with Norwich, with three of those coming across his two matches against the Canaries last season with Southampton.

Phil Daley
Radio Norfolk sports editor

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has been speaking to the media ahead of the Canaries' home game against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Here are some of the key points from the press conference:

• Goalkeeper Angus Gunn is fit after missing three Championship matches before the international break. Full-back Lucien Mahovo remains out.

• "No new injuries from the players that were away on international duty and we had some good contact time with the players here," said Thorup.

• Thorup traveled to the USA during the international break to spend some time with majority shareholder Mark Attanasio.

• On leading scorer Borja Sainz, "if he makes it to 20 Championship goals I'm sure there will be plenty of interest in him. He will be very expensive though," added Thorup.

• January signing Matej Jurasek will also be around the matchday squad but will be used sparingly while he gets up to speed with Championship football.

• On Saturday's opponents West Brom, "they are a great team who can dominate a game and cause us trouble.

• "It's important we do everything to give the fans a good experience at the end of the season because we owe them that", said Thorup.

You can listen to full live coverage of Norwich City v West Brom on BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB from 14:00 GMT on Saturday, 29 March.

Former Norwich City goalkeeper Chris Woods says the League Cup final success in 1985 was a "special" moment in his career.

The ex-England international was between the sticks for the Canaries 40 years ago when they beat Sunderland 1-0 to lift the trophy.

"It's frightening to think it was that long ago but obviously still great memories," Woods told BBC Radio Norfolk's The Scrimmage podcast.

"It's something that every footballer wants to do, go and play in a cup final at Wembley. I was very lucky when I was only 18 playing in a League Cup final with Nottingham Forest against Liverpool [in 1978].

"But I wasn't the established number one at that time so to go there with Norwich City being the number one meant an awful lot to me.

"Looking back on it, some of the players were household names. It's just great to have been part of that team and that era."

Clive Walker spurned the chance to equalise for Sunderland late in the second half when his penalty struck the post after Dennis van Wijk was penalised for handball in the area.

Woods revealed: "I chose the side I was going to go. Fortunately it hit the post but I probably would have saved it anyway, if it had gone inside.

"No one will ever know but it's something I can think to myself."

Woods recalls feeling "relief" at the final whistle when he realised "everything you'd worked for was there and you'd won it".

Fans flocked to Norwich City Hall to celebrate with the team following the victory and Woods can still recall how much it meant to the club at the time.

"Just the turnout from all the supporters, I remember being on the balcony and it being absolutely packed," he added.

"I think it's moments like that you tend to relish and think you've actually achieved something for everybody to come out and support what you've done.

"It was a great day for supporters. It was something special."

Listen to The Milk Cup Men - an hour-long special episode of The Scrimmage podcast featuring Woods and Steve Bruce - on BBC Sounds.

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Steve Bruce says the League Cup final win for Norwich City against Sunderland in 1985 is "arguably the best day in the club's history".

The Canaries lifted the trophy 40 years ago today with a 1-0 win at Wembley over the Black Cats.

"I'm a Newcastle fan so always the enemy was Sunderland, of course it was," Bruce told BBC Radio Norfolk's The Scrimmage podcast.

"But it never really felt that way for me because it was Sunderland. It was just, can I play well on the day?

"I remember the song on the bus going down, It's Now or Never by Elvis. This was our big opportunity, our big chance - and I think we just about handled the occasion better than they did.

"It wasn't a great or a classic final. For everybody who supports Norwich, though, it was. We'd won a cup, it didn't matter. If it'd come off two deflections, it didn't matter.

"To see the excitement and for everybody concerned, if you're a Norwich fan, that day is arguably the best they've had in their history."

You can listen to The Milk Cup Men - an hour-long special episode of The Scrimmage podcast featuring Steve Bruce - on BBC Radio Norfolk at 18:00 GMT on 24 March.

Steve Bruce has reminisced over the "great feeling" of scoring the winning goal for Norwich City in the League Cup semi-final tie against rivals Ipswich Town 40 years ago.

Bruce's header in the 87th minute made it 2-0 to the Canaries on 6 March, 1985 at Carrow Road and 2-1 on aggregate.

His effort helped take the club to Wembley en-route to winning what was then named the Milk Cup by beating Sunderland 1-0 in the final.

"I'd only been there myself five or six months after a pretty dismal start when I had an own goal after 30 seconds on my debut," Bruce told BBC Radio Norfolk's The Scrimmage podcast.

"Six months later, you're scoring the winner that takes the club to Wembley and of course, we all know what went on after that.

"It was a really good time for everybody."

You can listen to The Milk Cup Men - an hour-long special episode of The Scrimmage podcast featuring Steve Bruce - on BBC Radio Norfolk at 18:00 GMT on 24 March.

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Norwich forward Josh Sargent played 68 minutes but his USA team were upset by Panama in their Concacaf Nations League semi-final.

They were beaten 1-0 in Los Angeles and Panama will meet Mexico in the final on Sunday evening after El Tri beat Canada 2-0.

Sargent has scored 12 Championship goals for Norwich this season and is set to feature for the USA in their third place play-off against the Canadians on Sunday before flying back to the UK.

The Canaries' next league game is at home to West Bromwich Albion on 29 March.

Norwich City defender Brad Hills says he would like to "get a promotion on the CV" while on loan with Stockport County.

Stockport are fifth in League One, six points shy of second placed Wycombe Wanderers.

"I feel like Stockport do try and play and that's how I want to play. That's where I'm best suited, on the ball and getting it moving," Hills, 21, told BBC Radio Norfolk's The Scrimmage podcast.

"Sometimes it's hard in the league with the pitches and the teams we are playing against.

"We are capable of being up there and we are there. That's the aim and that's why I came here in the first place, to get promoted."

The Canaries academy graduate joined the Hatters on loan in January in a bid to gain more playing time.

He has since started seven of his eight games for the League One side, being named Stockport's player of the month in February by supporters.

"I just want to keep myself in the team, keep building on performances and take that into next season," he added.

"I just come here and do my thing and see where it takes me. At the minute, I'm lucky enough I'm playing so I know if I play my best game, I've got every best chance of playing each week."

You can listen to the full episode and more on The Scrimmage: A Norwich City podcast.