Norwich have picked up their first Premier League win of the season after a determined and hard-fought performance against Arsenal at Carrow Road, edging the match 1-0.
The Gunners had more possession throughout, but the hosts opened the scoring through Grant Holt in the first-half after Vito Mannone spilled a long-range shot.
The Canaries were forced to hold on for periods of the match, but a solid defensive performance saw them hard to break down, with the visiting side creating few clear-cut chances.
Norwich made two changes from the side that was swept aside by Chelsea two weeks ago with Leon Barnett being replaced by summer signing Michael Turner, while on the left wing Anthony Pilkington came in for Jonny Howson, who dropped to the bench.
Arsenal came into the match in good form and made just the one change to the side that beat West Ham away last time out and it is a forced one, with Andre Santos starting at left-back in place of the injured Kieran Gibbs.
The hosts came out of the trap in a determined manner, with Anthony Pilkington going close early on, but the Gunners soon took control of possession, making the match look like a training session at times, yet they could not create clear opportunities.
Norwich’s steely rearguard action was providing an excellent launch pad, and they were soon in the lead, with the help of Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone.
Bradley Johnson cut the ball back to Alexander Tettey about 25 yards out, and the Norwegian who built up a reputation for his long-range shooting at Rennes in France tried his luck, only for his effort to be spilled by Mannone and Holt buried the rebound.
The goal saw Norwich showing significantly more on the ball, and although Arsenal generally continued to edge the possession, it was the hosts who went close next, but Michael Turner, who was booed before kick-off, headed a great chance wide after Wes Hoolahan’s corner and the Canaries went into the break in the lead.
After the break the match followed a similar pattern to what had been established before the break, with Norwich doing most of the running about, while the Gunners stroked the ball around with little end product.
Olivier Giroud was presented with an opportunity to get a shot in when John Ruddy punched Carl Jenkinson’s cross near him, but his effort bobbled harmlessly wide as Arsenal pressed hard for an equaliser.
With 20 minutes to go, Thomas Vermaelen presented Norwich with an excellent chance to secure the win after slipping on the half-way line, but Holt’s attempted chip went straight into the hands of Mannone.
Arsenal piled the pressure on in the final ten minutes, but they still could not break down the Norwich defence that held strong, with Leon Barnett' last-ditch block on Gervinho securing the win.
Source: Goal
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