After Norwich City's East Anglian derby victory over Ipswich Town, Connor Southwell delivers six things you may have missed from Carrow Road.
1 - It's happened again
Norwich City’s supporters weren’t shy to remind Ipswich Town supporters that it had ‘happened again’ in an East Anglian derby once the full-time whistle rang out.
15 years. 5,468 days. 14 matches. One incredible derby record.
Given the tight margins on which derby fixtures are played, Norwich's edge over Ipswich for such a prolonged period is remarkable.
It is a run that spans seven managers and over 80 players – a timeframe in which Watford have had 22 permanent managers.
The last time Norwich lost this fixture, the iPad hadn’t been invented, Instagram didn’t exist, Gordon Brown was prime minister of the United Kingdom, Bryan Gunn was in the City hot-seat, and Marcelino Nunez, Norwich’s latest derby day hero, was just nine years old.
Even in a campaign where Ipswich have been extraordinary, they have been unable to break the curse. The victory now means that the sides are level for wins in the fixture, having both won 43 times.
During this 15-year period, the aggregate score stands at 27-10. Ipswich have only scored more than once in one of the 14 matches during this run.
Six other derbies – Aston Villa v Birmingham, Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff v Swansea, Newcastle v Sunderland, Forest v Derby and West Brom v Wolves – have never had a 14-game unbeaten run for either side.
That is why it means so much to Norwich City supporters. The celebrations at full time showed it.
2 - Spicy Nacho
Holt times three, Hoolahan, Surman, McAuley (own goal), Jackson, Martin, Pacheco, Grabban, Johnson, Grabban again, Howson, Hoolahan, Redmond, Jerome times two, Jacob Murphy, Maddison, Klose, Hernandez, Pukki times two and Rowe times two.
Now, the derby day goalscoring club has a new member: Marcelino Nunez. He fired a free kick from 30 yards past Vaclav Hladky and into the net.
It kissed the post and rolled into the net, creating bedlam at Carrow Road. As Bradley Johnson said in the build-up to this contest, goals against the old enemy create an unbreakable bond between the players involved and supporters.
Nunez is in his best run of form since arriving at Norwich directly from South America. That has coincided with David Wagner deploying him in a different midfield role.
Right now, Nunez will feel like a regular starter. That label has evaded him since his move to England. Wagner and his staff have found a role that makes him effective and balances his tireless running with technical qualities.
Nunez has trademarked scoring from a set-piece. With him providing a right-footed option and Gabriel Sara as a left-footer, it causes opponents problems—hence why Hladky struggled with setting up his wall and his position.
The Chilean took the acclaim from the Barclay post-match. He has found a higher gear at City in recent weeks.
3 - She's electric
There has been plenty said and written about the atmosphere at Carrow Road this season – just 55 days ago, David Wagner and a section of the support were at loggerheads.
The comments that followed from City’s boss have cleared the air. This was an atmosphere that will live in the memory.
There was no need for a coach greeting, throwing of cans or intimidation tactics – this was old-school and it was electrifying.
Along Come Norwich’s ‘Since I was Young’ surfer banner beforehand, the first On the Ball, City, the eruption that followed the opening goal and the celebration that greeted the final whistle that spilt out of Carrow Road and reverberated around the city. It will live long in the memory.
Those wearing smart watches were warned of exposure to loud decibel levels. It was intoxicating and exhilarating. It captured the glorious agony of living through a derby with so much riding on it.
Carrow Road was a cacophony of noise. The old place was shaking from its hinges. Norwich needed every roar, cry, and chant to drag themselves over the line.
Portman Road was electric for the reverse fixture. This was even better. A sea of yellow and green kicking every ball, jumping for every header and living through every second.
Not since that epic 3-2 victory over Manchester City in 2019 has Carrow Road reached the noise level that was witnessed on Saturday. It felt like a watershed moment for fan relations.
4 - Lack of kit, man
Among the scenes that followed this derby day victory was the emergence of an unlikely hero taking acclaim from the Barclay.
It wasn’t any of the players in yellow and green who had fought with bravery to deliver a gutsy derby day victory but was a member of the backroom team who work tirelessly in the background.
Step forward Norwich City kitman Pete Dye.
As City prepared to conduct their victory waves that have become a regular staple of victories at Carrow Road, David Wagner invited his backroom team of sports scientists, analysts, fitness staff, coaches and kitmen onto the pitch to enjoy the moment.
Dye is a lifelong City fan and is somewhat of a conduit between playing staff and management. His team work tirelessly to prepare kit, boots and even decorate away dressing rooms to make them feel more homely.
But on this occasion, Dye’s moment came as a result of his lack of kit. He stood bare-chested and pumped his fists towards the Barclay, to much laughter from those on the pitch.
Dye is a popular member of staff among players and memorably played a tuba in the home dressing room after City’s promotion from the Championship in 2021. He would have been one of the people reiterating the importance of this fixture to those behind the scenes.
5 - Fortress
Norwich City’s fine winning record at Carrow Road has now been extended to eight straight matches.
That is the longest consecutive run of successful matches at home in the top two tiers since Nigel Worthington’s class of 2003/04, when they won nine in a row. Paul Lambert’s League One title winners also managed 11 before dropping points.
Since that last home defeat to Blackburn in November, Norwich have won 10, drawn two and lost none of their Championship matches in NR1.
Their record overall in that period has been incredibly impressive—they’ve taken 50 points from 26 matches since November 5th. Given their position, this has been a remarkable turnaround.
David Wagner deserves immense credit for his role in that uplift, and so do City’s playing group and everyone involved in the form. Against all odds, it has been impressive and formidable.
In the wider top six picture, Sky Sports are now calculating their play-off qualification prospects at 75pc. Coventry, Hull and Middlesbrough are keeping them honest by continuing to win matches. The margin for error remains small.
To finish the job, they have five seismic matches to play—three away and two at home. They have to keep the pedal to the metal in the coming weeks.
6 - Hangover cure
After the dizzying highs of an East Anglian derby victory, Norwich City will need to come down from cloud nine and prepare for another tough week.
The Championship is demanding and has an unwelcome way of catching teams on the chin who fail to reach the standards they demand – and with Sheffield Wednesday the opponents on Tuesday, Norwich will need to be ready.
When City recorded an incredible 3-2 victory over Manchester City in 2019, they were brought back down to earth with a defeat at Burnley. After a 2-0 victory over Ipswich in March 2015, they were beaten by Wigan three days later.
Likewise in 2019, when a 3-0 victory over their rivals was followed by a 3-1 defeat to Preston North End. In 2017, a 1-0 win at Portman Road came before a 2-1 loss to Derby. The next game after a derby can be tough.
After such highs, Norwich have to reset and find the same hunger in a different game. If they don’t, Wednesday will be ready to punish them as they continue their fight for survival under Danny Rohl.
This group of City players has done superbly to respond to adversity in recent months – be it the Middlesbrough defeat, falling behind against Plymouth or Easter Monday’s loss at Leicester.
Given their away record this season, Norwich will need to extract points in their next two matches on the road. Their focus cannot slip.
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