Paddy Davitt delivers his Derby verdict after Norwich City’s superb 3-2 Championship away win.

1. Statement win

Johannes Hoff Thorup’s Norwich City become the first visiting side in 10 to take any points from Pride Park. Which ever way you cut it, that feels big. Paul Warne’s newly-promoted squad had not conceded in seven of those previous nine league games on home soil.

Yes, City’s first goal owed as much to the officials’ oversight than Josh Sargent’s persistence to cut a ball back that was clearly over the line for Borja Sainz. Although City may have been able to point out Sargent’s initial shot appeared to clip the sliding Eiran Cashin’s hands.

Thorup himself made the point in his post-match media Derby's second could also have been chalked off for a potential 'offside' encroachment around Angus Gunn.

But what cannot be disputed was how Norwich kicked on, despite the palpable anger swirling around the home stands. Sainz slotted two more and City’s defensive resolve came to the fore in stoppage time after Corey Blackett-Taylor’s strike.

The scenes at the full-time whistle spoke volumes. The 2,800 strong travelling away fans saluted Thorup, his players and backroom staff. Gunn and Sainz got their own burst of applause for key interventions at either end.

But this was a team effort. And after walloping Watford a real sign momentum, belief and confidence is building behind Thorup’s Norwich.

2. Borja ‘Gerd Muller’ Sainz                      

The predatory Spaniard has now matched his Championship tally for the whole of last season, with a match-winning hat-trick to sink Derby taking his personal tally to six goals in the opening seven league games.

Sainz’s Swansea pain seems an awful long time ago, after he spurned a number of late chances to get something out of that long trek to Wales. But what a response since.

The ‘velcro’ touch and cool finish against Watford and now two penalty box darts any striker would be proud of, plus another unerringly accurate finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Once Gabby Sara departed, maybe even Jon Rowe to a lesser extent, the question was always going to be who could step up and provide sustained support to Sargent? So far Sainz has shouldered the responsibility.

Thorup’s soothing words after his Swansea woe seem all the more pertinent now. Channel those emotions and accept that the position he plays on the pitch missing chances comes with the territory. But in this side, configured in this manner to go and attack teams, and keep attacking, Sainz is a perfect foil for the free-running American.

Now he has the platform to go and achieve the same impressive goal contributions as either of those two headline summer departures.

3. Adverse headwinds

In the warm afterglow of that home win over the Hornets, Thorup was quick to highlight his frustration at Norwich’s passivity that made for an uncomfortable passage or two on the way to an emphatic win.

He followed that up at his pre-match press call ahead of the trip to the East Midlands when he spoke about handling adversity.

City did not only have to overcome a home side who had won nine on the spin in the league in front of their own, seven of those without conceding a goal, but a fury and a tide of anger sweeping around the terraces at the injustice of Sainz’s opener.

Referee Langford was in the eye of the storm as he emerged for the start of the second half. But it was those in green and yellow who had to deal with that extra fuel channelled through Derby’s players for the spell that culminated in Craig Forsyth’s equaliser.

Shane Duffy and Jose Cordoba were resolute as the balls flew across Gunn’s goal and, once the tide had subsided, City’s smooth passing rhythms brought a second and a third for super Sainz.

Even then there was an uncomfortable and frantic five minutes or so of added on time to negotiate after Blackett-Taylor reduced the deficit. But after Thorup had posed the question about resilience and a front-foot mindset, post-Watford, his players responded in magnificent fashion.

4. Life comes at you fast, Kellen

Kellen Fisher is moving through the gears at some speed. A young player with four starts in his Norwich senior career prior to last weekend’s 4-1 Championship win, and his crucial tactical role in that impressive victory.

Then confirmation of a new longer term Carrow Road deal in the week and another test passed with flying colours at Pride Park. So much so that Fisher now feels the lightning rod for how Thorup is striving to turn Norwich into an aggressive, possession side with killer instincts on the turnover.

The 20-year-old’s comfort to move into a pseudo central midfield position on numerous occasions helped City open the pitch and drive a wedge through Derby’s pressing game. Fisher was also able to get up on the overlap to support Ante Crnac and stick to his task shadowing Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Albeit there was an early scare when he was dragged to the ball, and the winger got in behind to face a cross Kayden Jackson sliced wide.

But even then the response was measured, composed and stamped with a self-confidence which suggests Fisher feels now is his time. His exit ahead of the final quarter at Pride Park was part of a tactical switch from Thorup that saw both Jack Stacey and Ben Chrisene introduced, and Norwich deploy a back three.

After confirmation of that recent new contract, the young full back spoke about his desire for regular game time from here until the end of this first campaign under the Dane.

If he can maintain this level it will not be minutes on the pitch he is measured by, but his influence on the ball.