Borja Sainz was Norwich City’s hat-trick hero, but Josh Sargent was key to a stirring 3-2 Championship win at Derby, in the view of his head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup.

The Dane joked Sainz’s four goals in two games, since firing blanks at Swansea, had been ‘an okay’ response, and the Spaniard cashed in on two Sargent assists at Pride Park.

City’s star striker plundered 16 league goals last season in an injury-hit campaign that ended at Tuesday’s Carrow Road opponents, Leeds, in play-off misery.

Sargent has two goals and three assists this time around, and Thorup predicts the goals will continue to flow for the selfless 24-year-old.

“That approach is what made me so satisfied about his performance,” said the City chief. “Because defensively, we know what we get and that's top from minute one to minute 90. But then also in these offensive situations you know he's a team player.

"At the end of the day it will come back to him, because all the others will know, ‘Okay, he's normally assisting us, and we will also assist him.’

“What I like to see is a striker where he’s only focused on goals will maybe go for a shot for our third goal. He could take a touch and then go with his left foot, and it's not the biggest possible chance we can create.

"The biggest possible one is the one he decided to do and put it with the outside of the foot to Borja.”

Josh Sargent turned provider for Borja Sainz at Derby (Image: Martyn Haworth/Focus Images Ltd)

Sargent is now playing catch up after Sainz took his own goal tally to six in seven league games this season.

“He's a threat for us offensively, and he will definitely be that throughout the whole season, because he's a great finisher,” said Thorup. “He gets himself into good positions, he's good at reading what happens from the opposite side, so he can get in front of the defenders.

"We also have to appreciate Josh creating two clear goal scoring opportunities for him with two tap ins, which is important.

"We keep on saying to the guys, it's not important for us who will score the goals. It's important that we get into these dangerous areas, and we create the biggest possible chance every time we're in there.”