Here is Paddy’s verdict on Dean Smith’s Norwich, who found their shooting boots and kept the back door shut again for a long overdue Carrow Road win.

• Tim Krul 7

Went full length to keep out Matthew Lowton’s curling effort in stoppage time. Right place, right time in the fifth minute to collect Jay Rodriguez’s flick. Then had his angles spot on in the 26th minute to parry a fearsomely struck rising effort from Maxwell Cornet.

Must have feared the worst when Cornet looked set to level at his back post before his effort slithered wide. Had to back pedal to get a hand to a Lowton cross dipping under his bar.

• Sam Byram 7

Brave clearing header after rising between Cornet and Rodriguez typified his side’s fully committed approach. Good positionally at his back post. Headed a Lowton cross clear in the 63rd minute, and was then out quickly with a full-blooded challenge on Charlie Taylor that had home fans out of their seats.

More circumspect in his attacking urges than Max Aarons, but did move through the gears in the 25th minute to offer an option for Milot Rashica. One blemish when he was caught in possession by Dwight McNeil for the golden Cornet chance that went unpunished.

• Grant Hanley (C) 8

Stood up to divert a Cornet piledriver in the 33rd minute. Tracked the run of the towering Wout Weghorst to get the first header to an Ashley Westwood cross.

Should have added to his Premier League goal tally at the opposite end in the 79th minute, when he was in the perfect position but diverted Teemu Pukki’s whipped ball against Nick Pope’s bar from inside the Burnley six yard box.

• Ben Gibson 8

Calmly controlled a long pass and reversed it back into the path of Tim Krul, with Rodriguez in close attendance. Backed into his six yard box in the 25th minute by the powerful Weghorst, but was not fooled by his turn and strong enough to make the clearance. Two excellent blocks within seconds in the closing stages of the first period.

The first from Westwood looked to be going in, the second from Lowton. Stood up Matej Vydra in the 75th minute to release Lukas Rupp to counter.

• Dimi Giannoulis 7

A few anxious moments against the very dangerous Cornet. Particularly in that second half spell, when he left the wide player unattended for a huge Burnley chance. Then saw another clearing header drop to Lowton, who skied over. But also put his body on the line to deal with Aaron Lennon and later Cornet.

Span infield to lose his man and tee up Kieran Dowell with a clever ball around the corner.

• Mathias Normann 8

A brilliant ‘no look’ pass into the path of Pukki to seal the victory. Operated seamlessly alongside Kenny McLean in a protection role. Notably when he tracked a Cornet run to intercept and halt a counter to huge cheers just past the half-hour mark. By then had already tried his luck from long range with a shot that did not clear Pope’s bar by much.

Won another midfield skirmish to set Rashica free. More disguise shown on a free kick in the 79th minute reversed into the path of Pukki for Hanley’s chance.

• Kenny McLean 8

A bear hug at the end from Dean Smith, and then the manager’s champagne as his top performer. Certainly turned in a high energy display in a more defensively minded midfield role. Blocked Westwood’s hit in the eighth minute. Tremendous again on the cover in the 43rd minute, to track back and thwart Lennon at the expense of a corner.

But also showed his quality on the ball. Raking ball to the back post was arrowing towards Pierre Lees-Melou before Lowton intervened. Then an exquisite ball fizzed right across the Clarets’ six yard box.

• Kieran Dowell 7

Surprise name on the team sheet for many. But justified Smith’s faith with his quality on the ball. Who later revealed he was in the side to improve Norwich’s work in transition phases. Threaded a ball through to Pukki as early as the second minute. Then showed his composure in the ninth minute to take it again in a tight space and jink inside three to find McLean.

Cut out a sloppy Lowton square ball to roll in Pukki. Drove over halfway in the 54th minute before a weighted clip for Rashica, who was crowded out.

• Pierre Lees-Melou 7

Hard pushed to think of a better game in green and yellow in his debut season at Carrow Road. A touch of fortune for his landmark goal, when his shot brushed the diving Brownhill and arced over Pope before clipping the inside of a post. Burst over halfway and then expertly slipped in Pukki.

Advanced again in the 21st minute before carving out another chance for Pukki. Had to walk a disciplinary tightrope in the second half on a booking.

• Milot Rashica 7

Really looks a threat in a team striving to counter-punch. Denied twice by Pope. The second one when he tried to hoodwink the England hopeful by dragging his right footed effort back inside the near post. Picked out the overlapping Byram in a first half move that fizzled out.

Still showing ambition in the second half to burst into the Burnley box.

• Teemu Pukki 8

Clinical touch and then emphatic finish across Pope into his far bottom corner capped a vibrant display. Released Rashica for his big early chance with a cushioned header. Pope brilliantly kicked away his angled dig from Lees-Melou’s pass. James Tarkowski was around on the cover to block a similar attempt.

Tumbled under Taylor’s challenge right on the edge of the Burnley box, after a clever piece of trickery got him goalside. Later whipped a cross shot towards Hanley, who should have scored.

Subs:

• Lukas Rupp (for Lees-Melou, 69) 6

• Brandon Williams (for Giannoulis, 84) n/a

• Christos Tzolis (for Pukki, 89) n/a