Even Bradley Johnson felt it was inevitable he would score against his former club – and he duly apologised for it.

Norwich City's fifth successive Championship defeat came thanks to the midfielder's first goal of the season, dumping his former club two points outside the top six.

Johnson played down his Derby goal celebrations – and at more than one point had both sets of fans singing his name.

'It was good,' smiled Johnson. 'The fans were terrific for me when I was at the club and now I've left, I think they're still good to me. I thank them and I'm sorry for the way it went. It was bound to happen – I was bound to score. It was good to play against all my mates. They are good fans, I got a good reception from them and gave them one back; it was a good game for me.'

The midfielder avoided a fifth booking to take in Saturday's City reunion – and the Canaries' 2015 player of the season still expects his former club to turn their ailing form around.

'I definitely didn't want to miss this one,' smiled Johnson. 'I looked at this fixture at the beginning of the season and I wasn't playing then, and I said I need to be in there to play. But there was no point to prove. It's football and things happen, you leave clubs, you join clubs.

'For Norwich, it will only be a matter of time before they start winning games again. When I was there, the manager came in and did terrifically well and got us promoted. So he is a good manager. It's just how things go in football.

'They played well and when you're on a bad run, things like that happen. But I'm sure they'll turn it around and things will be good at Norwich soon.

'They've got big characters in that team. I've been there before when we weren't winning games but it's down to the lads to stick together and not let anything distract them, work hard and put it right – and I'm sure they will.'

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