A perfect hat-trick on a perfect start to 2017 for Norwich City – and Nélson Oliveira has vowed there is more to come.
The Canaries picked up points in successive games for the first time since mid-October, following up their goalless draw at Brentford by hitting 10-man Derby for three – making the most of Jacob Butterfield’s second-half sending off.
“For a striker, when you score – especially a hat-trick – you feel confident and if the team wins it’s even better,” said Oliveira, making it seven goals in seven games.
“I feel confident because I scored and the team performed well, and hopefully we are able to stay like this. Like I said before, I feel at home here.
“The supporters are amazing with me and I only need to work hard to try to make them happy and show my ability. I think I have a lot more still to come and I need to keep working and score goals.”
Oliveira’s perfect hat-trick came with a left-foot drive, a flicked header and a right-footed shot through a crowd.
“A perfect hat-trick? It was good, yes,” he beamed. “It’s my second hat-trick. The first was a long time ago and hopefully I can score some more.
“It’s good to start the year with a hat-trick, it’s good to start with a good performance from all the players and all of us are really happy – but we need to keep working and still win the next games.”
As for Oliveira’s long run to celebrate his second goal with Sebastien Bassong, the striker added: “All the players helped me since I came here, but Seb especially because he has a really strong mentality.
“He’s helped me a lot, given me some good advice. Because I speak French, it’s easy to speak with him.
“I said to him at half-time if I scored in the second half, I’d run to him – and I did that.”
• Follow Michael Bailey on Twitter @michaeljbailey and Facebook @mbjourno
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