Steve Morison's late riposte is the only way to silence the doubters, according to Paul Lambert.

The Welsh international ended a barren spell in front of goal stretching back to January which has left the 28-year-old open to the brick bats from sections of the City support. Lambert insists that comes with the territory when you operate in the line of fire.

'Yes, I am pleased because I felt he has took unfair criticism and his goals in the early part of the season have put the club where it is in this position now,' said Lambert. 'He has not long been out of non league football. He has been massive, Morro. The crowd will always have one person to go for, always, but he has never wilted. He has a great character and I know what he has done for Norwich. It was a brilliant finish. I thought (Jonny) Howson was excellent with the chip and the finish was magic.'

Lambert was equally fulsome in his praise for recalled left-back Simon Lappin, who made only his third Premier League start of the campaign in a re-shaped backline tasked with trying to stifle footballer-of-the-year Robin van Persie.

'He is one of the best in Europe and you have young Ryan (Bennett) just come out of Peterborough up against him and Russell (Martin) but I thought some of the blocks and the whole back four, along with John Ruddy, were excellent,' said Lambert. 'John made some top class saves but he has been like that for two years now. Kyle (Naughton) has been excellent all season and the one thing you can say about Simon is that he never lets you down. What a professional footballer he is. In all the years I have been here, he has been absolutely brilliant. To come into a match of this magnitude I thought he was brilliant.'