‘Sunderland were better in every single department’ - national newspaper reaction to Norwich’s loss to Sunderland
Andre Marriner turns down Norwich City penalty appeals after Dieumerci Mbokani tumbles under a challenge from Sunderland defender Younes Kaboul. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich's Premier League survival hopes were dealt a double blow on Sunday, with a 3-0 loss to fellow strugglers Sunderland, while Newcastle closed the gap on the Canaries with victory over Swansea.
Here's what some of the national newspapers had to say about Norwich's limp performance.
•The Sun
'The Canaries did not lose because of one man — or because of one or two decisions. Sunderland closed the gap to just one point, with a game in hand, because they were better in every single department.'
•The Sunday Times
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'Sunderland had what Norwich couldn't find ... their strategy unsubtle and too dependent on Mbokani's knockdowns.'
•The Mirror
'They celebrated as if they had won the title after a last-minute winner against Newcastle two weeks ago – but now Norwich are right back in the soup. Defeat at Crystal Palace, followed by a performance which reeked of naivety here, has plonked a big question mark over the Canaries' ability to survive the drop.'
•The Guardian
'Norwich's best player was absent, having failed to recover from the knee injury picked up against Crystal Palace. (Timm) Klose is unlikely to play again this season. The slightly hair-raising Sébastien Bassong took his place here and contributed to this result with some slightly frantic defending.'
•The Mail
'Perhaps had it not been for Lee Cattermole's heroics and seemingly endless supply of goal-line clearances, Norwich might have found a way back into this game. Yet ultimately they didn't. And it was hard to avoid the feeling that this was a decisive seasonal swing. Not only are Sunderland now just a point behind Norwich with a game in hand; their goal difference is now seven goals better than their opponents on Saturday.'