Preston North End vs Norwich City. Sky Bet Championship.
DeepdaleAttendance11,650.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Preston and Norwich City at Deepdale as two goals apiece from Teemu Pukki and Kieran Dowell earned victory for David Wagner.
Saturday 14 January 2023 18:53, UK
David Wagner's Norwich reign exploded into life with an authoritative 4-0 victory over shell-shocked Preston at Deepdale.
The former Huddersfield manager was appointed Norwich boss only eight days ago but the German's fingerprints were unmistakably plastered across an away performance bursting with energy and enterprise.
Kieran Dowell, restored to the starting XI for the first time since October, scored twice, the forward adding to Teemu Pukki's 13th-minute strike, as Norwich ran riot with three early goals.
Pukki added his 10th goal of the campaign after 69 minutes.
Norwich climb four places to seventh, only two points behind West Brom in sixth, after a first win in five Championship matches.
Preston, beaten for a fourth straight home league game, drop three positions to 13th.
Preston's top scoring pair of Ched Evans and Emil Riis were missing injured - Riis's season is over due to a serious knee problem - while the 11 starters boasted only five Championship goals between them this term.
And that absence of attacking potency was evident from the outset, Preston's bright passing repeatedly falling down in the final third.
Norwich were brimming with menace from the off. Max Aarons' drive infield from right-back to begin the move for the opening goal embodied his team's intent.
Onel Hernandez claimed possession, resisting pressure to feed Gabriel Sara, who teed-up Pukki for a rising first-time strike beyond Freddie Woodman.
Preston goalkeeper Woodman was beaten again thee minutes later. Aarons was the architect, backheeling into the path of Dowell, whose rifled shot slammed off Woodman's right post and over the line.
It felt like Norwich were pushing at an open door. Pukki missed his kick in front of goal, Dowell slipped when poised to shoot and Kenny McLean saw a 22-yard effort deflected narrowly wide.
The home supporters were growing increasingly incensed and the mood darkened further still on 28 minutes.
Pukki fastened on to Josh Sargent's through ball and unselfishly squared for Dowell to convert into an empty net for his third goal this season.
Preston manager Ryan Lowe promptly made a double change, including the introduction of Manchester City loanee Liam Delap for a debut, and reverted to a back five.
The hosts briefly flickered and Norwich keeper Tim Krul was worked by the robust Delap and fellow debutant Tom Cannon - the striker on loan from Everton starting a senior match for the first time - after the restart.
Those opportunities sandwiched shots over the top from Sargent and Aarons and preceded Woodman thwarting both Pukki and Sargent at close quarters.
But Pukki eventually defeated the Preston keeper for a second time, prodding home after skilfully spinning Alvaro Fernandez in the box.
The gleeful travelling supporters serenaded their new boss and the 51-year-old will be more than content with the start to his Norwich journey.
Preston's Ryan Lowe:
"The first half killed the game… there was some good play and good finishes from them, but from us, it was very sloppy and unacceptable. There is no excuse for that performance, I didn't see it coming. We fancied ourselves. We changed shape [to a back four] to be more solid and resolute, but it looked the other way.
"I can be outclassed by quality players, I just can't be outclassed in running and fighting and really having a gutsy display and determination. We didn't show any of that."
Norwich's David Wagner:
"What makes it important for me is we won in a certain style, with our ideas of football. The players were fantastic… with a lot of energy and intensity and good aggression. We were good offensively and score some wonderful goals. I wasn't happy with how clinical we were because in the second half we had a lot of clear-cut chances. Defensively, we played very well and it was a deserved win.
"It was good but this was the first step. We still have a lot of work to do. In some situations, we weren't focused or concentrated enough and we still gave away a few opportunities. This [result and performance] helps for everything that will come. They have shown it is possible to play in this style, with this identity and to be successful."
