Daniel Farke savoured a ‘brilliant performance’ from Norwich City to inflict a first Championship defeat of the season on Middlesbrough in a 1-0 success at Carrow Road.
Teemu Pukki’s sixth goal in 10 for club and country sealed a deserved three points against Tony Pulis’ promotion-chasing Teessiders.
City went into the game with Grant Hanley ruled out for six to eight weeks through injury to add to a growing casualty list, but Farke’s troops responded to fresh adversity.
“We knew we were playing a favourite for promotion. They had five clean sheets in a row. It is so difficult to play against a team with long balls and tall players. It was a brilliant performance,” he said. “We controlled the game, we controlled possession, we dominated the ball.
“We didn’t give away more than one chance in 70 minutes. Then we score and it is normal what can happen in the last 20 minutes. (Aden) Flint and (Dani) Ayala are then in your box.
“I wish we could have controlled this period as well. We tried to score the second and if you don’t then it is about playing without mistakes until the end.
“Quite pleased with the result and the performance.
“When you regard how many problems we have. With Grant Hanley, with Kenny McLean, Louis Thompson, Mario Vrancic the first time on the pitch since April and not really prepared.
“We also had several tired players on the pitch with Teemu Pukki and Jamal Lewis on the pitch after one training session. But we were on fire, we stuck to our plan and we get the win and clean sheet.
“For Teemu, it is the life of a striker.
“Sometimes you have these periods when you just have to watch the ball and it goes over the line. Others you will hit the post or it goes wide.