Norwich head coach David Wagner was impressed with two facets of his side’s game as they beat Stoke 1-0 to maintain their excellent start to the Championship season.
The Canaries had to battle hard to secure a third straight win at Carrow Road but got their noses in front just before the break through Jack Stacey and then defended well in the second half to secure the points.
Wagner said: “I thought we played a lot of good stuff in the first half, kept going to the end and finally got our reward.
“Then in the second we had to dig in at times to get the result. Sometimes in football players get asked questions, about the need to work hard and put in a shift and they have done that.
“It was a tough game against a strong Stoke side with a lot of good individuals and we have come away with a deserved win.
“The only thing I can complain about is the way we managed the game in the final five minutes when we should have be taking the ball to the corner flag rather than going for a second goal.”
A scrappy match with few highlights was settled by a 44th minute goal from Stacey, his first for the Canaries since signing in the summer from Bournemouth.
The defender was in the right place at the right time to convert from close range after a cross from the right from Christian Fassnacht had taken a fortunate deflection off Mehdi Leris.
Norwich barely threatened after that but Stoke also struggled to get a clear sight of goal.
Tyrese Campbell missed a great chance to equalise almost straight away, dragging a first-time shot wide from a good position, and substitute Dwight Gayle failed to convert a close-range chance in stoppage time.
But the hosts had few anxious moments as they maintained their bright start to the campaign.
Wagner also praised goal hero Stacey, adding: “He scored a good goal, got plenty of crosses in and was also solid in his defensive work. He has done well since he arrived and we are delighted to have him.”
Stoke manager Alex Neil was frustrated to come away from his former hunting ground empty-handed.
He said: “I am very disappointed we didn’t get something – I certainly don’t think we deserved to lose the game.
“It always looked like a game which would be won by the more clinical team and that’s the way it turned out.
“We had four or five good opportunities but didn’t manage to score any of them while they scored a scruffy goal from just about the only time we didn’t defend our box properly.
“I thought the performance was really encouraging at a really difficult place to come but I would rather we’d played poorly and won. On another day we could certainly have won the game.
“It’s difficult because we are working with a new-look squad and we have lost a number of players with injuries but I have no complaints with the effort they put in today.”
Sanderson predicting Chelsea to win 'down-to-the-wire' WSL title race
Lianne Sanderson believes Chelsea will get over the line in the Women's Super League (WSL) title race this weekend.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes previously declared the WSL title race as "done" following her side's 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in early May, but two wins since and a loss for title rivals Manchester CIty against Arsenal mean her team head into the final game top and with a superior goal difference.
Chelsea's goal difference of +47 to City's +45 could prove crucial as Hayes' side take on Manchester United this weekend looking to clinch the title.
City, meanwhile, travel to take on Aston Villa looking to overturn the goal difference deficit, but Sanderson feels Chelsea will get the job done.
"Obviously it's great for the neutral. For the fans, it's fantastic," Sanderson told Stats Perform.
"I think Emma Hayes obviously kind of somewhat accepted defeat a couple of weeks ago, which was surprising. Sometimes your emotions get the better of you. Emma Hayes is one of the best coaches in the world.
"Manchester City have had the best year I think they've had since Gareth Taylor has been there, taking over from Nick Cushing.
"It's going to go down to the wire. Personally, I still think Chelsea might do it."
With Sanderson predicting City to miss out on the WSL title, Sanderson feels Taylor's job should have come under more threat than it has.
"I've said many times that Gareth Taylor, I think hasn't come under as much pressure as he probably should have," Sanderson said.
"I think if he was in the men's game it would have been interesting because they've not qualified for the Champions League, they've been knocked out of preliminary rounds and those types of things."
However, Sanderson also gave Taylor credit for his persistence in what has occasionally been a challenging tenure.
"It's been interesting, but fair play to Gareth Taylor because he's persevered," Sanderson added.
"They've had loads of players over the years, you know Carli Lloyd, Rose Lavelle, the list could go on and it just hasn't really worked out, not due to those players, but sometimes you must find the right balance. I think finally, they found the right balance."
Ronaldo motivated to keep playing at top level
Cristiano Ronaldo has no intention of stopping as he says he is still motivated to compete with the "young lions" coming through in the game.
Ronaldo is reportedly considering signing a contract extension to keep him at Al-Nassr until June 2026, taking him past his 41st birthday.
The Portugal international has scored 42 goals in 41 appearances for the Saudi Pro League club this season, and he insists he is still motivated to keep going.
Speaking on the Whoop podcast, he said: "I feel proud to have this age and still compete at the highest level. It's great, and it gives me motivation to carry on.
"If you look at my career for the last 20 years, my level is high. If you are top for 20 years, it's unbelievable.
"I do that, and I continue to do that. For me, it's a big achievement."
Ronaldo has scored an incredible 891 goals in his career and is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 128 goals.
"My biggest motivation is to carry on," he added. "It's not easy to be at this level.
"To still push, to still motivate, to carry on, to score goals, to be in good shape, to compete with the young lions that are coming and that when they play against me, they want to show me that they are stronger and faster than me.
"You have to prepare very well, not just physically but mentally, too. This is the challenge.
"Talent without work is nothing and work without talent is nothing. They have to work together at the same time. I have both. I can't say that I have more of one than the other.
"Small details will make the difference. Consistency is the most difficult thing.
"Are you willing to do that? That's the main point, because everyone wants to be Cristiano, but doing it is difficult. Discipline is the most difficult thing."
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
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