on Saturday, ending a run of four straight Premier
League defeats.
Jonny Howson scored with 20 minutes to go to give Norwich
City a crucial 1-0 victory over Swansea City in the Premier
League.
Alex Neil's men went into Saturday's game at Carrow
Road having lost four consecutive top-flight games, but ended
that streak with a gutsy home win in a match of few clear
chances.
Howson's decisive close-range header came moments after
Gylfi Sigurdsson had hit the crossbar at the other end midway
through the second half.
The victory moves Norwich to within one point of out-of-
form Swansea, who failed to register a shot on target and have
now won only once in their last eight Premier League matches
as the pressure grows on manager Garry Monk.
Neil made three changes to his team, with Andre Wisdom, Wes
Hoolahan and Gary O'Neil coming in to replace Russell Martin,
Youssouf Mulumbu and Matt Jarvis, while Swansea were
unchanged.
Norwich created the best chance of the early stages when
Cameron Jerome escaped his marker but failed to keep his
header down from six yards out after Robbie Brady's free kick
from the left.
Howson warmed the hands of Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz
Fabianski with a stinging shot from distance moments later, but
the first half would produce barely any further goalmouth action.
Swansea were dominating possession without threatening in
attack, but they did have a penalty claim turned down by
referee Mark Clattenburg shortly before half-time after Bafetimbi
Gomis felt he had been tugged down in the box by Sebastien
Bassong.
Norwich made a fast start to the second period and Fabkianski
had to get down sharply to save Brady's well directed header
after Howson had made ground down the right to set up the
opportunity.
A patient passing move saw the visitors create a good opening
midway through the second half. Substitute Wayne Routledge's
low cross found Sigurdsson, whose lofted effort clipped the top
of the crossbar.
That missed chance sparked the hosts into life and Gary O'Neil
shot just wide prior to Brady forcing Fabianski to tip a powerful
effort wide.
From the resulting corner, Dieumerci Mbokani - who had only
just come off the bench - headed back across the face of goal,
allowing Howson to nod home from close range.
Wes Hoolahan had an effort pushed over as Norwich pushed for
a second, while Routledge was just off-target for Swansea as
Neil's men held on for their first clean sheet of the season in the
league and a much-needed victory.
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