Norwich City's gloomy Premier League season yielded another disappointing result as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at high-flying West Ham United.
Despite a much-improved performance, the Canaries have extended their goalless run to six matches in the Premier League - breaking a club record from back in 2006.
Over nine hours of football have passed since Teemu Pukki’s strike against Newcastle United.
Jarrod Bowen's brace condemned Dean Smith's side to their sixth successive league defeat as question marks around their competitiveness at this level intensify.
Adam Idah went closest to scoring for the Canaries in the second period but saw his thunderous shot from range pushed onto the post spectacularly by Lukas Fabianski.
It may have been an improved all-round performance from City, but this was still short of the standard required to remain in the division.
West Ham United
(4-3-3)
SUBS:
13 Areola
7 Yarmolenko (on for Antonio, 88)
26 Masuaku (on for Vlasic, 78)
31 Johnson
33 Kral
40 Okoflex
42 Alese
46 Ekwah
50 Ashby
Manager: David Moyes
- Bookings: None
Norwich City
(4-4-2)
SUBS:
28 Gunn (GK)
3 Byram
10 Dowell (on for Placheta, 66)
15 Kabak
18 Tzolis (on for Rashica, 72)
19 Sorensen
30 Giannoulis
42 Gibbs
46 Rowe (on for Idah, 76)
Head coach: Dean Smith
- Bookings: None
- Added on time: 3 mins/ 3 mins
- Venue: London Stadium
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- VAR: John Brooks
KEY MOMENTS
2 - Fornals picks out Bowen on the edge of the penalty area and the winger takes a neat touch before firing a fierce shot at goal. Krul is equal to the effort
6 - West Ham's early pressure continues, with Lanzini's shot from outside the area sailing over the bar
10 - Good build-up play from Norwich down the right sees Pukki cushion a pass into Rashica's path, he tees up McLean who gets underneath the shot and it flies over
13 - Williams does well to bundle past two West Ham defenders before playing Idah in behind. The Irish international finds Rashica on the edge of the area, but his shot is tame and collected routinely by Fabianski
25 - Krul vents his frustration as Vlasic wrestles him to the floor and remains down in the goal mouth. A shot is blocked and City concede a corner
36 - West Ham have a goal chalked off after Bowen's cross evades everyone and beats Krul. The assistant referee raised his flag after Vlasic drifted into an offside position and was deemed to be interfering with play
38 - Placheta tries his luck from range but his effort is saved by Fabianski
42 - GOAL WEST HAM (BOWEN) - This one does count. Cresswell's initial cross is overhit but Coufal retrieves it on the other wing. His ball in is dangerous and Bowen gets a run on Gibson before nodding it past Krul and into the net. 1-0
HALF TIME – WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 NORWICH CITY
53 - Big chance for Antonio inside the area after he shrugs off Hanley and shoots on the turn but fails to hit the target
54 - Pukki is sent racing down the right by Placheta and lofts a cross for Idah. The ball goes agonisingly over the Irishman's head and West Ham clear
57 - Bowen nearly grabs his second of the evening after Fornals clips a ball into his path. The winger looks to lob Krul but his effort hits and bar and deflects over
62 - West Ham go close again after Fornals slots Bowen through in the box. His shot from a tight angle is deflected onto the near post by Williams
68 - Idah does superbly to rob Coufal of possession and weaves his way past a couple of defenders before unleashing a shot that looks destined for the net, only for Fabianski to produce a fingertip save to push it onto the post
80 - A poor pass from Aarons is seized upon by Rice. He threads Fornals into the space vacated by City's right-back, the ball is then played into Masuaku who fails to hit the target
84 - WEST HAM (BOWEN) - The hosts double their advantage and secure the three points. West Ham break Norwich's press and Fornals picks out the overlapping Masuaku on the overlap. His cross picks out Bowen to tap home. The goal is given by VAR after initially being ruled out for offside
90 - Yarmelenko goes close to adding a third as a weary looking City fail to close him down as he thumps an effort at goal, only for Krul to save.
FULL TIME – WEST HAM UNITED 2-0 NORWICH CITY
SNAP RATINGS:
Krul 7, Aarons 5, Hanley 6, Gibson 6, Williams 5, Placheta 6, Lees-Melou 5, McLean 6, Rashica 5, Idah 7, Pukki 6. Subs: Dowell 5, Tzolis 6, Rowe 5
MATCH STATS:
(West Ham United - Norwich City)
Possession: 61% - 39%
Shots: 13 - 7
Shots on Target: 5 - 3
XG: 2.55 - 0.27
Corners: 11 - 2
Fouls: 9 - 7
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