Norwich City vs Crystal Palace. Premier League.
Carrow RoadAttendance27,021.
Highlights and match report as Todd Cantwell's fourth-minute opener is cancelled out by Wickham's long-awaited strike
Wednesday 1 January 2020 21:42, UK
Connor Wickham's first Premier League goal in over three years secured a hard-fought point for Crystal Palace as Norwich were held to a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road.
Canaries boss Daniel Farke cut a dejected figure at the final whistle describing the result as "feeling like a loss" after seeing his side pegged back at home to draw for the second time in the space of four days following the 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
Todd Cantwell gave the hosts the perfect start when he slotted home after just four minutes from close range, but Mario Vrancic missed a glorious chance before Kenny McLean struck the woodwork as the door was left ajar for Palace to earn a reprieve.
It was gleefully taken by Wickham as his strike was allowed to stand following a VAR review after initially been ruled out for offside, ending a wait of 1,138 days for a top-flight goal for the former Sunderland striker.
Palace remain ninth with 28 points after 21 games, while Norwich's failure to hold on to victory means they remain bottom, five points adrift of 19th-placed Watford, and seven points away from safety.
Farke can reflect proudly on what his side achieved in 2019, sealing promotion back to the Premier League at a canter, and speaking ahead of the game, he called on his players to produce another "miracle" by staving off relegation.
"We were the biggest favourites for position 20 before the season started," he said. "Don't underestimate the attitude and the spirit of my lads. They will work their socks off in order to create this miracle."
After victories for relegation rivals Aston Villa, Southampton and Watford, it was essential they made a good start against Palace and, within four minutes, they produced the perfect response to those earlier results on New Year's Day.
Farke had also cited VAR decisions as working against his side in recent times, but they enjoyed a slice of good fortune to break the deadlock as Cantwell's attempt to play a one-two with Emiliano Buendia forced Luka Milivojevic to inadvertently deflect the ball back into the path of the young Englishman.
Cantwell kept his composure to slot his sixth Premier League goal of the season beyond Vicente Guaita, making him the joint-highest scoring English midfielder in the Premier League this season, level with Dele Alli, James Maddison and Jack Grealish.
Remarkably, it was only the second goal scored in the first half of Palace's last 11 Premier League matches - and Cantwell was denied a second five minutes before the break as, moments after slicing wide when well placed, he met Max Aarons' low cross to force Guaita into a save down to his right.
By then, James Tomkins had already been fortunate not to be sent off when he hauled down Teemu Pukki as the last man, only to be saved by the linesman's flag, while Palace had offered very little going the other way with a tame Jordan Ayew header and a good block from Christoph Zimmermann to deny James McArthur the closest they came to an equaliser before the restart.
Norwich continued to look the more threatening as Buendia's free-kick from 25 yards after 54 minutes forced Guaita into a fine save to his right as the hosts sought to consolidate their lead.
Farke's nervous disposition was not helped when Vrancic horribly directed his close-range effort wide at the far post from McLean's flick on after the hour mark, and McLean then collected Aarons' pass only to see his shot come back out off the underside of the bar with 17 minutes remaining. It was a miss that would prove costly.
Roy Hodgson introduced Wickham and Brandon Pierrick for his first senior appearance, and with five minutes remaining, Palace were rewarded.
Pierrick showed his promise as he found Wilfried Zaha in space on the left and his fizzed cross was directed into the net by Wickham, whose last Premier League goal came against Manchester City in November 2016.
The substitute's celebrations were made to wait after he was initially flagged offside, but replays showed Zimmermann had fractionally played him on as Norwich paid the price for not putting Palace to bed.
Norwich boss Daniel Farke: "It is unbelievably disappointing to concede in the 88th minute and it feels like a loss. The lads deserved the three points but the reality is only one.
"We cannot influence the other results. We have to come as close to 40 points and it is a long road. It would have been a massive step today so feels even more disappointing to concede the late goal.
"What I've learned this season is that each and every VAR decision has gone against us. It isn't going in our direction so I knew exactly in this moment [when Wickham's goal was initially flagged offside] they would paint a nice line and find that the player is onside.
"If I'm being honest, it feels strange when I compare the last two games, our goal in the last game against Tottenham, Pukki starts his run one yard behind his opponent but they found a way of showing that his shoulder was ahead, and today it felt that the opponent was closer to the goal than Christoph.
"If you can guarantee that the line is drawn at the precise moment when the ball leaves the foot than we have to accept this, but I'm just not sure if you can, and a small situation can make an unbelievable difference."
Crystal boss Roy Hodgson: "It was very close (for the goal). You think it might be offside and with the technology you see someone has stuck a foot out, leaned forward and the margins are fine.
"We took chances in the end with 4-2-4 and got our reward, the boldness of the move paid off.
"It's a remarkable performance from these players because it is the third game - as it is for everybody - but not exactly easy games: West Ham and then going to Southampton and then coming here [Carrow Road].
"To take five points from that, with a wounded squad, because there are players out there who are playing, but they're playing through an injury and luckily in a muscle that isn't so vital - there were very few players out there today who you can say were 100 per cent fit.
"Zaha hasn't trained since the last game. We were concerned he wouldn't get on the field but because he's got such a big heart for the club and such a love for football he declared himself fit."
Buendia was once more at the heart of everything good to come from Norwich with the Argentine producing a game-high five key passes.
The 23-year-old was slightly fortunate to add to his tally of assists with the final touch from his pass to Cantwell coming off Milivojevic but Buenida has now provided seven Premier League assists this season.
Only Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold (8) and Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne (12) have registered more in the competition in the 2019/20 campaign.
Norwich travel to face Preston in the FA Cup third round on Saturday; kick-off at 3.01pm at Deepdale. The Canaries return to Premier League action on January 11 as they visit Manchester United at 3pm.
Crystal Palace host Derby in the FA Cup third round on Sunday; kick-off at 2.01pm. The Eagles then host Arsenal back in the Premier League on January 11 at 12.30pm.
