Teemu Pukki scored twice as Norwich maintained their impressive recent form and remained top of the Championship with victory at Blackburn.
The Finland international took his goal tally for the Canaries to 50 in the process with one in each half, either side of Harvey Elliott’s equaliser for Blackburn.
His first was a neat turn and shot from Alex Tettey’s pass to find the bottom left corner and his second saw him cleverly divert Emi Buendia’s shot from outside the penalty area past a hapless Thomas Kaminski.
Earlier Rovers had pushed Norwich hard as Sam Gallagher crashed a thumping shot off the crossbar early in the second half before Liverpool loanee Elliott netted a superb goal from a solo run and finish off the right wing.
Norwich sit three points clear at the top, ahead of second-placed Bournemouth after a third successive victory.
They will travel to fifth-placed Reading on Wednesday having lost just once in their past 14 matches.
Pukki, who was named Championship player of the season in their promotion-winning season of 2018-19, has now scored nine times this campaign in 16 appearances.
At first, he appeared a touch fortunate to net the winner in this one, but replays showed he had the awareness to open up his feet to steer Buendia’s drive into the far corner.
Blackburn are now without a win in their previous three games and were beaten at home for the first time in four fixtures at Ewood Park.
Tony Mowbray’s side drop to 12th prior to a meeting with Rotherham on Wednesday.
Line-ups
Blackburn
- 1Kaminski
- 2Nyambe
- 26Lenihan
- 3Williams
- 15Douglas
- 8RothwellSubstituted forBuckleyat 72′minutes
- 4JohnsonSubstituted forDavenportat 72′minutes
- 10HoltbySubstituted forDowningat 72′minutes
- 16Elliott
- 7Armstrong
- 9Gallagher
Substitutes
- 5Ayala
- 6Downing
- 11Chapman
- 13Pears
- 17Bell
- 18Davenport
- 21Buckley
- 25Carter
- 39Dolan
Norwich
- 33McGovern
- 2Aarons
- 6Zimmermann
- 5Hanley
- 19Lungi Sørensen
- 27Tettey
- 20Skipp
- 17BuendíaSubstituted forStiepermannat 90+3′minutes
- 8VrancicSubstituted forMcLeanat 66′minutes
- 24MartinSubstituted forCantwellat 66′minutes
- 22PukkiBooked at 84minsSubstituted forHugillat 89′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Hugill
- 10Dowell
- 14Cantwell
- 18Stiepermann
- 23McLean
- 44Omobamidele
- 50Barden
- 53Omotoye
Live Text
Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Norwich City 2.
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Norwich City 2.
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Ryan Nyambe.
Attempt saved. Marco Stiepermann (Norwich City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jacob Lungi Sørensen.
Attempt missed. Barry Douglas (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Substitution, Norwich City. Marco Stiepermann replaces Emiliano Buendía.
John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Hugill (Norwich City).
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Darragh Lenihan.
Attempt missed. Emiliano Buendía (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Substitution, Norwich City. Jordan Hugill replaces Teemu Pukki.
Attempt saved. Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.
Attempt saved. Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt blocked. John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Oliver Skipp (Norwich City).
Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ryan Nyambe (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Teemu Pukki (Norwich City).
Attempt missed. Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Barry Douglas with a cross following a set piece situation.
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