Robin Sainty on Norwich, Bristol City and play-off bid

Neither the City players nor the crowd was able to get anywhere close to the levels of the derby and there was a strange flatness about the whole afternoon.

City were certainly not at their best and were fortunate on several occasions in the first half that their sloppiness didn’t gift goals, twice when Kenny McLean was caught in possession and once when Borja Sainz nearly sold Shane Duffy down the river with a dreadfully heavy touch.

Given that Scott Twine also rattled Angus Gunn’s crossbar with a free-kick, the visitors will have felt that they should have been in a commanding position by half-time, although City had their chances too.

It just seemed like one of those days where City just couldn’t get things going, despite their best efforts, and there was mounting frustration on the pitch and in sections of the crowd as the home team found themselves spending more time defending than attacking as the game went on.

There have been a number of occasions this season when I have criticised David Wagner’s cautious approach, but on this occasion, I think it was justified against a side who were largely superior on the day.

Bristol City were one of the more impressive teams I’ve seen at Carrow Road this season, and it was obvious from the early exchanges that they carried a genuine threat, so there was a real danger that if City overextended themselves, they could have been picked apart.

The Bristol City press was aggressive and well organised, and they were particularly adept at allowing McLean and Gabriel Sara sufficient room to want the ball before immediately closing them down with up to three players to force turnovers.

Gabriel Sara (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

While Sara was occasionally able to break the shackles, most significantly to free Josh Sargent to set up the equaliser, McLean had his least effective game for some time, which contributed significantly to City’s under-par performance just days before receiving his thoroughly deserved Player of the Season award.

Bristol have had something of a rollercoaster season, with some impressive results against the top sides and some poor ones against the strugglers, but since Liam Manning replaced Nigel Pearson in November they have developed an attractive style. There are certainly signs that he could be building a really good side, although he will be disappointed that his team failed to take note of the old adage that you’re at your most vulnerable just after scoring.

While there was disappointment at the end of the game, the fact that Hull could only draw at Watford meant that it wasn’t the worst result from a City point of view.

The two results meant that City fans could feel relatively relaxed about the showdown between Coventry and Hull on Wednesday night, as whatever the result there wouldn’t be too much pressure on City’s game today.

While many saw a draw as the perfect outcome from a City perspective, Hull’s victory effectively removed Coventry from the equation and means that a City win this afternoon should be enough to secure a play-off spot, unless there are some truly remarkable scorelines in the final two games.

However, I would hope that, rather than looking down, Wagner and his players will be looking up, given that West Brom have won only one of their last five games and face a tricky trip to a Sheffield Wednesday team that are resurgent under a new manager and are fighting for their lives.

It would be nice if a play-off place could be confirmed in the week that the EFL finally approved Mark Attanasio becoming joint minority shareholder to generate the sort of feelgood factor that could be crucial in the next few weeks, and hopefully the atmosphere today will reflect the position that City now find themselves in.