Norwich City: Chris Sutton's column on Kieran Dowell

As I sat in the BT Sport Studio, I was pleasantly surprised to see the goals flying in at Deepdale - especially an hour after seeing the team selection. 

Like many, I found my eyebrows raised at the inclusion of some in the Norwich starting XI, but David Wagner was proven correct with every call that he made given the standard of performance and result. 

Under Dean Smith, players weren't playing in their natural positions. It was therefore both refreshing to see Onel Hernandez and Kieran Dowell feature from the off and also unsurprisingly that it resulted in a greater level of fluidity in the final third. 

Dowell's versatility is a strength for Norwich. He can play as a number 10 or both sides - but consistency has evaded him since joining the club. 

The 25-year-old has always been an intelligent and talented player. When he joined from Everton, there were great expectations and he made a bit of a mark in the backend of their last Championship triumph under Daniel Farke. 

But he was in the shadows of Emi Buendia during that time. There have also been problems with fitness and patchiness within his game that has seen him fall in and out of favour with both Farke and Smith. 

There was a game against Manchester United last season at Old Trafford where he really impressed, scoring one and setting up the other for Teemu Pukki in their 3-2 defeat. Those types of performances have been too few and far during his time in Norfolk. 

Wagner's decision to not just get him back involved, but also to cast him in a leading role, will have served as a major boost of confidence. The German's comments post-match reinforce that he sees Dowell becoming an integral part of his plans at Norwich and that he believes he can get the best out of him. 

The next mission for both Wagner and Dowell is to find a level of consistency in his game. 

Dowell has been handed opportunities before and failed to grasp them. He arrived at Carrow Road with the reputation of being a creator but was looking for a home after multiple loan moves in the Championship where he showed flashes of his quality. 

This is a really important moment for most of City's squad - including Dowell. 

During his early weeks, Wagner will be forming opinions on his squad and deciding who can step up to play a leading role in his plans and who he cannot trust. Each player will have a chance to change his perception on them. 

With Aaron Ramsey already departing and Todd Cantwell looking increasingly likely to follow him, there is a real chance for Dowell to become Norwich's creator in chief. One game won't help him achieve that but, much like the squad more generally, this was a much needed step forward.

Perhaps the happiest person to see that performance from Dowell was Teemu Pukki given how starved of service he has been this season. 

Yet he has 16 goal contributions, bettered only by Sheffield United's Iliman Ndiaye in the Championship. Despite criticism from some quarters, Pukki has never been the problem at Norwich. 

When Buendia was at Norwich, their understanding was effortless and telepathic. He has suffered from the Argentinean's exit. There can be no comparison, but Dowell is the player with the most craft in this squad. He has to develop his own relationship with Pukki. 

Ironically, it was Pukki that played the ball across for Dowell's second goal on Saturday - but if that relationship grows it could be a very exciting prospect for Wagner. 

Teams and players miss chances but it's about creating enough to be successful. Norwich haven't created anywhere near enough and at Championship level that simply should not have been the case.

After months of negativity and divides, the return of positivity is welcome - but it needs to become something more sustained. 

There has been a lot made of the disconnect, perhaps too much, ultimately, it comes down to results and performances as to how successful Wagner is in restoring that togetherness. 

It is how well a team performs, their style of play and whether they take the game to opponents that defines how a manager is perceived, not how animated they are in their technical area or whether they go and clap the fans after matches. 

I was covering West Ham's game on Saturday and watched as David Moyes went over to their travelling support to show his appreciation, only to get plenty of stick in return. 

It is a brilliant start for Wagner in terms of league campaign. In some respects, getting knocked out of the FA Cup is no bad thing - it will allow concentration on the league and provide more training time, which will be essential as he implements his style of playing. 

The excitement from the terraces, especially the 900-plus supporters who travelled up to the game, is understandable given the struggles this season but this was just one step and only three points. 

This victory will cause expectations levels to rise but there does need to be some realism. One victory, however impressive, doesn't mean that Wagner has cracked it at Norwich. 

It's a great start, but that is all it is. Their next challenge is to turn it into a sustained run of form that proves they can fight their way into the top six. 

What this result has done, especially with Norwich scoring four goals, it has brought belief back to the support but it will take more than one game to change their season. The fans can get carried away but it's down to the players to remain focused on the job at hand. 

Wagner will need time and patience to get his ideas across. There shouldn't be any short-term thinking along the lines of everything being solved because of one victory against Preston. 

They've got tough games against Mark Robins' Coventry and Burnley coming up in the next few weeks - both will give us a proper chance to assess where this squad is at currently. 

But that prospect is now one that everyone connected with Norwich City should relish and be excited about - that certainly wasn't the case before Wagner took charge. 

Tim Krul was recalled to Norwich City's starting XI. (Image: Focus Images Limited)

SUTTON EXTRA

Like many, it came as a surprise to see Angus Gunn omitted from the Norwich City starting XI when the team news was announced an hour before kick off. 

Over the last few months, few players have performed as impressively or consistently as the shot-stopper, who has looked good value for his starting spot in between the sticks ahead of Tim Krul. 

David Wagner has come in and publicly spoken about how what has happened in the past needs to be left there and so both keepers have been put on an even keel since his arrival in the last fortnight. 

In spite of that, Gunn must feel pretty aggrieved and privately very frustrated. It is an incredibly harsh verdict. 

After waiting for so long for his opportunity, this is now the second moment since he signed for the club that he has been dropped in harsh circumstances. The first was when Dean Smith opted to play Krul ahead of him on the final day of the Premier League campaign. 

He must respond in a positive manner and showcase his talent to the new coaching staff irrespective of his emotions. Despite playing really well this season, he has to prove himself all over again.

Krul would almost certainly argue that the initial decision to drop him to the bench was premature - but it is a debate that Wagner will welcome. 

Wagner has two really talented goalkeepers. In that position, Norwich have a level of competition that isn't replicated in other positions across the side. If promotion to the Premier League and then retaining their place there is the goal, then they will need that rivalry for places. It drives performance levels. 

It's an interesting call and one that I didn't see coming. That being said, Krul has rarely let Norwich City down since he signed for the club. He is dependable, experienced and a setter of standards, all of those aspects are so important for new coaches. 

I doubt many Norwich fans were really unhappy with Krul coming in. He's been an excellent goalkeeper over the years, instead the sympathy is with Gunn because he has done nothing wrong. 

It will be a debate that keeps raging on between now and the end of the season, Krul's mission will be to keep it quiet.