Even by East Anglian derby standards, Norwich City’s 3-0 Championship win over Paul Lambert’s Ipswich Town at Carrow Road 12 months ago will live long in the memory.
Daniel Farke's club were surging to the title, Lambert's Blues to League One and that proved a combustible mix on February 10 last year. Lambert was dismissed for his part in an ugly touchline fracas that saw players and coaching staff from both sides square up in an incident that led to FA charges.
The former Norwich boss later accepted his misconduct charge but sent a letter to the FA outlining mitigating circumstances. There was a separate charge of failing to control players for both clubs, with another late flashpoint sparked by a tackle from Flynn Downes on City's Emi Buendia.
Lambert also opted to go on the offensive in his post-match media briefing in response to Farke questioning the conduct of some members of his backroom team in the first half melee.
"What did he say? What were his words? Take defeat with class? I have never known a team to take a defeat the right way," said Lambert. "We are not shrinking violets. We have to try and win. You can't turn around and say that. He doesn't know my lads.
"If the boot was on the other foot and things were not going his way or Norwich's way it would be different. He should not comment on my staff.
"Listen, I ain't going to stand and watch players run 30 yards to get people booked. I am certainly not going to let someone come into our technical area, who I don't even know who he is, but he is not coming to provoke us. I will stand my ground.
"Do I regret it? No, I don't. I am not going to have that. Me coming back here. Normal stuff. This club was in League One when I was here. Short memories, short memories. The steward put his hands on me and I objected to that.
"The police guy was great. I don't have a problem. He tried to make sure I was okay. He was trying to disperse it."
Onel Hernandez set Norwich on their way before a second half brace from Teemu Pukki prolonged Norwich's unbeaten run in the derby dating back to April 2009. City have gone 12 games without losing to their bitter rivals, although it needed a stoppage time equaliser from Timm Klose the previous season at Carrow Road to preserve that record.
Norwich face a major battle to survive in the Premier League this season, ahead of Saturday's home game against champions-elect Liverpool, but Lambert faces his own fight to haul Ipswich into promotion cotention after slipping out of the top six on Saturday following a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Town made a strong start to life in the third tier but have picked up only three league wins in their last 15 games.
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