‘It’s tough for him but he’s a great defender’ – Godfrey backs City skipper after own goal at Liverpool
Ben Godfrey heads back to Tim Krul during City's 4-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Ben Godfrey has encouraged his Norwich City centre-back partner Grant Hanley not to dwell on his unfortunate own goal at Liverpool, standing in solidarity with his captain.
The Scot couldn't hide his pain after slicing a low Divock Origi cross past keeper Tim Krul in just the seventh minute of the Canaries' high-profile opener at Liverpool, sparking a four-goal surge from the European champions before the break.
Thankfully, City got a foothold in the game and Teemu Pukki's goal midway through the second half reduced the arrears to 4-1 by full-time, but it was still a difficult night for Hanley - making his first league start in almost a year, after a thigh injury had taken a three-month chunk out of his previous campaign.
"He was there, he saw what happened, we don't need to tell him again, do we?" Godfrey said, when asked how Daniel Farke's players had supported their skipper.
"It happens to all of us, it will happen to all of us at some point, it happens in one in however many games where it comes off your shin and goes in.
"That's football, it can happen at times. It's tough for him but he's a great defender and nine times out of 10 he makes contact with that ball and it goes out of danger.
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"We'll stick by him, we know what he's capable of and it's just one of those things."
PLAYER WATCH: Tough night for City skipper after nightmare early own goal during defeat at Liverpool
Godfrey was at the forefront of a second half recovery but admits some harsh lessons were learned at Anfield during a game being screened live around the globe on Friday night.
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"If you don't start quickly in this league you can be out of sight before you know it, and that's what happened," he added. "But we can learn from that, it's on to the next one, I can learn from my mistakes and hopefully I can improve (against Newcastle) next week."
The England Under-20 defender was making his Premier League debut, having signed for Norwich from York City in a deal reportedly worth up to £1million from York City back in January 2016.
Godfrey was in no mood to be dazzled by stars like Mo Salah though, continuing: "I'm not a tourist, you know what I mean? I'm not going to come here and take pictures and idolise all those people out there. I've got a job to do at the end of the day so I've come here to try and get three points."
