Keeping a clean sheet against “special” former club Newcastle may have meant a great deal to Tim Krul but the over-riding emotion for Norwich City’s goalkeeper was frustration after a 0-0 draw.

The Dutchman made 183 appearances for the Magpies between 2006 and 2015 but saw his time in the north east finished by a serious knee injury, which was picked up during international action.

Krul had been an unused substitute at St James' Park for Brighton during 2017-18 but return to his former club as an established Premier League number one once more with the Canaries.

Despite picking up a point and a clean sheet away from home, missed chances left an annoyed edge for the City players, with the draw leaving them seven points from safety with 13 games remaining.

"A special day for me personally, just frustrated that we didn't walk away with the three points," Krul said. "I think we've done enough to earn them, more than enough really.

"It's so hard because we did everything right, we played well, pressed them high, everything that the manager wanted us to do, we did.

"Then it's just that final goal. Dubravka made a good save from the (Byram) header in the first half, Kenny had a big header in the second half but that final bit just wasn't falling for us - it felt like he was up in the air for three seconds.

"It's hard to come here and break them down but I felt we did enough to walk away with three points."

Teemu Pukki, Christoph Zimmermann, Ondrej Duda and Kenny McLean all had good chances for City but a replenishing victory could not be secured.

"It was a weird game because we felt like we were dominating but they've got quality up front, Saint-Maximin on the wing, if he comes inside he's dangerous, for sure," the keeper continued.

"But we dealt with him well, some good blocks from Grant and Zimbo, so I'm happy to be back here with a clean sheet, but the boys are in the changing room asking 'how we didn't win this?'."

His return to Newcastle, a club where he was the established number one before his injury, made the well earned clean sheet particularly satisfying - including one very good denial of Joelinton in the first half.

Krul's time included the Magpies finishing fifth in the Premier League in 2012 and then reaching the Europa League quarter-finals the following season.

"It felt more like a proper welcome and send-off really," Krul said, having returned with Brighton as an unused substitute previously. "Because the way I left was horrible and it should not have been like that.

"With the fans, their reception and at the end, they felt the same.

"It's massive, 12 years, I came here as a 17-year-old boy. My wife is from here, my little girl was born here so it's special.

"Had some highs and lows here. It's quite special to be loved by two clubs - and two clubs that I really love as well.

"Not to be too soppy about it, but it is special."