Norwich City have been held to a 0-0 draw in successive matches at Carrow Road, following a stalemate with in-form Bristol City this afternoon.
Cameron Jerome had a goal disallowed for offside and Mario Vrancic hit the post in the first half but it was a game of few chances as City laboured in the second half, with Angus Gunn making one crucial save.
It extends City’s unbeaten record to five matches in all competitions and also secured four successive clean sheets in the league for the first time in over 16 years.
Canaries head coach Daniel Farke made two changes to the team which won 3-1 at Brentford in the Carabao Cup in midweek, Marco Stiepermann coming back in at left-back in place of James Husband and striker Jerome replacing Wes Hoolahan, with Marley Watkins dropping back into midfield.
That meant Southampton loanee Harrison Reed kept his place in midfield ahead of Alex Tettey, with tough trips to Middlesbrough and Reading following next week.
Bristol boss Lee Johnson reverted largely to the team which beat Derby 4-1 at Ashton Gate the previous Saturday, making nine changes to the team which beat Premier League side Stoke City 2-0 in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
The Robins went into the game unbeaten in eight matches and with just one defeat in 11 matches – bringing the division’s top scorer, academy product Bobby Reid, with six goals in eight games, back into their starting XI.
Jerome had the ball in the net for City midway through the first half but the celebrations at the Barclay end were soon cut short by an offside flag.
Otherwise it was an extremely even opening 45 minutes, with a few early moments of concern for the hosts as Bristol’s giant centre-back pairing of Nathan Baker and Aden Flint lumbered forward.
The visitors went close in the 17th minute when Josh Brownhill lashed a bouncing shot wide of Gunn’s left post after a corner was cleared.
Jerome’s burst down the right in the 26th minute saw him beat Baker for pace and pull back a low cross to Vrancic near the penalty spot, who turned a low shot against the base of the left-hand upright tamely.
Three minutes later Jerome saw his close-range finished disallowed form a Reed cross for offside, before the striker turned provider again in the 34th minute.
Marco Stiepermann pushed forward from left-back, Vrancic played Jerome into the left channel and the striker found Stiepermann in the box, who somehow scooped his shot beyond the far post when it looked easier to score.
The second half was one of frustration for the hosts, as both teams continued to cancel each other out and the Robins repelled everything thrown at them, with substitutes Wes Hoolahan and Yanic Wildschut unable to unpick the lock.
Gunn made a vital save in the 65th minute after half-time substitute Callum O’Dowda had got in behind Stiepermann and pulled back to an unmarked Jamie Paterson just inside the area, tipping over the winger’s chip in fine style.
There was one late chance in the fourth minute of injury time for the Canaries, when Hoolahan swung a corner in from the right which Ivo pinto flicked on, Tom Trybull fired a shot at goal but saw Josh Brownhill clear and Timm Klose then fired wide.
Norwich (4-2-3-1): Gunn; Pinto (C), Zimmermann, Klose, Stiepermann; Reed, Trybull; Watkins (Wildschut 55), Vrancic (Hoolahan 71), Murphy (Husband 85); Jerome. Unused subs: McGovern (GK), Maddison, Tettey, Hanley
Booked: Klose (90+2, foul on Reid)
Bristol City (4-4-2): Fielding; Wright (C), Flint, Baker, Bryan; Paterson (Pack 78), Smith, Brownhill, Leko (O’Dowda 46); Diédhiou (Taylor 67), Reid. Unused subs: Steele (GK), Magnusson, Hegeler, Eliasson
Booked: Wright (90+3, foul on Husband)
Referee: Rob Jones (Cheshire)
Attendance: 25,715
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