Football can be a very cruel game at times and you don’t always get what you deserve, and this was certainly the case on Sunday afternoon at Carrow Road.

As you know I wasn’t at the game as I was working at the Carling Cup final, but I’ve heard how well the lads played against Manchester United and it seems they didn’t deserve to come away from the game empty handed.

It took a goal with nearly the last kick of the game by a very special player to take the three points back to Manchester.

I’ve been very lucky to have trained and played with Ryan Giggs so I know what an absolute top class player he is, and for him to still be playing at the highest level at the age of 38 is testament to his absolute professionalism.

He’s the only player to score a goal in every Premier League season since it began back in 1992 and Sunday was his 900th appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, a truly remarkable achievement.

I thought Paul Lambert was very gracious in defeat especially in the circumstances with the last-minute winner. He was quick to say that his side have had their share of late goals to win games so he couldn’t complain too much as these things tend to even themselves out over the course of a long season.

I thought Grant Holt’s 12th goal of a fantastic season was an outstanding strike.

The way he swivelled after a great first touch and then curled a terrific left footed strike high into the right hand corner of David De Gea’s goal was evidence of a player in the form of his life.

It had to be a special strike to beat United’s young Spanish ’keeper as this was by far his best performance for the Red Devils, an even more telling indication of how the Canaries played.

Tomorrow it’s a trip up to the Potteries to face Stoke City. Tony Pulis’ men have not been in the best of form of late.

They’ve been knocked out of the Europa League by Valencia – no disgrace in that, in all fairness – and up until last Sunday afternoon when they beat Swansea by 2-0, they hadn’t won in the Premier League in their last five games.

However, the Britannia can be a very intimidating and awkward place to visit, and to go there and come away with a result is a tough proposition for any side.

You have to scrap, battle, and defend a number of high and long balls that will come into your penalty box if you are to come away with any type of result.

They have their critics, but Tony Pulis, pictured, has worked wonders since taking the reins for a second time in June 2006

One Stoke player I have to give a mention to is Peter Crouch. As we all know he came on loan to the club back in the 2003-04 season, scoring four goals in 15 appearances.

He was someone I really got on well with as did all of the squad at that time. He was such a likeable character, down to earth and very easy to get along with.

I’m delighted for Crouchy that since that loan period he has gone on and had a fantastic career for both club and country.

He has scored goals wherever he’s been, so let’s all hope he has a quieter afternoon in front of goal tomorrow!