Norwich City once again stole the march on Sheffield United. A month ago it was 4-2, this time at Bramall Lane it was 2-1. Another win with the Unlikely Lads moving City into third spot in the table.

Sheffield United play a physical game harking back to the Neil Warnock era. One month ago, the Blades players started a melee with City players that resukted in the FA fining both clubs and Sheffield's Andy Quinn getting his marching orders.

Report suggest that Quinn was involved in trying to create a fracas with Grant Holt who, most unlike his normalstyle, merely shrugged Quinn off and concentrated on the football.

Former Norwich City loan player, Ched Evans was a danger all game, but failed to take advantage of his chances other than the one time that equalised the matter in the 69th minute, eight minutes after an Andrew Crofts goal put City ahead.

Crofts was on hand to take advantage of more Blades poor defending in set pieces when on 80 minutes he scored his secod goal from a corner, taking his tally for this season up to six.

City's other hero must be John Ruddy. His Norwich career began rather stutteringly. Following in the footprints of former loan keeper, Newcastle's Fraser Forster is no mean feat, and Ruddy's spell in Scotland served him no favours as he proved to the already converted that the standard of football in the top tiers in Scotland is way below the English levels in the Championship.

Ruddy stuck to his task and now claims the position between the posts as his own. Some of his saves ran up there with Rob Green, and Ruddy is improving every game.

There is still a long way to go until the end of the season, and it doesn't look like any two or three teams are going to break ahead of the pack, as they did in 2004.

Paul Lambert seems aware of this and keeps the players focused on the job in hand, which is taking each game in turn and refusing to be beaten.

With just seven days left in the January Transfer window there has never been a time in recent history when Norwich City supporters will feel confident if the manager says that we will have to go with what we've got.

Photo: Action Images

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