On a brisk February afternoon at Carrow Road, Norwich City produced a performance brimming with energy, discipline, and a dash of flair to secure a 3-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup fourth round. The Canaries’ blend of youthful exuberance and tactical maturity delighted a bumper home crowd and sent them soaring into the next stage of the competition.
From the outset, Norwich City looked a team transformed from the side that suffered a demoralizing 1-0 defeat to the Baggies back in October—a result that sparked a run of six straight losses. This time, under the guidance of head coach Philippe Clement, Norwich exuded dominance and composure, especially in a first half that saw them dictate the tempo and create a flurry of chances.
The breakthrough came courtesy of Paris Maghoma, making his full debut in the number 10 role. Maghoma, whose sparkling display captured the imagination of the Carrow Road faithful, opened the scoring with a deft header. The move began with a Jacob Wright corner, which Harry Darling nodded back across goal for Maghoma to finish with authority. It was a moment that showcased both Norwich’s set-piece prowess and Maghoma’s attacking instincts.
"I told him and Ali [Ahmed] at half time that I don't want a circus, I want an efficient team that kills off games. I am really pleased to see him score with the head," Clement explained to BBC Radio Norfolk. The coach’s message was clear: entertainment is welcome, but efficiency is paramount in knockout football.
Norwich continued to press their advantage, with Mathias Kvistgaarden denied on three occasions by West Brom keeper Josh Griffiths. The Canaries’ attacking play had their fans chanting about "sexy football," a far cry from the nervy displays of a few months prior. Yet, despite their dominance, the hosts went into the break with just a single goal to show for their efforts—a situation Clement later admitted should have yielded "two or three" goals.
West Brom, to their credit, regrouped at halftime. Manager Eric Ramsay, forced to replace the injured Griffiths with Max O'Leary, saw his side grow into the contest during the second half. The visitors began to exert control as Norwich’s initial momentum waned, and their efforts were rewarded when Josh Maja latched onto Ousmane Diakite’s through-ball and coolly chipped Daniel Grimshaw to equalize. The goal, coming midway through the second period, threatened to swing the tie in Albion’s favor.
But Norwich, showing a newfound resilience, refused to buckle under pressure. Instead, they responded with a flowing move eight minutes from time. Wright combined with Ben Slimane, who teed up substitute Ben Chrisene. Chrisene, already a nemesis for West Brom this season, arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner to restore Norwich’s lead—his second goal against the Baggies in this campaign.
As West Brom pushed forward in search of another equalizer, Norwich capitalized on the space left at the back. In added time, Ben Slimane displayed a touch of artistry, juggling the ball before heading it into the path of Mohamed Toure. The Australian loanee, who only joined Norwich from Danish side Randers two weeks prior, made no mistake, nodding home from close range to seal the win. The goal marked Toure’s fifth in just three appearances—a remarkable return that has answered questions about Norwich’s attacking options in the absence of top scorer Jovon Makama (foot surgery) and the unavailable Josh Sargent.
Reflecting on the result, Clement praised his team’s ability to stay calm and stick to their principles, even when West Brom threatened a comeback. "We deserved to win it. In the first half we were totally dominant, and scored one good goal, but it should have been two or three. In the second half we were also dominating but when a few players got a little bit tired West Brom came into the game. They scored a goal from a transition, not that they were outplaying us or creating chances, and then it's important to stay calm and continue doing what we've been doing. That's the big step the team has made—a few months ago they would have become nervous, and so would the stands, but nobody felt we would lose this game, not on the pitch and not in the stands. We could kick on by bringing on fresh players who have played a lot in the last couple of months and have rhythm."
On the other side, Eric Ramsay expressed disappointment but found positives in his team’s second-half display. "I'm really disappointed to lose the game, particularly given how the second half went, and how we felt that we grew into the game and played with some real authority for a large portion of that second half. There were strong performances from the young players Ollie [Bostock], Harry [Whitwell] and from Hindo [Mustapha] and we had to feel that we were nudging players towards 90 minutes fit. The fact we've done that across the board is pleasing. We weren't happy with the first-half performance. There wasn't the level of aggression and competitiveness that we would have expected and we lacked control on the ball. That was entirely different in the second half."
Team selection for Norwich saw the return of experienced centre-back Harry Darling, who partnered captain Ruairi McConville in defense. Jack Stacey and Kellen Fisher completed the back four, while Sam Field and Jacob Wright anchored the midfield. The attacking trio of Ali Ahmed, Maghoma, and Oscar Schwartau supported lone striker Kvistgaarden. Injuries continued to test Clement’s squad depth, with Makama, Papa Amadou Diallo, Matej Jurasek, Harry Amass, Pelle Mattsson, Gabe Forsyth, Jeffery Schlupp, Shane Duffy, Mirko Topic, and Ante Crnac all sidelined for various durations.
For West Brom, captain Krystian Bielik marshaled a starting lineup featuring Maja, Johnston, Gilchrist, Diakite, Mustapha, Taylor, Imray, Whitwell, and Bostock. O'Leary, Moulumby, Dike, Jimoh-Aloba, Heggebo, Price, Mowatt, Williams, and Amihere were available from the bench. Referee Tom Reeves kept proceedings in check on an afternoon charged with cup drama.
Beyond the scoreline, the match embodied the essence of FA Cup football: passionate fans, tactical battles, and moments of individual brilliance. The Carrow Road atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, and the home crowd’s faith was rewarded as Norwich powered through adversity to book their place in Monday’s fifth-round draw.
As the Canaries look ahead, Clement’s emphasis on efficiency and team spirit appears to be paying dividends. With a blend of promising youth and experienced heads, and with loanee Toure providing a timely scoring injection, Norwich City’s cup adventure marches on—much to the delight of their supporters.