Neil demands Norwich reaction after Newcastle hammering

Norwich City manager Alex Neil has demanded a response from his players this weekend following Sunday’s 6-2 defeat to Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Neil’s men go into Saturday’s visit of West Brom without a win in four Premier League matches and off the back of a hammering last weekend as a defensive horror show saw them soundly beaten.

Just two points separate 16th-placed Norwich and West Brom in 13th, with Neil eager for his side to find form again soon.

“We focused on the negatives when we looked back at the game,” Neil told reporters.

“We know what we are good at and that is keeping the ball – we create chances, we go forward well and we have scored a lot of goals this season. So that doesn’t need attention, to be honest. 

“I think the other side is what needed attention and that is what we have focused on more this week.

“It is the heaviest defeat I have experienced as a manager, so you have to stick your chest out and make sure in the next game you go and perform a lot better and hopefully go and win.”

Neil has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s fixture, although Youssouf Mulumbu remains unavailable despite featuring for Norwich’s development squad in midweek.

“I went and watched the game at Leicester and he has been out for the best part of 10 weeks,” Neil added.

“That was his first 60 minutes at a level that isn’t going to be comparable to what is coming. It would be a little unfair to throw him straight back in.”