Leaders Burnley once again showed off their league titles with a ninth straight league win by beating Norwich City 3-0.
Anass Zaroury capitalized on an error by Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul to score an early goal for the Clarets, who were the dominant force in the first half at Carrow Road.
Substitute Vitinho doubled the visitors’ lead with his first touch as he eyed Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s corner just seconds after coming on.
Debutant Hjalmar Ekdal secured a third from close range shortly after as Burnley missed a game of their record 10 consecutive wins since the Championship was renamed in 2004.
The win put Burnley seven points clear at the top of the table after second-placed Sheffield United drew 0-0 at Rotherham and 20 ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough, with the two sides having played 29 games.
Norwich’s seventh home game without a win – a record dating back to October 29 – keeps them out of the play-offs and ended a two-game winning streak for new boss David Wagner in the league.
The game promised to be a mouth-watering one as Burnley pitted their winning record against a seemingly resurgent Norwich who had scored eight times in their last two matches.
But it was Burnley who showed their class, especially early on. City’s Grant Hanley put in a superb block after Nathan Tella robbed Kenny McLean on the edge of the box while Ian Maatsen fired an eighth-minute shot just wide.
From the resulting goal kick, Krul sent the ball straight to Zaroury on the edge of the box as he looked to pass to Max Aarons at right-back, and the exciting Moroccan winger fired low in the Norwich net for Burnley’s opener.
The hosts struggled to deal with Burnley’s rushing and neat passes as Vincent Kompany’s men showed why they were so far ahead of the Championship – much to the chagrin of home fans.
The hosts began to gain a foothold in the first half, and they should have equalized 10 minutes after falling behind, but Kieran Dowell’s close-range effort was stopped by Bailey’s leg Peacock-Farrell after a nice break from Teemu. Puki.
Burnley put the game to bed in a six-minute period shortly after half-time. Vitinho edged his marker at the near post to take the lead in the second before Swedish defender Ekdal – a January signing from Djurgardens – headed home a few yards after the rushing Maatsen had turned a corner at the far post.
Norwich claimed a penalty when the ball hopped over the arm of Ashley Barnes, with the striker deflecting Marcelino Nunez’s half-volley from the resulting corner over the bar 20 minutes from time.
