Adam Idah scores Norwich winner, Benitez braced for fresh fans fury

IDAH'S A WINNER: Norwich’s Irish Adam Idah celebrates as the Canaries beat Everton

ADAM Idah celebrated his first Premier League goal as Norwich ended a six-game losing streak to increase the pressure on Rafa Benitez.

Idah's goal proved just enough to see off the Toffees, whose fans wanted their manager sacked before kick-off and vented their fury on the final whistle. Everton have now won just once in the league since beating the Canaries in September.

Norwich are now third bottom, a single point behind Watford, the team above them.

December came and went without Norwich adding a single point - or even a goal - and that dismal run was extended into the New Year at West Ham.

Idah came closest to finding the net in that one, where Norwich were second best all game, and immediately set the tone at the start of this one.

"Shoot!" the home fans cried in the opening minutes and the forward duly obliged. It bounced straight back off the nearest body but roused the Carrow Road faithful nonetheless.

They were rewarded in the 16th minute when another forward who has found the net hard to locate finally benefitted from a huge slice of luck.

Josh Sargent fired in a low cross from the right that Keane, five yards in front of the near post, somehow managed to deflect past his own goalkeeper and instantly became Norwich's joint second-highest scorer of the season.

A little more than a minute later and Idah was celebrating the moment he had been waiting for - his first goal of the season was also his first in any competition at Carrow Road.

🤳 Take it away, @adamidah1!#NCFC | #NOREVE pic.twitter.com/ShGdhcDv6q

— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) January 15, 2022

Everton were the architects of their own downfall by surrendering possession cheaply in the Norwich half, which allowed Brandon Williams to hare down the left flank and play in Idah.

The big man's first touch was not perfect but was still good enough to get goal-side of Vitali Mykolenko and slot past Jordan Pickford.

Carrow Road erupted in a tsunami of joy and surprise and Norwich continued to boss the shellshocked Toffees to the half-time whistle.

Idah impressed again after the break with a power burst down the right. Everton cleared the cross but Mykolenko, Lucas Digne's replacement at left-back, inexplicably gave the ball straight back to the Irishman in the box.

Idah had his back to goal as he received the free gift and that proved crucial as Ben Godfrey got back to intervene as the striker tried to round Pickford.

Benitez sent on the fit-again Richarlison for his first game in a while and was repaid by a fine goal on the hour. Keeper Tim Krul came out to punch away a cross but it made it only as far as the Brazilian, who launched an overhead kick into the net from 13 yards.

Everton pressed for a leveller but the Canaries held out and came close to adding to the score on the counter.

NORWICH: Krul, Aarons (Giannoulis 80), Hanley, Gibson, Williams (Byram 77), Lees-Melou, Sorensen, Sargent (Tzolis 87), Idah, Rashica, Pukki. Subs not used: Dowell, Placheta, Cantwell, Kabak, Gunn, Rowe. 

EVERTON: Pickford, Coleman (Mina 54), Godfrey, Keane, Mykolenko, Gordon, Doucoure, Andre Gomes, Gray, Rondon (Richarlison 54), Calvert-Lewin. 

Subs not used: Kenny, Patterson, Holgate, Townsend, Begovic, Gbamin, El Ghazi. 

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire).

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