Norwich secured a first away victory of the Sky Bet Championship season with a strong performance in a 3-1 win at Sheffield United. Goals from Anthony Musaba, Mohamed Toure and Mathias Kvistgaarden earned them the three points, with Patrick Bamford scoring for the hosts. Musaba struck in the eighth minute with a curling effort. Goalkeeper Michael Cooper got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.
The visitors maintained their early pressure with Andre Brooks screwing a shot wide and then putting another straight at Cooper. Playing against the team he left this summer, the lively Brooks also fired wide from a corner. The Blades began to pose more of an attacking threat, with Sydie Peck forcing a save from Vladan Kovacevic at his near post and the keeper turning a Romelle Donovan shot wide. The equaliser came in the 23rd minute when Ben Brereton Diaz found Tyrese Campbell and he laid the ball off to Bamford who beat Kovacevic with a curling effort from just outside the area.
Brereton Diaz shot wide and Campbell had a low shot saved before Norwich regained the lead a minute before the break. Anis Slimane sent Toure clear and the striker slipped the ball past Cooper one-on-one. Cooper had to stand up well to Musaba, making an important save at his near post, while Toure failed to direct a header on target when the ball was whipped in from the left. The fourth goal of the game came in the 62nd minute, with substitute Kvistgaarden finding the net with a low shot shortly after joining the action.
Hamza Choudhury appeared to have made a second goal-line clearance in rapid succession, but the referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line. Sheffield United never looked likely to stage a comeback, with their attack lacklustre. Their best effort of the second half was a firm drive from substitute Kalvin Phillips which flew wide. Ben Chrisene made a vital challenge to nick the ball away from Bamford in the area in the closing stages as Norwich defended resolutely.
The defeat was Sheffield United’s first of the season in any competition.
