NORWICH City Manager Chris Hughton was pleased with his side’s performance in the 0-0 draw with MK Dons at Stadium MK on Friday night.

The Canaries are now unbeaten in their last four pre-season friendlies, having kept clean sheets in three of those games.

There were plenty of positives to take from the display, not least a 90-minute run-out for new-boy Robert Snodgrass, and a first appearance in a City shirt for Hughton’s fourth summer-signing Michael Turner.

“I was tempted a little bit towards the end to make a couple of changes, but in the end I was pleased that the players were able to get 90 minutes,” said Hughton.

“It is needed because there are only a couple more pre-season games now, and we need to make sure we’re ready and firing.

“I was delighted that Snodgrasss got 90 minutes – the new lads aren’t so far behind in terms of fitness.

“With Turner, he missed a few days and he’d just returned from a tour in Korea with Sunderland, so there can always be issues with jetlag and getting up to speed, but we’ll make up for that.

“He’s a player of experience, and you could see how comfortable he was on the ball. We’ve brought him in for that experience and the fact that he’s played in the Premier League. He’s a good age for us too.

The Canaries created plenty of opportunities over the course of the match, but were unable to make the breakthrough against a stubborn MK Dons defence.

Hughton added: “MK Dons are a good side, They play a very good brand of football and are difficult to beat. We’re delighted with the clean sheet, it was a good run out for us, and we’re probably disappointed that we didn’t show a little bit more in the final third.

“We got into some good areas and some of our play was decent, but perhaps we could have been a little bit more clinical once we got into those areas.”

There were also places on the bench for under-18s players Harry Barker and Josh Murphy, with the latter coming on for the final ten minutes of the match - their first experience with the first team squad.

Hughton said: “It’s nice for them, but we only did it because they deserve it.

“Both players have had the opportunity to train with us over the last couple of days. Josh played in a friendly game the other night and we thought he did very well, and this is recognition of that.”

HUGHTON ON MK DONS

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