With Norwich City facing Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this weekend, we’re taking a look back at one of our favourite encounters in the East Midlands.
Then named the Walkers Stadium, Leicester’s ground hosted an impressive 3-2 win for the Canaries almost nine years ago.
Leicester City 2-3 Norwich City
March 8, 2011
Npower Championship
Walkers Stadium
What was on the line?
With eleven league games remaining, Norwich had a tough test ahead of them, even during a brilliant spell which had seen them lose just two of the previous 21 league games. However, while chasing promotion, Norwich came up against a Sven-Goran Eriksen side who had not been beaten at home since September.
As for the Foxes, from New Year’s Day up until mid-February they went eight league games unbeaten - a run that placed them seventh and in contention for the play-offs. However, prior to the visit of Norwich, they had not won any of the last three games.
How did the game unfold?
Wes Hoolahan, keen to make amends for a missed penalty against Preston North End the Saturday prior, gave Norwich the lead in the 21st minute, heading in from an Andrew Surman corner.
Leicester responded instantly, however, Richie Wellens equalising with a header of his own in the 23rd minute.
Early in the second half, Hoolahan was brought down in the 18-yard box by Matt Oakley and the referee pointed to the spot. Penalty duties were handed over to Grant Holt, who converted for his 17th goal of the season. 2-1.
Aaron Wilbraham gave Leicester a mountain to climb when he made it 3-1 in the 59th minute, before Paul Gallagher nabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time with a curled free kick from 20 yards out. Despite having 17 shots to Norwich’s 12, Leicester were beaten 3-2 on home soil.
Norwich City: Ruddy, Tierney, Ward, Whitbread, Martin, Crofts, Fox, Hoolahan (Smith 86’), Surman, Holt, Wilbraham
Subs not used: Rudd, Edwards, Drury, Lansbury, McNamee, Jackson
What happened next?
Norwich moved up to third in the league, extending an unbeaten run to six games. They then lost just one of the remaining ten games, carrying good form to the end of the campaign to finish the season in second place, four points behind QPR and four ahead of Swansea, ensuring their automatic promotion to the Premier League under Paul Lambert.
Leicester were left in tenth, their impressive New Year form curtailed, and they ultimately ended the season in that position, missing out on the playoff places by eight points. They eventually won the Championship at the end of the 2013-14 season, and we all know what happened after that.
Where are they now?
John Ruddy | Part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves’ squad |
Marc Tierney | Retired from football in 2015 after two years at Bolton |
Elliott Ward | Not far away, plying his trade at Cambridge United in League Two |
Zak Whitbread |
Director of a sports management company |
Russell Martin | Manager of MK Dons in League Two |
Andrew Crofts | Coaches Brighton & Hove Albion’s Under-23s side |
David Fox | Provides commentary for Plymouth Argyle |
Wes Hoolahan | At Newcastle Jets in the Australian A-League |
Andrew Surman | Still in the Premier League with Eddie Howe’s AFC Bournemouth |
Grant Holt | Provides punditry for BT Sport’s National League coverage |
Aaron Wilbraham | On the books at Rochdale |