Norwich City captain Grant Hanley couldn’t have imagined his 100th appearance for the club as going any better than Tuesday’s 7-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town.
“Not much to complain about when you score seven goals and keep a clean sheet! That’s as good as it gets really. It’s the first time I’ve had that in my career, so a pleasing night and lots of positives so enjoy it, but we go again Saturday.
“The possession we had and the chances we created, we’d been threatening that all season. When the lads take the chances, we knew it was possible at some stage of the season.
“It’s sort of surreal to keep scoring and be 5-0 up at half-time. It’s a difficult one because you don’t really know how to act but it was important to keep going in the second half and make sure we didn’t get sloppy and that we stayed professional.
“It would have been easy for us to come out and concede a couple which would have taken a bit of a shine off of it. To kill the game in the second half with another couple was big for us and puts us in a good mood with a lot of confidence to take into Saturday.
“I’m very proud [of 100 appearances]. It’s a big milestone to get to. I’d have liked to get there a bit quicker but we’re there eventually so hopefully the next 100 comes a bit quicker!”
Making just his second senior start next to Hanley was Andrew Omobamidele, who has looked cool and composed in both of his games so far.
“He’d better not get used to that because it’s not like that every week in the Championship as we know! He’s been outstanding in the last couple of games - so composed as a young lad coming into the first team ready to take his opportunity. He deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Teemu Pukki scored a hat-trick on the night, his first in the Championship, and Hanley acknowledges the Finn is firmly in the race for the division’s top scorer award.
“I couldn’t believe that, to be honest! Everybody knows he’s a goalscorer at this level and you know how dangerous he can be. Fair play to him and I’m sure he’ll not be far away from the Golden Boot at the end of the season.”
The atmosphere at Carrow Road would have been electric from start to finish, and Hanley can’t wait for the day supporters are allowed to return.
“The biggest dampener on this season has been to do so well and be at the top of the league with nights like that… it would be unreal having fans in to enjoy it with, but hopefully they’re back sooner rather than later.”