City beaten on Boxing Day

Norwich City were beaten 5-0 by Arsenal at Carrow Road on Boxing Day.

Norwich City were beaten 5-0 by Arsenal at Carrow Road on Boxing Day.

Dean Smith made three changes to the side that lost to Aston Villa in City's last fixture, Angus Gunn, Kieran Dowell and Josh Sargent coming in for Tim Krul, Jacob Sorensen and Todd Cantwell respectively.

The Gunners took the lead six minutes in, Martin Odegaard finding Bukayo Saka from the edge of the 18-yard box. He shifted the ball onto his left foot and picked out the bottom left corner.

Three minutes later, Saka had a corner headed wide by Thomas Partey before the first-half action settled down for a period of 15 minutes.

Alexandre Lacazette also headed wide from a Saka cross, after he beat Brandon Williams on the right.

Mikel Arteta's side had another couple of chances on the brink of the half-hour mark, Gabriel Martinelli seeing his cross caught by Gunn before Saka sent an overhead kick over the crossbar.

In the 31st minute, Norwich produced their best move of the first half from a Ben Gibson clearance down the left wing. It allowed Przemyslaw Placheta and Teemu Pukki to play a one-two, Placheta racing forward and crossing for Aaron Ramsdale to catch.

Martinelli had a long-range strike caught by Gunn as Arsenal continued to search for their second.

Billy Gilmour's cross into the box was headed back towards goal by Gabriel, but Ramsdale reacted to make the save.

Arsenal doubled their lead just before half-time, Odegaard picking out Kieran Tierney in time and space on the left wing. He sent a low shot into the far corner in off the post for 2-0.

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Arsenal began the second half on the front foot, Partey finding Tierney on the left, whose shot was blocked by Max Aarons.

There were shouts for a Norwich penalty when Kenny Mclean was pulled down by Lacazette, but nothing was given. Gilmour then had a shot from distance deflected wide.

Martinelli had the ball in the net in the 61st minute with his shot looping in off Aarons, but the flag was raised for offside.

Gilmour's deep free-kick was volleyed well wide by McLean moments later.

Pierre Lees-Melou, Adam Idah and Christos Tzolis were second-half subtitutes for Dowell, Sargent and Placheta respectively, but Arsenal made it 3-0 in the 67th minute, Saka getting his brace in a similar vein to his first goal, striking from distance on his left foot into the bottom left corner.

Arsenal rubbed salt into the wounds in the 83rd minute, Lacazette dispatching a penalty after being fouled by Ozan Kabak.

Odegaard bent a free-kick over the wall via the deflection of Idah in the game's dying embers, before Nicolas Pepe found Emile Smith Rowe to make it five.

Norwich City XI: Gunn, Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Williams, Gilmour, McLean, Placheta (Tzolis 75'), Dowell (Lees-Melou 66'), Sargent (Idah 72'), Pukki

Subs not used: McGovern, Byram, Mumba, Giannoulis, Sorensen, Cantwell

Bookings: Placheta (41')

Goals: None

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey (Elneny 75'), Xhaka, Saka (Pepe 78'), Odegaard, Martinelli (Smith Rowe 82'), Lacazette

Subs not used: Leno, Tavares, Mari, Patino, Lokonga, Nketiah

Bookings: Xhaka (39'), Partey (62')

Goals: Saka (6', 67'), Tierney (44'), Lacazette (84'), Smith Rowe (90+1')

HT: 0-2

Venue: Carrow Road

Referee: Graham Scott

Today’s official Golden Goal time was:

1st Goal: 05:38

2nd Goal: 43:12

3rd Goal: 66:33

4th Goal: 83:28

5th Goal: 90:00

Tonight’s lucky number was 3310 – the winner will receive a Norwich City shirt signed by the first team squad