Thursday 9 July 2015 15:07, UK
Sky Sports pundit Didi Hamann heaped praise on Norwich following their Super Sunday victory over Stoke.
Jonny Howson's first-half strike was enough to earn Norwich's second victory of the season at the Britannia Stadium. Read the full report.
The win moved Norwich above Stoke and up to 14th in the Premier League table, and Hamann said Hughton's side were more than worthy winners with Howson, Leroy Fer and Alexander Tettey impressing in particular.
Overall they deserved it. They had some outstanding performances all over the pitch and the difference was their alertness and desire to win the ball back, which Stoke did not have.
"It is a huge result, especially with the games they have coming up," he said. "Howson, Fer and Tettey in the middle of the park were excellent.
"The backline was very good and they just controlled the game. Some of the passing and the movement under pressure was excellent.
"Overall they deserved it. They had some outstanding performances all over the pitch and the difference was their alertness and desire to win the ball back, which Stoke did not have.
"If Stoke want to change the way they play, but they just did not have enough players to pass the ball. Some of their passing and some of their decision-making was very poor."
Kevin Phillips described it as the "perfect away win" and one that will ease the pressure on manager Chris Hughton.
"I thought Stoke were very poor today," he said. "They lacked in tempo and I thought Norwich went there with a game plan and it worked perfectly. I thought all over the pitch they were excellent.
"Their tempo was excellent and even towards the end they chased every lost cause and it was the perfect away victory for them and it is a great result for Hughton, who was under pressure before today."
Stoke were controversially denied a penalty after Kenwyne Jones went down in the box under pressure from Fer, who went on to be named man of the match.
"It was a blatant penalty and I don't see why he made the challenge because the ball was that high that [John] Ruddy was going to collect it all day long," Phillips said. "The linesman was out of sight but it was a certain penalty."
