07.11.2015 18:25 h

Relieved Norwich stop rot with Swansea victory

Norwich City avoided a fifth consecutive Premier League defeat when they beat visitors Swansea 1-0 at their boisterous Carrow Road stadium on Saturday.

While Swansea dominated possession, Jonny Howson's 71st minute goal was just reward for Norwich.

Howson had been harrying and hassling all afternoon before he nodded the ball into an open net with goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski stranded after a corner was headed back across the box by bustling Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani.

The result leaves Norwich in 15th with 12 points from 12 games and Swansea a point ahead of them.

The match was also notable for featuring the two youngest Premier League managers in Norwich's Scottish handler Alex Neil, the youngest at 34, and his former Burnley teammate Gary Monk, who is 36.

There had been signs last time out, when beaten only narrowly by leaders Manchester City, that Neil's charges might be about to rediscover the early season form that saw them glean nine points from seven matches -- a proportional return that would likely be enough to stay up -- before they lost four on the bounce.

After a tight start to the game, Howson sent in a ferocious snap shot from outside the box, Fabianski had to get firmly behind it after 11 minutes.

Just after the restart, Howson crossed for Robbie Brady to thump a header towards the bottom corner, only to see the Swansea keeper turn it around the post.

Swansea's French striker Bafetimbi Gomis made an emotional tweet of a rallying cry on the morning of the match and the burly centre-forward sent one shot from the edge of the box wide and saw another long range effort blocked in first half play.

With ten minutes remaining, a Swansea foray again saw the Frenchman go close as Jonjo Shelvey whipped in a fine cross that a full stretch Gomis sent wide.