Liam Manning pinpoints what made Norwich City’s second goal vs Portsmouth ‘really enjoyable’

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Norwich City scored their first victory of the 2025/26 Championship campaign on Saturday afternoon, as they ran out 2-1 winners away to Portsmouth.

The Canaries’ incredible home record against Millwall ended last weekend, but they quickly got back to winning ways as Liam Manning looks to mount a play-off push in the second tier.

Goals from Harry Darling and Josh Sargent inside the opening 15 minutes handed the visitors a healthy lead on the south coast, although Adrian Segecic did pull one back for Portsmouth in the 84th minute.

Vladan Kovacevic, who joined Norwich for £2m in June, had denied Colby Bishop from the spot prior to Pompey’s goal, but it was Sargent’s header that Manning was most pleased with from the clash.

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Liam Manning loved Norwich City’s second goal against Portsmouth

The future of Sargent at Carrow Road is a complicated one. It looked incredibly likely that he was going to be leaving for Burnley or Wolfsburg earlier in the window, but he remains with the Canaries.

Nevertheless, it’s now two goals in two games for the American; yet it was another aspect of the header that Manning really liked as Norwich made it 2-0 from a throw-in. He said (via: Pink Un): As is often the case with Harry [Darling], I think he was messing around at the end of training in the week.

“We watched them against Oxford, to be fair, and thought it was an area that we could cause problems.

“He launched one (throw) the other day and we thought, ‘Yeah, we’ll set up and use it’. Credit to the lads because there is still a lot else that goes into set pieces that not everybody will see, the blocks and the movement and connecting those pieces. It was a really, really enjoyable goal.

“We know how important set pieces are. Credit to Nick (Stanley), credit to the lads for taking it on board. I was delighted for Harry to get off the mark. We need goals from all areas.

“We actually started the game really well, showing an element of composure to play on such a tight pitch and do a really good job of blocking those central areas and making it difficult. When you go 2-0 up then naturally you’ve got something to protect.

“Maybe at times we were a little bit fearful to play and to trust each other, which only comes when you have experiences like this one.”

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Set pieces need to work their way into the Canaries’ game this season

In 2024/25, Norwich scored just 12 of their 71 goals from set piece situations, with Derby County coming out on top with 22.

Ultimately, these scenarios can be the difference between automatic promotion and third, a play-off place or seventh and in the Rams’ case survival over relegation.

Norwich have added more aerial presence to their team this summer in the form of Harry Darling, and he will be vital from corners and free kicks – just as he was for the opener.

Manning seems to have recognised the significance of set pieces, and it offers a different option for the Canaries when they do form their attacks.