Norwich City cut the gap to the play-off places in the Championship to just one point in beating Cardiff City 2-0 on Saturday.

The Canaries have quietly gone about their business to pick up ten points from their last four matches and are gradually lifting the mood in Norfolk, with all three of their victories being at Carrow Road.

We will learn more about Norwich's credentials in their crucial trip to Millwall on Saturday.

The standout performer on the day was debutant Marquinhos who came up with a goal and an assist in the first half to put Norwich in a great position to seal the win.

The 19-year-old was substituted after 59 minutes but would have left a lasting impression on supporters having played so little senior football this season.

The assist did not require immense levels of creativity or skill, passing backwards to Gabriel Sara who unleashed a powerful drive into the bottom corner from long range.

However, Marquinhos' goal and the finish itself was the mark of a player who possesses potential way above the Championship.

Onel Hernandez flashed the ball across the box and Marquinhos met it so sweetly on his left foot, drifting into the area from the right hand side and wrong-footing Ryan Allsop to send the ball back where it came from into the bottom corner with eye-catching power.

Doing so without swinging his leg particularly hard, just finding a very sweet and pure connection on the strike to put the ball in the net before any defenders had time to react.

It was a slightly cautious performance in the sense that Marquinhos recycled the ball rather sensibly, not that typically a trait of a Brazilian winger, posting a pass accuracy of 83% (20/24) according to FotMob.

The Arsenal had the joint-most shots in the match of any player, three, and considering he only played two thirds of it, the numbers speak for themselves.

January additions can often make a huge difference in a division as tight as the Championship and if Wagner can unlock Marquinhos' potential over their remaining 12 league matches, they have a great chance of finishing in the top six.

The Gunners would love to see the 19-year-old exposed to the pressure of the play-offs in this loan spell and Wagner will be looking to gradually increase his responsibility on the pitch as the weeks pass.

This season has been a roller-coaster ride for Norwich and Marquinhos' debut would have provided hope that there could still be a happy ending despite their ups and downs.