Norwich City Football Club will always consider the top six fair game, but the sight of Norwich at the top of the Championship table, over the November 2018 international break, was surreal nonetheless.

The only reason Daniel Farke’s men are there at all was down to their recent comeback win against Millwall, on the final weekend of Championship action prior to the break. At 3.45pm on 10 November, Millwall led 1-0 at half-time in the stunned confines of Carrow Road.

Norwich equalised within five minutes of the restart, but it was not until the 79th minute that the match went completely into overdrive. Moritz Leitner gave Norwich the lead, before two quickfire Millwall goals made it 3-2 in the South London club’s favour. Unbelievably, Norwich then turned zero points into three via a double blast in injury time, with the winner arriving on 97 minutes.

While the defending on display was far from what anybody would expect from a title contender, it is this ability to turn an impossible situation around that often separates promotion winners from also-rans. On the topic of attack, a certain Finn springs to mind as a potential talisman, throughout what promises to be a close-fought promotion battle.

No Pukki, no Party

The precise definition of ‘talisman’ is disputed. However, if there is a general feeling of dread amongst opposition fans when a player comes onto the pitch, then he most likely is that. Talismans are also known for getting late goals when all seems lost, meaning that anyone who doesn’t fear Teemu Pukki right now should give themselves a reality check.

In scoring the 97th-minute winner in that thriller against Millwall, Pukki further reinforced the air of magic that currently surrounds him. So too does the fact that each of Pukki’s last ten goals for Norwich have been part of a winning performance, meaning that none of his efforts since 14 August have been in vain.

As a free transfer from Brondby, few expected the Finland international to deliver much in the way of deadly strikes. However, he broke new ground back on 3 November, netting his first brace for Norwich in a 4-0 rout of Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Also impressive is the efficiency with which Pukki makes shots on target count. While he has averaged only one shot on target per game so far, Pukki has nine goals to his name, which sees him jointly standing as the league’s third-highest goalscorer. His efficiency with shots is tremendous, and it gives Farke extra options when it comes to strategising a win.

Mixing it up

Though Norwich have now enjoyed four-goal hauls in their last two Championship games, such goal-rushes have not been a particularly common occurrence this season. While Norwich are still only third-favourites to go up on SportingIndex.com, it is their ability to win by any means necessary – handsomely, narrowly, or just insanely – that will surely see them at least carry on as one of the favourites until the bitter end.

Prior to their 4-0 drubbing of Wednesday, Farke’s men had seen all of their previous ten league matches produce a scoreline with a margin of less than two goals between themselves and the opposition. Remarkably, the Millwall result also represented a continuation of Norwich’s tendency to see their home league games settled either way by a single goal.

The best Championship teams also know how to mix the pragmatic with the conservative to great effect. Norwich’s ability to win a game, after failing to win the first half, is also significant in that regard. Nearly half of Norwich’s first 17 league games of 2018/19 produced that result, with Norwich also being the only team in the league (before gameweek 17) to have taken full points after trailing at half-time on three separate occasions.

Can Norwich go all the way?

Pukki’s prowess may have stolen the show, but there is a lot of character running through the rest of this Norwich team as well. At the back, Timm Klose and Cristoph Zimmermann have established a great relationship, without a language barrier between them or their manager. The latter also sits behind countryman Leitner, who has himself thrived next to Alexander Tettey.

With Tettey clearly buying into the club’s ambitions, and staying loyal even after the Canaries dropped from the Premier League in 2016, Pukki has the best possible backing as the lone striker, as he continues to adapt to the English game. Ultimately, this Norwich team bears many hallmarks of those that have previously succeeded in gaining promotion.

Perhaps the biggest test for Norwich will be how Farke’s men negotiate their festive fixtures, and history shows that a near flawless Christmas period will put any club at the top in prime position for promotion. Since 1 January 2006, every team that has been at the top of the Championship at the turn of the year has gone on to be promoted, and the Canaries face what could certainly be considered a difficult festive run-in.

Over Christmas, home matches against promotion-chasing Derby and Nottingham Forest are sandwiched by away games, at Blackburn and Brentford. With the latter team featuring Neal Maupay – who currently has three goals more than Pukki on the Championship leaderboard – there can be absolutely no guarantees. Yet, if Norwich City is still the name at the top of the table come the F.A Cup third round weekend, the title is surely Norwich’s to lose.