Swansea cruise to victory over 10-man Norwich

Liam Cullen celebrates after scoring his ninth goal of the season

Swansea City's fine late-season form continued as Russell Martin savoured a comprehensive 3-0 win on his return to Norwich City.

Olivier Ntcham's goal rounded off an emphatic victory for a Swansea side who have taken 19 points from seven games.

They moved alongside Norwich in the table, three points outside the Championship play-off places.

But with only two games each to play this season - and a host of clubs involved in the congested top-six race - both Norwich and Swansea look most likely to finish somewhere in mid-table.

This was a sweet victory for former Canaries skipper Martin on his first competitive visit to Carrow Road since he left East Anglia in 2018.

But there was misery for David Wagner as Norwich's disappointing form continued.

Wagner's team have won only one of their last nine games, with fans making their frustration clear on a miserable afternoon for the home side.

Martin helped Norwich to glory in the 2015 Championship play-offs, one of three promotions he won during nine years at the club.

But any prospect of a return to Wembley for Norwich this spring has faded during a slump in results which never looked like ending against a Swansea side enjoying their best spell of the campaign.

The Welsh club ought to have gone in front when Ntcham's fine pass sent Cullen through on goal, but Angus Gunn did well to save with his leg.

But from the Ryann Manning corner which followed, Latibeaudiere climbed above Andrew Omobamidele to head in just his second Swansea league goal.

Norwich might have responded when Josh Sargent glanced a header wide, but it was Swansea who carried by far the greater threat.

Jamie Paterson missed a golden chance to double the visitors' lead, dragging wide having been sent through by Luke Cundle, before a sharp passing move brought the second goal.

Having seen his first cross blocked, Manning chipped the ball across goal for Cullen to head home from a couple of yards.

Swansea defender Joel Latibeaudiere rises to head home just the fourth goal of his senior career

Cullen was bearing down on goal once more three minutes later, prompting McCallum into a desperate barge which saw him sent off by referee David Webb.

The 10 men might have conceded again before half-time when Joel Piroe picked out Manning, but his low drive kissed the outside of the post.

Swansea were utterly dominant after the break, and deservedly extended their lead when a long spell of possession ended with Cundle feeding Ntcham.

The Cameroon international's clever first touch allowed him to burst between Omobamidele and Max Aarons before he poked the ball between Gunn's legs and into the net.