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Mid-season report: Norwich City

Sports Mole looks back at Norwich City's first half of the 2013-14 Premier League season.

Norwich City find themselves just three points clear of the relegation zone halfway through the 2013-14 Premier League season.

After struggling at the start of the season, the Canaries started to find some form towards the end of the year, but will head into 2014 following back-to-back defeats.

The team, which finished 11th in the table last season, gained the majority of their points at home, with just seven of their 19 coming away from Carrow Road.

Sports Mole looks back at the first half of the campaign for Chris Hughton's side.

August

Norwich got their season underway with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Everton, where the home side had taken the lead, but needed an equaliser from Ricky van Wolfswinkel after the Toffees scored twice in the space of four minutes.

Newly-promoted side Hull City inflicted the first defeat of the season on Norwich, beating them 1-0 at the KC Stadium, despite playing most of the match with 10 men.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel of Norwich City celebrates after scoring their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Everton at Carrow Road on August 17, 2013© Getty Images

The first month finished with an opening win, as Nathan Redmond drilled the ball in against Southampton for a 1-0 win.

September

September started with back-to-back defeats for the Canaries, as a Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a brace for Tottenham Hotspur on their visit to White Hart Lane, before a Libor Kozak strike sealed a win for Aston Villa at Carrow Road.

Norwich's Jonny Howson celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Stoke during their Premier League match on September 29, 2013© Getty Images

The run of defeats came to an end with a visit to the Britannia Stadium, with Jonny Howson tapping in to beat Stoke City.

October

Chris Hughton's side came within five minutes of a draw against Chelsea in their first game in October, but late goals from Eden Hazard and Willian ensured a 3-1 defeat for the Canaries.

Next up, Norwich faced a trip to league leaders Arsenal, and were thrashed 4-0 as Mesut Ozil came away with a brace.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil scores against Norwich during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 19, 2013

The final game of the month ensured that the team went the whole of October without a win in the Premier League, as they played to a goalless draw with Cardiff City.

November

Their poor form continued into the next month, which began with their heaviest defeat of the season so far, as seven different Manchester City players found the back of the net on Norwich's trip to the Etihad Stadium.

Alvaro Negredo of Manchester City celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Norwich City at Etihad Stadium on November 2, 2013© Getty Images

After a run of four matches without a win, Gary Hooper, Robert Snodgrass and Leroy Fer were all on the scoresheet as Norwich beat West Ham United 3-1, despite being a goal down at half time.

Fer scored again next time out, but it was just a consolation against a Newcastle United side that were already two goals up.

Norwich finished the month with a meeting with fellow strugglers Crystal Palace, and came away with the win following a first-half goal from Hooper.

December

The team were on the wrong end of another heavy defeat at the start of December, with Luis Suarez scoring four goals as Liverpool beat them 5-1.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez celebrates with teammate Steven Gerrard after scoring his team's second goal against Norwich during their Premier League match on December 4, 2013© Getty Images

Hooper and Fer found the target again as the Canaries played their second game in three days, beating West Bromwich Albion 2-0.

The side headed into Christmas following two draws, as Hooper netted an equaliser against Swansea City, before being held to a goalless draw against bottom-of-the-table Sunderland.

However, Norwich's run of three games without a defeat came to an end on Boxing Day, as Fulham came from behind to inflict a 2-1 defeat on the Canaries, while Manchester United ensured that the year finished with another loss, winning 1-0 at Carrow Road.

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Johan Elmander of Norwich City is chased by Lee Cattermole of Sunderland during the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Norwich City at Stadium of Light on December 21, 2013
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