Fowler breaks Norwich hearts
Norwich City 2 Man City 3
Robbie Fowler became only the third man to chalk up 150 Premier League goals as Manchester City battled back from 2-0 down to draw level at half-time against Barclays Premiership strugglers Norwich at Carrow Road.
The Canaries, looking to close the gap on 17th-placed Crystal Palace, had raced 2-0 ahead inside the opening 16 minutes through Dean Ashton and Leon McKenzie.
But City - without a win in four Premiership matches - reduced the deficit when Antoine Sibierski headed home from close range, before Fowler's landmark strike got them level.
Neither side made any changes at the break, and it was the visitors who were first to show following the restart as they kept Norwich pressed back in their own penalty box.
With 50 minutes gone, Barton was cautioned for a late challenge on Drury, and Jonson soon followed after manhandling Wright-Phillips to the floor.
James used all of his experience to collect a hanging ball into the six-yard box from Stuart, with McKenzie seeking to capitalise on any lapse in concentration from the City `keeper.
As the hour mark approached, Drury tripped Wright-Phillips out on the right flank, and Holt had to be alert to hack clear from the resulting free-kick as Sibierski looked to pounce for a second.
Fowler also sensed goals, and dragged a shot just wide from the edge of the area following good approach work by Barton.
In a rare Norwich attack, Ashton flashed his drive across goal after running onto the ball in the right side of the penalty area.
The hosts were then reduced to 10 men after 67 minutes when Jonson needlessly slid in heavily on Barton as he held the ball up out on the far touchline, which gave referee Rob Styles little option but to reach for his top pocket again.
The atmosphere then turned somewhat hostile towards the man in black, which was not helped when he let a couple of hefty challenges from the opposition go unpunished.
In the 71st minute, McKenzie combined with Ashton to send the former Crewe marksman clear in on the angle, and it needed a fine save from James to keep the scores level.
With 16 minutes left Stuart was replaced by Moroccan Youssef Safri, before Jordan went into the book for pushing over Holt.
Mills sent a pot-shot high into the stands as the final 10 minutes approached.
Had McKenzie's cut-back from the by-line fell more kindly for Safri, it could have been a welcome happy ending for the Canaries.
It was, though, not to be as in stoppage-time Green could only parry Wright-Phillips' close-range effort and Fowler was on bundle home the loose ball.
Fowler paid tribute to the character of his side after they fought back from two goals down to beat Norwich 3-2 at Carrow Road.
He told Sky Sports: "We've not got off to the greatest starts. We had our backs against the wall at 2-0 down but we showed plenty of character and deserved to win in the end."
Fowler believed that, once he scored the equaliser in the 37th minute, City were more likely to win the game.
"Their heads just dropped," he said.
"Once we had our momentum, we were always going to score more goals although it took us until the 92nd minute."
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