Stats: Norwich 3 Aston Villa 1

A 3-0 defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road in today’s Championship clash has effectively brought an end to automatic promotion hopes for Steve Bruce’s side.

A seven-point gap to Cardiff City in second spot is now probably too great a margin to close, especially as Neil Warnock’s side have a game in hand.

We are five points from Fulham and the perceived easier route through the Play Offs. That has to be the target, as with a five-point gap to Derby County (they have a game in hand), they could be quickly breathing down our necks.

The upcoming Cardiff City clash takes on even more importance for a variety of reasons when we face them next Tuesday evening at Villa Park.

Bruce’s main aim in the coming days is to pick the lads up once again as with three defeats in our last five games, our form is now heavily questionable and for any promotion hopes to remain we have to rectify that and quickly.