NORWICH: Norwich City’s Finland striker Teemu Pukki grabbed a hat-trick, including a thunderous volley, as they beat Newcastle United 3-1 in their first home game back in the Premier League after a three-year absence at a sunny Carrow Road on Saturday.
Last season’s Championship top scorer and Player of the Season showed his class as the Canaries handed Newcastle’s new manager Steve Bruce his second league defeat of the season on an unhappy return to a club he captained in the mid-1980s.
Norwich, who had dominated the opening exchanges, took the lead just past the half-hour when Pukki gave goalkeeper Martin Dubravka no chance with a stunning strike from 15 metres after a cross from Emiliano Buendia was headed out by the defence.
The Finn got his second with a sharp finish after 63 minutes and wrapped up the win with his third in the 75th, before Jonjo Shelvey’s late consolation for the visitors, as Daniel Farke’s Norwich put an opening 4-1 loss at Liverpool behind them.