Struggling Norwich stalls Tottenham’s top-four EPL push with narrow win at Carrow Road

TOTTENHAM lose ground in the race for Champions League qualification as Norwich City boosted their hopes of EPL survival.

Robert Snodgrass’s second-half goal proved the real difference.

TOTTENHAM Hotspur have lost ground in the race for Champions League qualification as Norwich City boosted their hopes of Barclays Premier League survival with a 1-0 victory.

Robert Snodgrass claimed the decisive goal in the 47th minute at Carrow Road to give Norwich only a second win in 12 games and lift Chris Hughton's side four points clear of the relegation zone.

Tottenham were bidding to return to within three points of fourth-place Liverpool, but instead were left six points below the Champions League berths in fifth place.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel was drafted back into the Norwich line-up and he saw an early chance pass him by when he was unable to make telling contact with a bouncing ball inside the Spurs box after a corner.

The visitors received an early blow when holding midfielder Etienne Capoue was forced off through injury in the 13th minute, with Nacer Chadli coming on in his place.

News_Rich_Media: Watch all the highlights of Norwich's clash with Tottenham.

The first half was a tame affair, with a curling effort from Spurs midfielder Paulinho that drifted over the bar the best effort that either side could muster.

However, the game received an injection of intrigue early in the second half when Snodgrass put Norwich ahead.

Bradley Johnson's pass inside Spurs left-back Danny Rose released the Scotland international and he shaped a left-foot shot into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the area.

Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy then saved bravely at the feet of Emmanuel Adebayor, who had nicked the ball away from Sebastien Bassong, before Snodgrass saw a swerving drive parried by Hugo Lloris at the other end.

Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood introduced Roberto Soldado with 25 minutes left and the Spain striker squandered a fine opportunity to equalise only seconds after coming on, slicing wide from Adebayor's pass.

Snodgrass twice threatened to add a second goal with efforts from outside the box, while Ruddy produced a fine block to deny Chadli.

It was Norwich who came closest to scoring in the dying stages, however, with Johnson crashing a free-kick against the bar and onto the line, before Lloris had to save at his near post from Nathan Redmond.

News_Image_File: Loic Remy’s late, late winner revived Newcastle’s ailing season.

News_Rich_Media: Watch all the highlights of Newcastle's clash with Aston Villa at St James' Park.

Meanwhile, Loic Remy ended Newcastle United’s goal drought with a stoppage-time strike as Aston Villa went down 1-0 at St James’ Park.

Remy had squandered a glorious chance moments earlier when he could only hit the post with the goal seemingly at his mercy, and it looked as though the Magpies were set to finish a fifth straight game without getting on the scoresheet.

However, he made space for himself in the area in the 92nd minute to fire past Brad Guzan and give Newcastle a valuable victory.

Newcastle went into the game having lost each of their last five fixtures in all competitions at St James’ and the club went to special lengths to deny that Alan Pardew’s job was on the line if he did not remedy that situation against Villa.