We Defended Well

Will Norris hailed the contribution of his defenders after he kept a third clean sheet of the season against Premier League opposition in Saturday's FA Cup third round goalless draw with Swansea.

Incredibly, since joining Wolves in the summer, Norris has still yet to concede a goal, with his five clean sheets also including shut-outs against Premier League Southampton and Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

His contribution against Swansea included one spectacular save - unseen by the officials - to tip Martin Olsson's fiercely-struck free-kick onto the crossbar.

"I was raging that the ref didn't give a corner!" Norris joked after the game. "Obviously from my point of view the main thing is to come away with a clean sheet, and we've done that again today.

"We defended really well when we needed to and we kept our shape well. Swansea have quality and are a dangerous team, so it's pleasing to get a clean sheet and stay in the hat."

After dominating the early exchanges, Wolves were reduced to ten men when Ruben Vinagre was shown a straight red card five minutes before half time. Swansea's numerical advantage was wiped out midway through the second half though, as Leroy Fer was also sent off for a cynical trip on the advancing Helder Costa.

Norris believes that Nuno Espirito Santo's Championship leaders were more likely to go on and win the tie than their Premier League opponents.

"I thought we had the better chances in the first half - we had maybe four or five good ones but we just couldn't find the net. Then we coped really well once we went down to ten men and we stuck in there - we've got the belief after the Bristol City game and we needed to draw upon that performance.

"When it was back even again at ten against ten, I did back us to go and get the winning goal, but unfortunately we couldn't.

"I think we can take a lot from this performance though, particularly when we go there for the replay. We play a really good style of football and we definitely don't go anywhere just to make the numbers up - we go to win, and that's the attitude we'll be taking to the Liberty Stadium for the replay.

"We did that against Manchester City in the League Cup, and we held our own there. If we can do it there, we can do it anywhere."

The replay is likely to hand Norris another start between the posts, a prospect he admits he is looking forward to despite being modest about his faultless record in a Wolves shirt so far.

"The replay will be a good opportunity for the likes of myself and other players who haven't had much time in the league," he continued.

"That's not something I can complain about though. John (Ruddy) has been outstanding for us; what he brings to the team is invaluable and he's been an integral part of our league campaign, so it's not like I've got a case to go knocking on the manager's door.

"I've just got to be patient - it's nice to keep clean sheets and give a good account of myself when I go get the chance to pull the shirt on. It's what I'm here for and it's what I love doing.

"The record (of clean sheets) is nice but I don't want to make it more than it is. The defenders in front of me have earned those clean sheets as well - it's nice to get the credit, but the whole back five was tremendous today."

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