Some Norwich City fans are struggling to get over Tim Krul’s two penalty saves in the club’s 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Krul denied both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial from the spot at Carrow Road this past weekend but failed to keep the pair out from open play. Rashford and Martial scored a goal each after missing their penalties, helping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men pick up a 3-1 win.
Scott McTominay had scored the first goal for United, while Onel Hernandez scored his first Premier League goal for the Canaries. The winger also became the first Cuban player to score in the division.
Two days on, Norwich fans have not gotten over Krul’s penalty saves.
Shame the rest of the team couldn’t pull off some superb moves like krul
— Jason Powell (@j_powell111) October 28, 2019
Netherlands vs Costa Rica replica
— Rick (@Appelpeer15) October 28, 2019
That save was magnificent
— Jay Sockwell (@jaysockwell) October 28, 2019
Penalty King Krul pic.twitter.com/db4CEwaYPc
— Duncan Cole (@DuncanCole10) October 28, 2019
Different class yesterday
— Mike Howe (@KellyMonteeth) October 28, 2019
The 31-year-old Krul has played in eight Premier League games so far for Norwich and that includes games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea earlier this season.
The Dutchman joined the club from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2018 and helped the club regain promotion to the Premier League this past summer.
In the march to the top flight, Krul played as many as 46 times for Daniel Farke’s men last season and conceded only 57 goals during this time. He managed to keep 13 clean sheets on the way too (per TransferMarkt).
While this was the first time a goalkeeper had saved two penalties this season (a feat that saw the Dutch shot-stopper become just the eighth man to do so in Premier League history), many fans also believed that the two spot-kicks should have been retaken. They felt Krul was off his line and VAR did not spot it.
Get back on your line Tim
— Daniel Self (@SelfDaniel) October 28, 2019
How far off his line! pic.twitter.com/SVOZ6B9d9o
— Dominic Higgs (@DomHiggs) October 28, 2019
The defeat to Solskjaer’s men saw Norwich remain winless in their last five league games. The last time they picked up all three points in a game was against Manchester City, who they beat 3-2 at home last month.
Their last five games have seen them let in 12 goals and five of those came at home to Aston Villa, who beat them 5-1.
Farke’s men will travel to Graham Potter’s Brighton at the weekend, followed by a home game against Quique Sanchez Flores’ Watford side.
What do we think?
Krul certainly made two impressive saves in denying Manchester United duo Rashford and Martial from 12-yards out. Whilst both penalties should have been retaken as he was off his line, it shouldn’t take our focus away from the saves.
Norwich will likely need more of those solid performances in their upcoming fixtures if they are to have any chance of surviving the drop this season.