Tony Dorigo has shared what Norwich City’s first-team coach Andrew Hughes told him during a “quick chat” after Leeds United drew 0-0 with The Canaries at Carrow Road.
Daniel Farke went up against his old side Norwich for the third time this season after previously winning 3-2 at Carrow Road and then 1-0 at Elland Road, but Leeds could not make it three wins from three.
However, the 0-0 result puts Leeds in the driving seat on Thursday night as The Whites boast home advantage having stopped David Wagner’s side from securing a win in East Anglia on Sunday afternoon.
Alongside Wagner, former Leeds defender Hughes was in the Norwich dugout having joined The Canaries back in the summer of 2021, promoted to first-team coach after the arrival of Wagner in January 2023.
Hughes played for Norwich for two years before joining Leeds in 2007, clocking up 79 games for Norwich. He then spent the next four seasons at Leeds, where he went on to play 139 times for the Yorkshire club.
Dorigo spoke to LUTV after the draw having worked as a co-commentator and he shared what Hughes had told him during a “quick chat” with Norwich’s first-team coach. Here is what he said:
Dorigo shares what Hughes told him about Norwich’s chances
Leeds are now strong favourites to reach the final at Wembley on May 26 and that is simply because the Yorkshire club’s home record has been immense in 2023-24, while Norwich struggled away from home.
Leeds won 16 of 23 Championship matches at Elland Road and secured 53 of a possible 69 points. While Norwich were the 19th-best side away from home in the League, just six wins in their 23 away games.
Dorigo told LUTV what Hughes had said: “No doubt, we will be favourites but we can shoulder that kind of mantle. We had a quick chat with Andrew Hughes as he was walking past,” Dorigo said on LUTV.
He said “don’t write us off yet” and he’s exactly right. It’s only half time. They will be thinking, get an early goal, the crowd, that sort of stuff. We need to put that to bed,” Dorigo added, after speaking to Hughes.
What Chris Sutton and David Wagner said about Norwich chances
So the odds are stacked in Leeds’ favour going into the second leg of the semi-final clash ahead of May 26’s final at Wembley, but Chris Sutton and David Waner are still confident Norwich can get a result.
Responding to Robbie Savage when asked if Leeds are favourites, Sutton replied by saying he has a “feeling” that Norwich can go to Elland Road and knock Farke’s men out of the race to be promoted.
Wagner meanwhile says he saw enough in the first leg to be confident to go to Yorkshire and get a result despite their away record this season, and the fact that Leeds had won twice against Norwich previously.