Norwich City manager Philippe Clement has refused to scapegoat young defender Ruairi McConville following a costly mistake during Saturday’s dramatic 4-3 Championship loss at Middlesbrough.
The Canaries took a first-minute lead through Mohamed Toure. McConville then lost possession to Tommy Conway deep in his own half. Sebastian Berhalter quickly capitalised to level the score. The chaotic encounter ultimately highlighted late defensive collapses within the team.
Trusting Youth Despite Defensive Setbacks
Speaking to The Pink Un, the Carrow Road boss vigorously defended the Northern Ireland international. “Those things you hope they don’t happen and they don’t happen much, and for sure not with him because he’s been brilliant for me,” he confirmed.
Clement views these high-pressure errors as an essential part of long-term player development rather than punishable offences. He insists his squad must process their frustration swiftly and bounce back.
“You always need to reset and look for the next action and to believe in the next action will be a good one, and throw yourself into that,” he added.
Resetting for Manchester City Cup Tie
The manager had introduced heavy squad rotation ahead of the Riverside trip to manage player fitness. Norwich must now regroup before travelling to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday evening.
