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FL72 review: Don Goodman talks Norwich, Derby, Fernando Forestieri and Bristol City

Each week, Sky Sports experts review the Football League action on FL72. Check out Don Goodman's thoughts on the latest round of fixtures...

Norwich have fear factor

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Jonny Howson netted a brace for Norwich as they thrashed Millwall 4-1 at The Den

DON SAYS: They are one point behind the Championship top four and I guarantee you that they are the club the rest are worried about because they are entrenched within the group and have the best momentum. Alex Neil will be pleased with his side’s reaction against Millwall after they lost at home against Wigan in midweek. Norwich were excellent and they will look to continue that momentum. I promise you that they are the team that everyone else is scared of. Alex Neil probably had to pinch himself when he was offered the chance to manage the club, but he has taken full advantage.

Fernando Forestieri should be ashamed

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Watford rescued a point against promotion rivals Wolves in a pulsating 2-2 draw

DON SAYS: The incident between him and Bakary Sako was two people pushing each other, then Forestieri’s reaction was absolutely abysmal. I hope he is totally ashamed. He pushes Sako more than Sako pushes him yet he goes down clutching his face, rolling around, gets Sako a red card and a potential three-game ban. I would be really shocked if the powers that be don’t overturn the red. In an ideal world, Sako would get his red card rescinded and they would give it to Forestieri because we don’t want to see it. But I know that won't happen.

We have this handshake before games, which I have never been a massive fan of, because it’s supposed to signify respect, but there was nothing respectful about what Forestieri did. It shocked me because I have seen him play a lot, he is a good player with a lot of talent, and I have never seen him do that before, so I hope it is an isolated incident.

Derby face test of character

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Birmingham staged a stunning late comeback to grab a 2-2 draw against Derby

DON SAYS: They must focus on the game as a whole against Birmingham and not what happened in the last minute or two. It certainly will be a test of their mental resolve, but for me the way they started this season on the front foot after losing in the play-off final to QPR shows that the group and management team are full of character.

They will be able to look at the fact they battered Birmingham, who were very lucky to walk away with anything, and focus on the performance. If they play that well in the remaining games they should be fine. Derby have Norwich (A), Middlesbrough (H), Wolves (A) and Watford (H) next and they need to be taking a reasonable amount of points from those games. They have struggled recently away from home and have a couple of tough away games there.

Owls just lacking goals

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Lewis McGugan's third goal in five games secured Sheffield Wednesday a 1-0 victory at Blackpool

DON SAYS: They have kept 16 clean sheets in the league, only Middlesbrough have a better defensive record. The problems have been at the other end as they have only scored 32 - only the bottom two have scored fewer than that. Stuart Gray has got them fantastically well organised, hard to break down, but they just need to be a bit more prolific. It’s a huge club, if the owners are prepared to invest then you never know what they can achieve. With the right support financially and a little bit of luck then their target will be to get to the Premier League.

Bristol City will take some stopping

Image: Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill.

DON SAYS: They are by far the best team in League One, they have been the most consistent, they have the best home record, the best away record, and it is going to take a serious collapse for them to have any trouble. What I like about them is they have the character, they kept going at Crawley and got a late winner. They have got everything as a team and will take some stopping.

Stevenage looking sharp

Stevenage manager Graham Westley.
Image: Stevenage manager Graham Westley.

DON SAYS: They have gone on a fantastic run and are top of the League Two form table over the last six games. You wondered whether Stevenage, along with Bury and Plymouth, could force their way into a play-off spot and now they are in such good form that maybe Wycombe in third need to be looking over their shoulder a bit. Graham Westley has got them battling and fighting for everything.

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