City 4 Norwich 0
As preparations go for this fixture, City have certainly had better ones. The preceding week had seen two dispriting defeats, an eagerly-awaited loan signing (Scott Sinclair) scuppered by the concerns of his parent club Chelsea, a wildly exaggerated and unwarranted “celebration” by the local tabloid of Milan Mandaric's first year in power, and yet more media-inspired mischief about Ian Holloway's position as manager.
With some particularly fierce feuds also raging between fans on the main messageboards, the mood among many fans was the darkest in living memory, especially with an in-form Norwich side and over 3000 chirpy followers in town confident of extending their unbeaten league run to 14 games.
So it was a spectacularly vivid example of the capricious nature of the game, and this club in particular, that the Foxes should stroll to their biggest victory since the celebrated 4-0 win over Leeds in September 2003. A display of power, pace and passing precision, not seen since the Martin Allen swansong against Watford in August, suggests that Holloway's team may just be finally beginning to gel.
Iain Hume, recalled to the starting line-up after being dropped in midweek, set the ball rolling with the opener after 21 minutes, following excellent support from Steve Howard and DJ Campbell.
The replacement of Joe Mattock with sub Zsolt Laczko shortly afterwards made no difference to City's dominance of the game. Indeed, only weak finishing and some excellent saves by Norwich keeper David Marshall prevented them from being further ahead at half time.
However, the second goal finally arrived after 57 minutes when Howard met a magnificent 70-yard pass from the outstanding Hume and steered the ball into the visitors' net.
Any hope the canaries had of launching a comeback were snuffed out minutes later when midfielder Darel Russell was dismissed after a despicable hack at home defender Richard Stearman, who slumped to the ground in agony and was carried off on a stretcher.
Although City had failed lamentably to make the extra man count at Watford, they were determined not to repeat that mistake. Matt Oakley and Stephen Clemence were majestic in midfield, making full use of the extra time and space now afforded to them.
It came as no surprise when Oakley sent Campbell clear of a wilting defence to extend the home side's lead still further and prompt an exodus of the visiting hordes. Five minutes later, Laczko, whose confidence visibly returned as the game wore on, crossed from the by-line for Clemence to add the fourth.
Norwich, to their credit, kept pressing forward to the end, but never posed a serious threat to the home defence, for whom Gareth McAuley and Patrick Kisnorbo were superb. But the whole City side fully deserved the rapturous ovation that greeted them at the final whistle.
Has Holloway now turned the corner? It's still too early to say. Even Craig Levein and Rob Kelly had days like these.
But if the side can continue with this form in away matches, starting next week at the Ricoh Arena, than thoughts of the drop, and/or Holloway's dismissal, will be banished once and for all.
City: Alnwick – 7, Stearman – 7, McAuley – 7, Kisnorbo – 8, Clapham – 7, Hume – 9, Clemence – 8, Oakley – 7, Mattock – 6, Howard – 8, Campbell – 7, Subs: Laczko (24mins for Mattock) – 7, J. Chambers (62 mins for Stearman) – 7, Fryatt (85 mins for Campbell) – n/a. Subs Not Used: Hayles, N'Gotty.
Booked: Hume, Kisnorbo. Goals: Hume 22, Howard 57, Campbell 77, Clemence 82.
Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty, Camara (Cureton 72), Croft, Fotheringham, Russell, Henry (Pattison 62), Dublin, Evans. Subs Not Used: Gilks, Pearce, Gibbs.
Sent Off: Russell (60). Booked: Fotheringham, Dublin.
Att: 25,854 Ref: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation