Norwich City v Blackburn Rovers: Championship – live!

43 min “I’ve let Norwich down, I’ve let the MBM ‘community’ down, and I’ve let myself down,” says Matt Dony. “I’ve also let Morrissey down, but that doesn’t seem like a bad thing. I’ll make it up to Norwich by supporting them against most teams in the Premier League next season. Whenever I’ve seen them, they’ve been so entertaining! Oh, I suppose I’ve also let you down, Rob. But, I guess you’ve received enough emails from me in the past to know exactly how low I set the bar!”

You’ll always get a pass for your emails during the Euro 2016 semi-final.

42 min McLean drives a fine angled pass to Lewis, who moves it infield to Hernandez. He turns back onto his right foot and thwacks a fine shot that goes this far wide of the far post with Leutwiler beaten.

40 min Buendia, who looks desperate to score on today of all days, drags the ball cleverly past two defenders in the area before lashing a left-foot shot wide of the near post from a tight angle.

38 min “Morning Rob,” says Phil Withall. “I’m feeling somewhat conflicted at the moment. I’m loving the way Norwich are playing, the type of football they have served up this season has been exemplary. I also love the fact they are on the verge of winning the title. However, I find the whole concept of the Premier League repulsive. The way it has evolved into a monstrous, avaricious thing that is slowly destroying clubs in their attempts to reach it and the self-serving way it wilfully ignores the rest of football in pursuit of money just doesn’t sit well with me. I’ll enjoy this morning, if and when promotion is secured yet my jubilation will come with a major feeling of despair.”

Yeah, I know what you mean, and that’s without mentioning the inequality that makes it extremely difficult for promoted teams to finish in the top half of the Premier League, never mind achieve something memorable. Maybe promotion should be optional. No thanks, we’ll just keep enjoying life in the Championship.

36 min Buendia’s booming free-kick from the left nicks off the head of Travis and flashes just wide of the far post.

35 min Rodwell’s left-foot shot from 20 yards is blocked. Blackburn are playing well now. They were overwhelmed in the first 21 minutes, but that surprise goal from Lewis Travis has changed the mood of the game.

32 min Another reason to love Norwich: they have a lot of left-footed players. That always makes a team look more elegant. Well, it does if those players can pass the ball like Vrancic, Stiepermann, McLean and others. A team with 11 clones of Julian Dicks wouldn’t exactly be the poster boys for elegance.

29 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Congratulations to Norwich on their promotion to the Premiership, thoroughly deserved. As you know, I wouldn’t normally try to shoehorn a reference to my own team into an email, but Farke’s Norwich do remind me a bit of Dundee United, and one or two others. Provincial teams who have the odd great season, and occasionally get one over the big boys. Norwich and Raith Rovers spring to mind, whose fans I think will still have large canvases of the scoreboard at Bayern Munich in their living rooms …”

I didn’t know Raith led at Bayern Munich. That’s great. Look at the team they were up against as well.

28 min Now Blackburn almost equalise! Armstrong runs at Lewis and curls a fantastic cross that somehow beats everyone in the six-yard box.

28 min “A push and a rush and the Premier League is Norwich’s!” says Matt Dony, who is so pleased with himself that I almost don’t have the heart to point out that it was ‘rush and a push’ rather than ‘push and a rush’.

27 min: Fine save by Leutwiler! This is great fun. Pukki gets round the back on the left and picks out Stiepermann, whose close-range shot is blocked by the legs of Leutwiler.

24 min “No Sky TV in my humble home, but do I care?” says Deborah Stolworthy. “No. Absolutely love to read your commentaries. You always say such kind words about the boys. OTBC!”

They make me do it. They’re the most charming, likeable team I’ve seen in many a year. I really hope they keep this team together.

Blackburn’s first attack of the match leads to a goal. Travis, found by Bell in space on the edge of the D, places a precise low shot into the bottom corner. It was hit so softly but it was accurate enough to beat the diving Krul to his left.

Seconds after Pukki somehow missed from six yards, Vrancic collected the ball 25 yards from goal. He had a look around, had another look, realised nobody was coming to challenge him and arrowed a spectacular rising drive into the far top corner. What a goal!

18 min Lenihan gets a yellow card, and it could have been worse. He miscontrolled the ball on the halfway line and was robbed by Pukki, who was about to surge through on goal when he was cynically tripped by Lenihan. You can see why Andy Madley didn’t send him off, because Williams was trying to get round to cover, but on balance I think that was a clear goalscoring opportunity and therefore should have been a red card.

16 min Buendia turns smartly and cracks a sweet shot just wide of the far post from 25 yards. He is a glorious footballer.

15 min Pukki appeals unsuccessfully for a penalty when his volley is blocked by the arm of Lenihan. That would probably have been given with VAR.

It’s a fine goal from Marco Stiepermann. Moments after Hernandez had a shot blocked after receiving a gorgeous pass from Buendia, Vrancic won possession and played the ball square to Stiepermann. He moved it onto his left foot and struck a low, left-footed drive from 25 yards that arrowed past the diving Leutwiler.

11 min I think Blackburn have had a kick, but I’d struggle to tell you much about it. It’s been so one-sided.

9 min Lewis moves down the left and slides a square pass to Hernandez, who pirouettes elegantly on the edge of the area and drives a low shot just wide of the far post.

8 min It’s a pleasure to watch this Norwich team. They pass the ball so smoothly, with lovely angles and movement off the ball. The big bad world of the Premier League will be an almighty test, but all right-thinking folk (who don’t support Ipswich) should wish them well.

6 min Norwich are playing some lovely stuff. Vrancic lifts a pass forward to Pukki, who chests it smartly into the path of Stiepermann. He moves onto the ball and sidefoots high and wide from 25 yards.

4 min Stipermann wins Norwich’s first corner, which is put behind for a second. Buendia’s inswinger is headed clear.

3 min Norwich have started confidently. Lewis’s sharp low cross is touched off by Pukki by Hernandez, who is crowded out in the area.

1 min Peep peep! Blackburn, in Cambridge blue and white halves, get the match under way. Norwich are in yellow and green.

There’s a heck of an atmosphere at Carrow Road. There’s yellow and green everywhere – flags, scarves, replica shirts, probably a bit of sick in the gents from someone who got carried away this afternoon.

It’s finished Sheffield United 2-0 Ipswich, so United will play Premier League football next season. Chapeau!

The chances of Norwich playing Brighton next season have just increased: Pascal Gross has equalised for Brighton at home to Newcastle.

In reality, Norwich have already been promoted, such is their goal-difference advantage over Leeds. They’ll be joined in the Premier League by Sheffield United, who lead Ipswich with a few minutes remaining at Bramall Lane. That result means Norwich will start tonight’s match in second place, behind Sheffield United on goal difference.

Norwich City (4-2-3-1) Krul; Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Lewis; McLean, Vrancic; Buendia, Stiepermann, Hernandez; Pukki.
Substitutes: McGovern, Leitner, Rhodes, Klose, Tettey, Hanley, Cantwell.

Blackburn Rovers (4-2-3-1) Leutwiler; Bennett, Lenihan, Williams, Bell; Travis, Rodwell; Armstrong, Dack, Rothwell; Graham.
Substitutes: Raya, Nyambe, Chapman, Mulgrew, Brereton, Evans, Conway.

Evening. There’s a party in NR1 tonight, and we’re all bloody well invited. It’s taken a bit longer that expected, but tonight’s the night when Norwich City should formally secure promotion to the Premier League. All they need is a point at home to mid-table Blackburn Rovers, who are in excellent form but have nothing to play for except pride, and you know what Marsellus Wallace said about that.

Norwich won’t want to sneak over the line with a fifth consecutive draw, however. They have played such gorgeous football for most of the season that they will be desperate to put on one last show for their supporters. The talismanic Emi Buendia was suspended for the last two home games, those dramatic 2-2 draws against Reading and Sheffield Wednesday. With him back in the side, Norwich should be ready to party.

Kick off is at 7.30pm.