City finally found a way past a stubborn Canaries defence midway through the second-half, courtesy of Nicolas Otamendi’s towering header, but Cameron Jerome levelled in the latter stages.
But the never-say-die Blues grabbed a winner through a Yaya Toure penalty - though the final moments saw the hosts clinging on for dear life against the now 10-man Norwich, before missing a second penalty with the last kick of the game through Aleks Kolarov.
It was a breathless finale, but a win that keeps City on top of the Premier League
...City 2 Norwich 1...
There were five changes from the team that thrashed Crystal Palace in midweek with skipper Vincent Kompany recalled along with Joe Hart, Bacary Sagna, Otamendi and Fernandinho.
The loudest cheer when the teams were announced was reserved for teenage striker Kelechi Iheanacho who has quickly become something of a crowd favourite among the City fans – and no wonder after his impressive display against Palace.
And it was Iheanacho who was involved in the game’s first talking point when, after five minutes, he chased a ball from Yaya Toure and appeared to clash with goalkeeper John Ruddy as he controlled the ball with thigh – but replays showed he’d lost his footing and there had been no contact.
Five minutes later Wilfried Bony forced a good save from Ruddy after cleverly working himself space on the edge of the box and powering a shot in as the bright opening by the hosts continued
...City 2 Norwich 1...
Bony had an even better chance on 21 minutes when Iheancho’s persistence won the ball and his pass to Bony saw the Ivorian turn his marker with just Ruddy to beat but he opted for power over finesse and blasted the ball wide.
There was no doubt the Blues were bossing proceedings but against a side struggling for confidence and points, City were having problems breaking down a resolute Canaries defence and on 28 minutes, had Hart to thank for not falling behind as Matt Jarvis saw a thunderous shot was pushed over by the England keeper.
It was a warning shot across the bows that the Blues had to turn possession into goals or pay the price.
City continued to knock on the door and Yaya Toure’s precision 25-yard free-kick on 32 minutes was clawed away by Ruddy – but the breakthrough still wouldn’t come.
Five minutes before the break Jesus Navas found Yaya Toure on the edge of the box and the Ivorian’s sumptuous chip picked out the run of De Bruyne but it was a fraction too high and the Belgian could only head it back to Bony who returned the compliment to his now offside team-mate.
It was the last meaningful opportunity of a sometimes frustrating first period for the Blues.
Bony was brought crashing to the floor seven minutes after the re-start by a tackle just inside the box but it was deemed a fair tackle as pattern of the first-half continued and it was at that point Pellegrini opted to make his first change, replacing Iheanacho with Raheem Sterling and shifting De Bruyne into a more central role.
It seemed everything the Blues were trying was hitting a brick wall and that it might take something a little different to crack the Canaries – and on 67 minutes, Otamendi finally provided the breakthrough, powering home a thumping header from 12 yards from De Bruyne’s corner.
The timing couldn’t have been any better.
City went in search of a second goal that would surely settle the match, but a couple of chances went begging and the slender lead was precarious at best and eight minutes from time, Norwich provided the classic sucker punch as a wicked cross from the flank was dropped by Hart and the lurking Jerome tapped home.
It looked like two vital points dropped by the Blues, but the goal merely sparked City back into life and within four minutes, the hosts were back in front
...City 2 Norwich 1...
The Blues piled the pressure on Norwich and fortune favoured the brave as a penalty area scramble ended with Russell Martin stopping a Sterling shot with his arm, resulting in a penalty and a red card for the Canaries’ skipper.
Yaya Toure was coolness personified as he slotted home the spot-kick and with a minute remaining, that, it seemed, was that – how wrong was that assumption!
Norwich threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Blues in the minutes that remained as City clung on for dear life at times.
Deep into injury time, with City unable to clear their lines for love nor money, a viciously deflected shot by Martin Olsson produced a stunning save from Hart – so often the Blues’ saviour in times of need – and the lead was preserved. Just!
In a crazy end to the game, Sterling won possession in the Norwich box during a counter-attack and was fouled resulting in a second penalty for City – but with the last kick of the game, Kolarov put the ball wide.
Quite a game and full credit to Norwich who belied their lowly position with a spirited display.
