A second goal in English football from Canadian winger Ali Ahmed completed a rousing fightback from the Canaries to leave their opponents without a win in six away matches.

Romain Esse had fired the visitors in front seven minutes before the break with a well-taken goal, but Anis Ben Slimane equalised from Norwich’s first attack of the second period and Ahmed added a second midway through the half to settle the contest.

The in-form hosts moved up to 18th as a result, having looked favourites for relegation when Phillippe Clement took over in November, while Coventry remain just three points clear at the top with Middlesbrough breathing down their necks.

Norwich had the better of the first half, with Ben Slimane and Kellen Fisher both failing to make the most of decent openings before the hosts came desperately close to taking the lead after 27 minutes.

A corner from the right was only half-cleared and fell nicely for defender Jose Cordoba, who saw his sweetly-struck low drive come back of a post before the ball was hacked to safety.

Despite having plenty possession, the Sky Blues had not managed an effort on goal up to that point – but they made their first clear chance count in the 38th minute.

Ruairi McConville did well to block a snapshot from Victor Torp, however, Esse was in close attendance and picked up the loose ball before drilling home to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.

Coventry almost made it 2-0 three minutes later, with Vladan Kovacevic needing to be at his best to palm away a rising drive from Hadji Wright.

Norwich were on level terms within 35 seconds of the restart after making an electrifying start to the second half.

Recent signing Ali Ahmed slipped in Ben Slimane on the left and the midfielder took the ball past Carl Rushworth before sliding it home, with an attempted goal-line clearance from Jay Dasilva proving unsuccessful.

Ephron Mason-Clark saw a header come back off the crossbar as the rattled Sky Blues sought a response, but it was Norwich who scored again to turn the game on its head.

Liam Kitching set up the opportunity by careless coughing up possession in his own half, allowing half-time substitute Papa Diallo to run free before squaring the ball across for an unmarked Ahmed to gleefully side-foot home.

Coventry pressed hard for an equaliser, but failed to seriously trouble a rejuvenated home side who saw out a third straight win.