CAPTAIN Grant Holt believes Norwich have given themselves the perfect platform to climb the table after battling to a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Carrow Road.

The Canaries recorded their first league win under new boss Chris Hughton after producing a hard-working display to capitalise on a lacklustre performance by the Gunners.

Holt reacted quickest after stand-in goalkeeper Vito Mannone had spilled Alex Tettey’s 25-yard effort midway through the first half to slot his third goal in successive games.

Despite having plenty of possession, Arsenal failed to stretch the hosts, who could have gone into the break with a two-goal cushion had defender Michael Turner not planted his close-range header wide from a corner.

After suffering heavy defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea, Holt feels Saturday’s performance was the perfect tonic for the battles ahead.

‘‘Everyone had been looking at the negatives from the games against Liverpool and Chelsea, but we had played well in those matches,’’ Holt said. ‘‘It is all about hard work and we have been putting the same endeavour in but not getting the rewards.

We will take a lot from this result.

‘‘No-one will have given us a chance of winning this. We needed it and we have to realise that is the only way we are going to get results in this division. If we keep doing it, then we will be all right.’’ Norwich had not beaten Arsenal at home since Boxing Day, 1984.

The Gunners flew to Norwich from Luton Airport – they were in the air for 14 minutes.

Manager Arsene Wenger hopes Arsenal will produce a positive response in the Champions League this week.

Wenger knows Arsenal need to produce a much-improved display when they take on Schalke aiming to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

‘‘I hope it will have a positive impact,’’ Wenger said. ‘‘It was a shock to the system, but you have to give credit to Norwich because they played well, were completely committed and they deserved the win.

‘‘Maybe we underrated the difficulty we would face, but in the Premier League if you are not ready for the fight then you will always have bad surprises.

‘‘There is a big difference between the amount of possession we had and the amount of chances we created.”