The Canaries bounced back at the first attempt after that 5-1 humbling at Manchester City last week, to see off high-flying Newcaslte.
They scored four goals for the first time in the Premiership and deservedly opened the scoring in the 39th minute through Wes Hoolahan, but Newcastle drew level on the stroke of half-time when Demba Ba capatilised on a defensive error.
Two quick second-half goals from Grant Holt and Steve Morison put City in the driving seat and although Demba Ba got his and the Geordies second goal, Holt added a fourth to seal the points.
The referee made a bigger contribution to the game than you would have expected and it wasn't in a positive way. It was truncated all too often by Mr Atkinson's whistle and unnecessary brandishing of yellow cards. Although to be fair to the official, sending off Dan Gosling was spot on.
Both sides made changes and while Alan Pardew's were forced on him with injuries to key defenders, it was a surprise that Paul Lambert made four. However, you cannot fault his decision to drop Leon Barnett, Bradley Johnson, Anthony Pilkington & Elliott Bennett and bring in replacements Zak Whitbread, David Fox, Wes Hoolahan and Grant Holt, as they all contributed to a thrilling win.
Central defender Whitbread returned from a long-term hamstring injury, while the last three obviously impressed Lambert in their substitute appearances last week.
After a slow start Norwich began to look like the home side and take some control of the game.
A Kyle Naughton cross deflected up in the area hitting Davide Santon with immediate loud appeals from the home faithful for a handball, but the referee completely ignored them.
City's persistence won them a corner from in front of the snakepit and Surman's delivery caused indecision in the Magpies defence. Andrew Crofts shot was blocked and Hoolahan pounced on the lose ball to slide it home past Tim Krul.
But yet again City's achilles heal - a defensive lapse - let the opposition back in the game. The Geordies goal-machine Demba Ba took full advantage to score his tenth of the season.
Overall City had the lion's share of the first-half without really causing Krul too many problems but had it not been for that defensive lapse, they would deservedly gone in at the break leading the game.
HALF-TIME: City 1 United 1
Buoyed by that first-half equaliser Newcastle started the half the stronger, although like the first half failed to produce an end product.
Amazingly, the referee ignored the appeals for yet another handball, feeling the ball had bounced out off the defenders chest and not his out-stretched arm.
However, from the home sides point of view, it didn't deter them from scoring from the subsequent corner. The set-piece was taken short to Hoolahan whose cross was sent goalward by Whitbread. It was only half cleared and captain Grant Holt was there to head the Canaries back into the lead.
City took a tighter grip on the game when Morison extended their lead to give them some breathing space. Andrew Crofts was gifted the ball by Dan Gosling and delivered the perfect cross to set up Morison to fire in a bullet header, giving Krul no chance.
With his side having conceded two goals within five minutes and at fault for the last one, frustration clearly got the better of Gosling who went in very hard on Russell Martin. Although he had already been cautioned in the 57th minute, Mr Atkinson felt the midfielder's challenge on Martin merited a straight red card.
However, with 20 minutes remaining another silly lapse of concentration cost City dear! This time it was Zak Whitbread, who only made one mistake in his first game back since August, giving the ball away on the half-way line. Shola Ameobia still had some work to do, but used his pace to good effect to set up Ba to double his tally of the afternoon and give his side heart.
The City boss then made his first change of the afternoon bringing on Bradley Johnson in place of Surman to help steady his sides nerves having seen their two-goal advantage halved.
But Lambert needn't have worried as within six minutes, Holt restored that two-goal advantage using his head to guide sub' Johnson's cross past Krul.
A clean sheet still eludes the new-boys, but as this four goal haul against Newcaslte showed they haven't got a problem scoring goals, so isn't a big concern.
FULL-TIME: City 4 Newcastle United 2