A narcissist will never admit they have a problem. If confronted with their own bad behavior they will do their very best to make people believe they are the victim.
A narcissist deflects because their ego can't handle being wrong. A sociopath deflects because it works. They're not protecting a fragile self-image, they're just running a strategy. The victim card is a tool, not a reflex.
Both will flip the script on you. The narcissist believes their own spin. The sociopath knows exactly what they're doing.
If you've dealt with one, you already know. Trust what you saw.