Alex Neil hopes to see a rejuvenated Norwich against Everton
Norwich manager Alex Neil is hoping a clear-the-air meeting will help his struggling side get back to winning ways against Everton following their "worst performance" of the season.
The Canaries slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Watford last weekend, which was a sixth reverse in their past eight Barclays Premier League matches.
Only goal difference keeps the promoted club out of the bottom three, leaving little margin for error when Roberto Martinez's men come to Carrow Road for Saturday's televised lunchtime encounter.
Neil is confident, though, the mentality of the squad is right having looked to put the disappointment of what was a toothless display at Vicarage Road behind them with a week of hard graft at Colney.
"When you get a loss and particularly a bad performance, it takes a day or two to shake it off," said Neil at a press conference.
"We like to analyse, go through it and talk about it, sort of vent our feelings, then once that is done it is in the past and we need to move on.
"We will be looking for a response and making sure we are on the front foot."
Neil continued: "It was probably one of the worst performances we have put in this season, and to be honest I did not really see it coming.
"If you look at how we were against Arsenal and then at Watford, it was night and day really, but it is all about getting that consistency level.
"We have to get back to what we are good at and the funny thing with football is that if you win the next game, then none of the rest matters.
"The bottom line is we have not won enough games, so we need to start doing that."
The rookie Scottish coach, though, insists he and his squad have the stomach for the battles ahead.
"Regardless of how good you are, in football you are going to have times which are tough, and that can be the making of you, or you can accept it and roll over, but that certainly wont be the case here," he added.
Neil must decide whether to recall goalkeeper John Ruddy against his former club, or stick with Declan Rudd, who made a first Premier League appearance of the season at Watford.
"They are the two lads competing for the number one slot and I will make my decision," the Canaries boss said.
Wes Hoolahan is expected to be available after a knee problem.
Captain Russell Martin could come back into contention having been an unused substitute again last week, but winger Matt Jarvis - on loan from West Ham - remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Meanwhile, Everton boss Roberto Martinez believes only Sergio Aguero can match up to Romelu Lukaku's exploits in the Barclays Premier League.
Lukaku has scored 14 goals in 19 appearances for the Toffees this season, including seven in his last six games, and will be looking to continue the run against Norwich.
The Belgium international initially struggled to hit the heights he had reached during a season on loan at Goodison Park from Chelsea when he signed permanently for a club-record fee in the summer of 2014.
But his form picked up during the second half of last term and this campaign only Leicester's Jamie Vardy has scored more goals.
Martinez said: "We've seen a very consistent footballer for the last 12 months. Everything that he's doing in the final third is as good as it gets in the league.
"Only maybe Sergio Aguero had a similar impact in the last three years, and his (Lukaku's) numbers are above big names and big performers in this league.
"From our point of view, it's been great to see that consistency. To have 27 goals in a calendar year is an impressive stat but, as he will tell you, we want him to carry on improving, carry on wanting more, and, at the tender age of 22, that should be the drive and the focus."
Everton have only lost three matches all season, with five wins and seven draws leaving them in ninth place ahead of Saturday's trip to Carrow Road.
Midfielder James McCarthy was due to have a fitness test on Friday on the hip problem that has ruled him out of the last two games.
Teenage defender Brendan Galloway signed a new long-term deal on Thursday and looks set to keep his place at left-back ahead of Leighton Baines for another week at least.
Source: PAR
