Alex Neil urges struggling Norwich to turn performances into results
Norwich manager Alex Neil believes his relegation-battlers have shown they can be competitive in the Barclays Premier League and just need to deliver a victory to prove it - starting against Manchester City.
Neil's side have slumped into the drop zone following a run of just one point and eight defeats from the past nine matches.
During that wretched spell they have failed to hold onto winning positions against both Liverpool and West Ham at home.
The Canaries did test leaders Leicester away before being hit by a late goal and recovered from conceding inside the first minute against Chelsea to almost snatch a draw.
However, while Neil insists the results do not tell the whole story, he has urged his troops to deliver in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off against City.
"We played really well against the top teams this season, drawing with Everton here (at home) and also Arsenal," said Neil.
"We beat Manchester United away and in both games against Chelsea, we played pretty well - even Manchester City away we put in a good performance in the league, so it is not out of our capabilities.
"It is now about making sure that when you put good performances in you have to turn them into wins, but if you keep doing the right things and perform in a good manner, work as hard as you can, then you hope the results will come.
"Three out of the last four performances have been very good, probably better than when we had that decent run earlier in the season, we just need the outcome to be a win which will give the players the boost going into the run-in.
"We are all really determined to get something from the game, we have done it against some of the other big teams so there is absolutely no reason why we can't do it.
"We have been in the games, we just need to make sure we turn performances into results. I know that is easier said than done, I certainly don't want to be a valiant loser, so we have to make sure we attack this game."
Outgoing boss Manuel Pellegrini's main focus is the short term and pulling Manchester City back into the title race.
City are playing catch-up in the Premier League after an inconsistent season but ended a run of three successive defeats with a comprehensive victory over bottom side Aston Villa last weekend.
They sit fourth, trailing leaders Leicester by 10 points with a game in hand, heading into this weekend's fixtures but are used to coming from behind. They did so to take the crown in 2012 and 2014 and Pellegrini wants to lead another charge.
The Chilean said: "We don't depend just on the work we can do. We cannot have the same points as Tottenham and Leicester if they win all their games.
"But if they win the title (we need to make sure) it's because they win all their games and not because we couldn't win ours.
"We'll focus on trying to win at Norwich and we'll see the way the other teams manage the pressure between now and the end of the season.
"The most important thing is that we don't have margin of error. We need to win our games."
After last week's 4-0 defeat of Villa, City will be expected to similarly brush aside a Canaries team that have collected just one point from their last nine games to slip into the bottom three.
But, speaking at his pre-match press conference, Pellegrini said: "When you must play against teams in relegation positions it is always very difficult because they don't have much to lose.
"They must try to win their points, especially at home, so I'm sure we will find them a very difficult team. It will be a very tough game if we want to win the three points."
The trip to Carrow Road, for which City will be without Yaya Toure, comes at the start of another critical week. City face Dynamo Kiev in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday and then host rivals Manchester United next Saturday.
Pellegrini said: "It is very important because if we win the next two games in the Premier League the pressure will be more on the other teams.
"If we can get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time of course that will be another important achievement.
"I hope that we will do that but we must start thinking just about Norwich."
Source: PAR
