Norwich City’s squad have some making up to do with Dean Smith. Beating Brentford would hit the spot in a Premier League game that could have far-reaching implications.

City pushed Liverpool all the way before a midweek FA Cup exit but it was the manner of their tame offering last time in the league at Southampton that so irked Smith.

Norwich were second best on the south-coast in a 2-0 defeat, and the Canaries’ head coach has left his players in no doubt a repeat is not an option in Saturday's crucial Carrow Road test.

“We were not very good against Southampton and the players knew that,” he said. “Probably in my opinion the first time in a month or two they've dropped their standards. They were aware of that, and I thought their standards changed for the better at Anfield.

"They got back to where we wanted them to be - certainly how we finished the game for the last 20 minutes at Liverpool.

“Generally, the mindset is okay, even though we have had some difficult games and results against Manchester City and Liverpool, twice. Whilst we worked extremely hard to try and win the games, beforehand, not many people would have had us winning them.

"It was always going to be a testing period, but the players know our season won't be defined by those games. It will be on the likes of Brentford and Leeds that are coming up.”


The Bees started life in the big league in the same fashion they exited the Championship, with an inner confidence and a belief in their methods.

But Thomas Frank brings Brentford to Carrow Road looking to arrest a decline that has seen them lose eight of their last nine in all competitions.

“Normally for teams that come up you can have that first half-a-season bounce,” said Smith, who guided Aston Villa to promotion before keeping them in the division. “If you've been promoted then you've normally been winning. Brentford, Watford, ourselves, we're used to all winning football games in the Championship last year.

"As soon as you start losing, it's a different feeling. You need to get out of that feeling as quickly as you can. Unfortunately for Thomas at the moment it's been a tough period over these last couple of months.

"Hopefully we can capitalise on that. Our form over the last six games is probably better, but it's all about on the day.”

There is one feelgood factor around the Bees at present, with the recent return to football of Danish international Christian Eriksen after his cardiac arrest episode on the pitch playing for his country at the Euros last summer.

“It's an incredible story,” said Smith. “Everybody's so pleased to see, number one, that he's here with us. And, number two, that he's back doing what he loves and that is playing football.

"I've spoken to my friends at Brentford and they say he is in really good spirits. I think everybody across football is pleased to see him out there.

“The standards that he sets will obviously lift the standards of Brentford. His last couple of clubs were Tottenham and Inter Milan, which tells you the standard of player he is. But he's yet to start a game for over 10 months. If he does start against us, then it'll be his first for a long time.

"They have a strong squad and they proved that with some of the results this season.”

Smith welcomed back his own longer term absentee at Liverpool when Christoph Zimmermann made the first appearance of his tenure, following early season ankle surgery.

“He's a leader. Something probably the squad needs more of,” said the City chief. “He is certainly one who would be seen by the other players as a leader in the group. He played really well for his first game since Bournemouth.

“He's great to work with. He's quite straightforward, quite open. But every training session he trains like it's his last, which is what I love about him - his attitude, his application. I think that rubs off on others.”