Teemu Pukki thinks it's likely he will start as a substitute for Finland in Switzerland on Wednesday night but the Norwich City striker insists the friendly is an important game for the Finns.

It's welcome news for the Canaries, with their 22-goal top scorer needed for Championship action at Preston on Friday afternoon, having scored an impressive 14 goals in his last 12 matches for club and country.

His hot streak continued with a brace in a 2-2 home draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina on Wednesday and a late equaliser from the penalty spot on Sunday as World Cup qualification continued with a 1-1 draw in Ukraine.

"It may be I am rested but I haven't had time to talk about it with Rive (head coach Markku Kanerva) yet," Pukki said ahead of the game in Switzerland.

"But I think we’re going to rotate players and see those who haven’t gotten to play that much."

Other strikers in the squad include Brentford's highly-rated youngster Marcus Forss and the more experienced Joel Pohjanpalo, a regular in the Bundesliga for Union Berlin this season, and former Panathinaikos forward Robin Lod.

Switzerland are 14th in the Fifa world rankings and Finland are 55th but both nations are preparing for this summer's European Championship, with the Swiss having started World Cup qualification with wins over Bulgaria and Lithuania.

"You always play to the fullest when you wear a Finland shirt," Pukki continued, speaking to Finnish broadcaster YLE News.

"We will definitely be looking to perform well and measure ourselves against Switzerland, who have a tough team."

The Canaries star celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday having become the second-highest scorer in Finland's history the previous night, with his 30th international goal - during his 89th appearance - leaving him just two short of Jari Litmanen's record.

"There was a birthday song on the team bus," Pukki revealed. "I would preferably celebrate my birthday with my own family, but this team will be a good second."

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Having fired Norwich to the verge of an immediate Premier League return, the former Schalke and Celtic man doesn't feel like his body is slowing down at all yet.


"It feels like when you get older, your own feeling and condition only get better," he added. "I hope I can keep playing at the same level as last year. I don’t feel very old yet."