It’s going to feel very strange to have league football returning in the middle of a World Cup, but then again this has been a peculiar season all round.

City started strongly in terms of results, although performances were never particularly convincing, but then dropped off and are currently looking like play-off contenders at best, but will be hoping to change that perception as domestic football emerges from its World Cup-induced hiatus.

At least the World Cup has provided some exciting football, despite all the concerns about the heat, some highly questionable VAR decisions and Fifa’s motivations in agreeing to a winter tournament in a country with an awful human rights record in the first place.

Unfortunately, world football’s governing body has once again shown its preference for empty rhetoric over effective action as it rolled over in the face of Qatari opposition to the One Love armband and rainbow hats. The game deserves better than to be run by these spineless money-obsessed hypocrites.

However, the World Cup has thrown up an interesting parallel with this season’s Championship. In previous tournaments the so-called 'minnows' have generally been despatched with ease, but this year the quality gap between them and the bigger nations is noticeably smaller, as is also the case in City’s league, where the points gap between the top six and bottom three is just eight points with nearly half the season gone.

Of course, Fifa are now planning to milk their cash cow even more systematically by opening the 2026 tournament to 48 teams, which will inevitably dilute the quality again, but that’s a story for another day.

Anyway, back to City and it really is now time for them to put up or shut up. The next two games will tell us a great deal about how effective their mid-season reset has been, with both Swansea and Blackburn looking like serious promotion contenders.

Dean Smith was very clear before the break that his side needed to come back as “a different animal” and I don’t think he would get much argument from the fanbase, who would prefer the new version to be more tiger than kitten.

The familiar pattern in the first part of the season has been City dominating games when moving the ball quickly and decisively, but being unable to maintain that level for anything close to 90 minutes, nor being clinical enough to finish opponents off in those periods of dominance.

That suggests fitness or stamina issues, and this is where the month break may help as it is usually virtually impossible to do much about building fitness levels in mid-season due to the need to prepare for games that come thick and fast, but Smith will now have had a chance to really work on this properly.

The Pink Un: Norwich City need to play Josh Sargent where he is most effectiveNorwich City need to play Josh Sargent where he is most effective (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

However, improved fitness in itself isn’t enough. City also need to either find a way to supply Teemu Pukki more effectively or to play Josh Sargent, after an impressive World Cup, in a position where he can have the greatest influence on games.

They will also need to find a way to transition possession through midfield quicker in order to get away from the endless passing across the back all too often followed by a long ball which surrendered possession that was a frequent sight during their disappointing autumn.

Indeed, there was plenty of speculation amongst fans that the club might consider a change of manager during the break, but they have backed Smith to the hilt and now he must deliver if City are to get back to the Premier League at the first attempt, something that seems increasingly imperative given the club’s financial situation.

I firmly believe that there is enough talent in the squad to get the job done if Smith can get it out of them, so let’s hope that today brings a City and England double!