Chris Sutton: Why Norwich City must block out the noise

Whether that is in terms of it being the desired destination, speculation with their top talent, or about how many of their players are Premier League grade - they cannot allow any of that to become a distraction. 

The focus has to be short-term. Everything has to be put into the next game. So far, they've managed to do that successfully - especially at Carrow Road. 

There is plenty to be happy about right now. Beyond that defeat to Middlesbrough, which left everyone feeling flat, the team look to be peaking at the right moment. Maybe they can use that injustice as a siege mentality for the rest of the season. Jonny Howson is better than that, by the way. 

Everyone needs to row in behind them, and the rest of the conversations, be it a post-mortem or concern about players departing, can wait until the end of the campaign. It is a real positive that they've worked themselves into this position with nine games remaining. 

But they cannot blink because there are so many teams in the race. Hull have been superbly consistent under Liam Rosenior. Coventry, under my old Norwich team-mate Mark Robins, have experience and quality, albeit they are a touch light in their squad. Middlesbrough are only five points behind. 

If Norwich want to guarantee a place in the top six, they will likely have to win six of their last nine. That is such a fine margin of error. They have to hold their nerve and remain relentless. 

That victory over Rotherham was timely after what happened on Teesside. It allowed Norwich to get back on the horse and shake off any disappointment that might have existed after that defeat. 

Norwich cannot afford a blip now. They've worked so hard to get themselves back up the Championship table. They have the quality of Josh Sargent, Borja Sainz, and Gabriel Sara, to name but three - now it becomes about what is between their ears. 

If you drift off and begin to dream of the Premier League, you will get punished. There is no time to think about anything other than the next one. If you win, don't celebrate too wildly. Focus on the next one. If you drop points, don't let the mood drop. Focus on the next one. 

Perhaps the one concern is that this Norwich group has struggled against adversity this season—Boro was a good example, albeit there was plenty of mitigation in Sainz's red card. 

Borja Sainz has shown real moments of quality - and controversy - this season. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

They will have taken confidence from their victories against Hull, Coventry, and West Brom at the turn of the year. They now need to dismiss the bottom sides more convincingly, especially away from home. 

That same mentality about blocking out the noise applies to City's players as well. 

I've seen plenty of articles stating that Josh Sargent is the best striker in the Championship. Well, now is the time to come to the fore and prove that. 

This has been a defining season for Sargent. There is no debate that he is their starting number nine and is a much more complete striker than Teemu Pukki, even if the Finn had the edge on him in terms of movement in behind and ruthless finishing. 

But he cannot wilt. If he does, those clubs watching him will ebb away. If he does, Norwich will have their work cut out to keep him. The links to Brentford were intriguing, and I suspect they won't be alone - but Sargent and Norwich have to block out that noise. 

There will be City players in that dressing room who feel they are Premier League-grade. Prove it. Do it in the moments that matter - not when you're thumping a desperately poor Rotherham side. It's easy to show quality in those moments. 

I still have reservations about Gabriel Sara from a Premier League perspective. There is no doubting his technical quality but there are other aspects that need to improve - namely his work off the ball. 

Jon Dahl Tomasson said of Adam Wharton, who joined Crystal Palace in January, that he was a Champions League player on the ball and a Championship player off it. You could say the same with Sara, even if he has shown signs of improvement this season. 

Jon Rowe has been a revelation. Angus Gunn is a Premier League-grade goalkeeper, in my view. But if they want to take that next step, be it with Norwich or anyone else, then they have to prove it. 

From a player's perspective, you want to play at the top level. If there are Premier League clubs circling, then it will be hard for any of them to turn that down and for Norwich to keep them. They have always been a selling club. People know that. 

They give players excellent platforms and help them propel their careers to the next level. I was an example of that. So was James Maddison. Emi Buendia. Josh Murphy. But those players cannot be looking at themselves or wondering about what comes next. 

It can't be the time inside the club to be wasting energy on that stuff. It has to be all hands on deck. 

It's more natural for fans to think that way. This group of Norwich players, in its current form, is likely to be radically different if they don't get up. Every year you're in the Championship is harder to get up than the last. 

Sara, Sargent, Rowe, and Gunn—complemented by Kenny McLean, Grant Hanley, and Ben Gibson—pose Norwich's best chance of getting back to the Premier League. 

But they require laser-like focus. That means forgetting everything about the Premier League for nine matches. They cannot blink now. 

Angus Gunn has been fantastic for Norwich City this season. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

SUTTON EXTRA

There has been much debate throughout the season about the quality of Jon Rowe, Josh Sargent, and Gabriel Sara, but it's important to include Angus Gunn in that conversation. 

I'm not just saying this because I used to play with his dad; I truly believe that Gunn is too good for the Championship. 

There is certainly no denying that the Gunn family produce excellent goalkeepers. Angus is back on an upward trajectory after a difficult period prior to his Norwich return. 

When he came to Norwich, he looked like he was struggling for confidence and wasn't especially commanding. He is now a well-rounded, dependable and quality shot-stopper. 

I really like his temperament. He's not too emotional. He's calm, good with his feet, and doesn't seem to get flustered by anything or anyone. 

It's remarkable that he overcame the battle with Tim Krul to become number one, given the Dutchman's reputation and quality at Carrow Road when he returned from Southampton in 2021. 

Now he's part of the Scotland set-up and is the definitive number one under Steve Clarke and that will have undoubtedly helped him in his development at Norwich. You can see how much confidence he offers those in front of him. 

I couldn't tell you when his last mistake or underpar performance was - he is incredibly consistent. You cannot underestimate the value of those players. 

He is a difference-maker for Norwich, and you need those at this stage of the Championship season. 

Whilst some will attempt to plot the points they can get from their remaining nine matches, it simply won't work like that. Leicester have had a wobble in recent weeks. Ipswich were beaten by Cardiff in dramatic fashion at the weekend. 

In contrast, this weekend's opponents, Stoke, have won two of their last three and ran Leeds pretty close at Elland Road. There are plenty of twists and turns to come - as there always are in the Championship. 

If Norwich can replicate Gunn's temperament and calmness throughout their entire squad, they will be in the perfect position to attack the challenge in front of them.