Daniel Farke is convinced Norwich City carry no lingering battle scars from a thumping 5-1 home defeat to Aston Villa ahead of Boxing Day’s Premier League return.
City's last trip to Villa Park ended with a Championship trophy celebration, but Villa exacted a measure of revenge in October's top-flight romp against a depleted Canaries.
"That was a strange game," said the Norwich head coach. "That was the toughest spell of our injuries. We just weren't competitive enough at that stage. We are in a much better position now, maybe one or two injuries but nothing on the same scale as before.
"We have had periods with a lot of injuries and we maintained the mentality to be competitive, even against teams like Manchester City. But that Villa game was the last one before an international break and we had so many tired bodies because we had played with the same lads.
"We knew two days after Villa Ben Godfrey needed a hernia operation, after playing in so much pain for weeks. We are much more competitive now.
"Villa should still be regarded as the favourite, given the money they have spent. They have top class players but we are greedy for a much better result than a few weeks ago."
City came up short last weekend against Wolves at Carrow Road after a ferocious first half was counter-balance by another sluggish second period.
Farke's decision to delay making a triple substitution until the closing moments predictably came in for close scrutiny following the 2-1 defeat.
"It's quite normal. I am not arrogant enough to think I have all the answers," he said.
"When you lose a game fans will be emotional, maybe the media will be emotional. When you lose the game as a coach you really have no arguments and you have to expect everything will be criticised.
"Of course as a coach when you lose you have to think what you could have done in a different way.
"When you lose I understand why the questions come about regarding why players were not playing or why can't a substitute come in a bit earlier. You have to accept this and I know how it works.
"Even I would probably as a supporter ask the same question. I'm not annoyed. That's how this business works.
"I totally trust my squad and it's always difficult and sometimes tough for me to tell some really top class players you can't be in the starting line up."
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