‘We have a 1% chance of winning’ - Crawley boss on the chances of Canaries’ cup scalp

Crawley Town manager Gabriele Cioffi wants to make Norwich City’s League Cup visit a night to remember – but admits it is a tall order to expect his underdogs to pull off a shock.

The Italian is hoping for a special occasion in front of a big crowd at Broadfield Stadium as the Reds look to surprise Premier League visitors.

"It's a long time this club challenged a Premier League club. It's important for us, it's important to the city, it's important to the supporters," he said. "For us it's a win-win situation because we are guesting a Premier League club and maybe we have a one per cent chance of winning the game, and we will fight for that one per cent."

Cioffi, who came to England initially as part of Gianfranco Zola's backroom team at Birmingham, succeeded Harry Kewell in September 2018 and managed to keep Crawley in League Two last season.

Crawley have picked up three wins from their opening six games of the new campaign, and beat Orient 3-2 away at the weekend.

"I am really happy. Really happy for the supporters who supported for 90 minutes," he said, speaking to his club's official site. "I am really happy they are feeling there is something going on. I am happy with us in general.

"I don't want to mention the individual because even if they have done a great job I think everyone, the 14 players on the pitch and the players who did a training session at Crawley on Saturday, which I have been told it was great session, is on fire and everyone is on board.

"This is the best thing for a manager."