Norwich City will not crack under the pressure of a Championship promotion assault from their chief rivals.

Canaries’ head coach Daniel Farke sounded a bullish tone after his side’s 2-0 defeat at Swansea City on Friday night. But Brentford then cashed in on Saturday to thump Middlesbrough 4-1 and leapfrog the Swans into second spot, a point behind Norwich.

Both clubs also have a game in hand on the leaders, with Brentford’s vastly superior goal difference meaning they will go top with a point at Reading on Wednesday.

Farke’s Norwich held their nerve to win the title two seasons ago, and the German is relishing the challenge.

“If I was to choose one team I think can handle the pressure I would choose us, because we have proved we can carry this over the line,” he said. “We are capable of winning crucial games.

"We don’t crack under the pressure. There are no guarantees. But we know what it takes from two seasons ago when Leeds were maybe being celebrated as the winners and we were able to do it.

"Pressure is not a topic, it is more like the other way around. We enjoy this situation. Every team is under pressure in this league. Promotion, relegation, getting into the play-offs.

“We have 18 games to play. I said before Swansea to be safe in the play-offs we need 80 points, so let’s get that first and then if we do and we have games left then let’s go for 90 points to finish in the top two. So we need a minimum 25 points.

"There is a long way to go.”

Farke is not worried Norwich’s goal drought has given their main rivals a chance to haul them in.

“When you win, you have momentum. When you lose, you don’t. Whatever. This league is all about consistency. Not so much about momentum,” he said. “We have a squad and a team who know what is necessary to lift a trophy and you can go through dry spells. We have had a dry spell for the past three league games, plus the cup game.

"But there is not one reason. There is always an amount of reasons.

"We are an attacking side who want to score goals but you always find a period when it is difficult. I remember this from our title winning season when we scored 100 goals we had three or four games when we had a goalless draw or two, against a team like Bolton.

"It is a dry spell, the momentum is away a bit but it is not like the season is over or we are in danger of being relegated.”