Daniel Farke insists Norwich City have to come out swinging to stand any chance of reviving their Premier League survival hopes.

Farke’s decision to pair Teemu Pukki with Josip Drmic in a rare two-pronged attack backfired in a sorry 3-0 Carrow Road defeat to Southampton on Friday night.

City host Everton next on Wednesday, and Farke will send his strugglers out on the front foot again.

“We want to attack the games. We are in a situation where we need to win matches,” he said. “When you have so many key defensive players out injured it is really the only option to have more offensive-minded players.

“So I wanted to give the sign to the players that we will attack this game.

“Particularly after the injuries and the situation with Marco Stiepermann in the build up. I didn’t want them to feel too sorry for themselves.

“Look at our situation in the table. We can’t really go out and play for a 0-0. Draws alone will not be enough. We have to attack the games but that does not mean you are not solid in your defensive behaviour.”

Drmic blew a big early chance but the Swiss international has played his way firmly into Farke’s thoughts either side of the lockdown.

“We got the feeling he is totally physically prepared now,” said the City boss. “We also wanted a player for tactical reasons can win some headers and play with their back to goal.

“Sadly, if we had got the first goal it would have created more confidence and we would have had a great chance for the first win. It is a setback without a doubt.

“After each poor result the situation gets more difficult but we have to win five. When you are one down in a best of nine series you still have a chance to win the series and until we don’t have that chance we keep fighting.

“That is our attitude. We must analyse this result and then keep going.”

Farke conceded playing in front of an empty stadium did nothing for his squad’s bid to beat the drop, but the Canaries’ chief rejected the suggestion Southampton played with more intensity.

“Goals change games. At 2-0 Southampton play with confidence and quality. For us, it is a negative situation and maybe all the injuries and Marco’s situation are in your head,” he said.

““If I look at the data we didn’t have any problems in comparison with Southampton but you can sense in the body language that some belief has gone.

“Then it is a difficult situation to keep playing. It might look physically we couldn’t find the next gear but I think it is more about confidence. Our passing was not as good as it can be.

“I expected the first game in four months to be a test.

“We play for the fans. So it was strange. Of course we have tried to prepare the players for this with training sessions here and training games, but for a newly-promoted club you need to feel your supporters at your backs.

“It is not an advantage for us to lose our fans.

“I hope it is not too long before we can play in our living room with our fans because it feels strange and crazy.”