Josh Sargent believes he can spearhead Norwich City’s Championship promotion charge after a goalscoring burst.

The US forward grabbed his chance to lead the Canaries' attack in the opening weeks of the new season, but Teemu Pukki responded prior to the international period.

Sargent notched six league goals in 10 appearances to turn up the heat on the Finn, and deliver for head coach Dean Smith, who is looking for that competitive edge across his entire City squad.

Smith deployed the 22-year-old in a wider attacking role during the Premier League relegation season, but the American prefers operating centre stage.

“I haven't really had a season like this,” said Sargent, who is on US duty later on Tuesday in a friendly against Saudi Arabia. “I would say in terms of getting a lot of scoring chances, getting minutes at striker like I have, this season so far, yeah, confidence is at an all-time high at the moment.

"I'm just trying to keep that momentum going as long as possible, keep scoring goals.

“I mean, of course in my mind, I wanted to be playing striker. So when I got that opportunity, I knew I had to take it and just thinking, 'Do I still have my touch?' I don't know. I haven't played there in a while.

"So it felt amazing to score that first game. I got the chance and then it started just coming back to me.”

Smith has insisted he can get Pukki and Sargent firing in the same line up, and the former Werder Bremen frontman will do what is asked in the pursuit of another crack at the Premier League.

“I think I'm a team player. I'm not one to say, 'No, I'm not going play winger if a coach wants me to play there,’” he said, in an interview on ESPN. “I definitely learned a new position. It's not where I feel the most comfortable, but at the same time, I was getting playing time in the (Premier League) and the best league in the world.

"So I wasn't going to complain too much. But I think I feel most free and I feel most confident when I get to play striker.

“I think one of the biggest things in football is to stay as confident as you can, to still believe in yourself when things aren't going right. And when things are going right, you're scoring, to ride that wave out and continue with that momentum as long as you can.”

Sargent’s family life, with his wife and young daughter, helped him deal with the tougher moments in a bumpy debut season at Carrow Road.

“It definitely helps you just shut off and forget about football for a little bit,” he said. "As a single guy, when you come home and you're just stuck in your thoughts, thinking about training or whatever it was, it can benefit to learn from it.

"But also it can be damaging for you if you're thinking too much about it. So it helps me out a lot with kind of just unwinding and forgetting about football for a bit.

“I think just taking little things from the games, having things going into the game that you want to accomplish, not necessarily just win the game in general, but little things throughout the game that you set benchmarks for yourself.

"And if you're completing those little tasks, you'll keep getting better and better and keep trying to improve yourself.”