Chris Lakey Ched Evans says he's the man to fire Norwich City to safety - and has promised to prove it at Sheffield United this afternoon. Evans hasn't scored in his last seven appearances and has been the bench for the last two.

Chris Lakey

Ched Evans says he's the man to fire Norwich City to safety - and has promised to prove it at Sheffield United this afternoon.

Evans hasn't scored in his last seven appearances and has been the bench for the last two.

But the on-loan Manchester City youngster - whose last goal was a magnificent winner at Cardiff two months ago - says today's the day when he gets back on the score sheet.

“Definitely, I can feel it,” he said. “I'm due one.”

And how City need goals and points - one win in their last seven games in which they have scored just four goals has seen the Canaries slip to 18th place and dangerously close to being hauled into a relegation dogfight.

The 19-year-old had started seven games in a row before being dropped for the home game against Blackpool, but says there is only one way to guarantee a start.

“If I start I have to get back into scoring form, which I haven't been in lately,” he said. “It has been a while. If you can't score you've got to do the best you can for the team, so hopefully I can start and if I don't score - which I hope I do - I'll do the best for the team that I can.

“It's been frustrating but I can't really complain because Curo's been doing well, he's been scoring, and Dion has been doing well. I just have to bide my time and when I get my chance I'm going to keep it this time.”

It was Evans who scored the winner when Sheffield United came to Carrow Road in December - his second goal in his second start after joining Norwich on loan - as City finally began to shake off their relegation worries and climb into the top half of the table.

But the recent slump since Evans' double at Hull has seen the relegation zone move too close for comfort again - although the Wales Under-21 international insists yet another change of fortune is just around the corner.

“Everyone is so close and I think we're going to start winning again now,” he said. “We've been on a bad run lately but I think it's going to pick up.

“There is definitely a belief in the squad. Obviously you are going to lose if you think you're going to get relegated but everyone's positive. We knew we hadn't got away from it - it was in the back of our minds but now we have just got to show we are a good team and get back up the table.”

Evans saw a late header against Stoke in midweek saved by keeper Carlo Nash, but says the performance, even in defeat, was encouraging.

“It was a good performance, probably one of the best so far,” he said.

“You can see we have still got confidence in ourselves. It was just unlucky that they scored that goal.

“I probably should have done better, that's what I'm paid to do so I should score.”