‘He’s an international who scores for his country for fun’ – City legend backs Pukki in the Premier League
Teemu Pukki came close to scoring on four occasions during City's 4-1 friendly loss to Atalanta Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City legend Darren Huckerby is hopeful that Teemu Pukki will score enough goals to earn Premier League survival this season.
The Finland international enjoyed one of the Canaries' greatest ever goal-scoring seasons when he fired Daniel Farke's team to the Championship title with 29 league goals.
Huckerby knows how tough securing survival in the top flight is from his one campaign in 2004-05, when he was a key part of the Nigel Worthington team who were promoted as champions, only to be relegated on the final day.
"I think Pukki will do well," City's former star said. "He probably won't score 30 goals, let's be honest; that would be more than Aguero. But if he can score 15 goals next season that will probably be enough to keep Norwich in the Premier League.
"He's an international who scores for his country for fun. He's a natural born goal-scorer and will have enough to keep us up.
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"There are also a few other good lads. Wait until the Premier League sees (Emi) Buendia."
Huckerby is involved at Carrow Road again as a club ambassador, a role he took up this summer, having scored 48 goals in 203 games between 2004 and 2008.
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The 43-year-old - who also spent time back with City as an academy coach until his exit in 2017 - feels the Premier League is not quite as daunting as it has been previously though.
"The Premier League has changed quite a bit in the last five years," Huckerby continued, speaking to 888sport. "There are two teams who are outstanding in Manchester City and Liverpool. Then there are four or five teams beneath that level who are still good but beatable.
"Nowadays if you are in the bottom half of the table you still feel like you can get a result at Chelsea or against Tottenham or Man United. Ten years ago that was unheard of: you were a top six team and you battered everybody.
"Now though there are two outstanding teams while everybody else you feel you can get points from. So Norwich have to be positive and hopefully maintain the momentum built up from last year. With that they can stay up."
- Read the full interview with Huckerby, including his thoughts on why the Norwich fans inspired his best performances, at 888sport.com
