Holt sounds warning to all Carrow Road visitors

Matthew Chambers

Norwich City top scorer Grant Holt expects the Canary fear factor to play a part in tonight's clash with Brighton and Hove Albion at Carrow Road (7.45pm).

City have not lost a home league match since Paul Lambert took charge, amassing 17 points from a possible 21, and are currently on a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

It's this kind of form that has helped confirm them as one of the promotion favourites and the team's confidence is currently sky high - much like their ambitions.

"I'm not really bothered about Brighton. We know at home that teams have got to up their game to play us and we know what we can do at home, and if they find us in the form we've been in the last few weeks then they will be more worried about us than we are about them," said Holt.

City have the chance to go third in League One if results go their way and they manage a win over the Seagulls, but Holt is confident the Canaries will be in the top two come the end of the season.

"We're not really bothered about third. We're going for second," said Holt, who has bagged nine goals in the league so far. "That's what we're aiming for. We're not saying we want to jump up one place. Eventually the aim is to get into that second and first spot and if we do it in the next month or in the next two then great but the aim is to get there in May. If we keep going the way we are then I'm sure we'll be there."

The City captain feels the squad are a very driven bunch of players and are made all the more so by the fervent support they enjoy.

He said: "That's why you play football. You play to be at football clubs that are driving for something, that are ambitious and have a good fan base and that's what we've got here. We all know what we want to do. We all want to get promoted, not just for ourselves but for the club, the fans. That's what we're here to do and at the moment we are playing well. We are all enjoying our football, the dressing room is a great place to be.

"It's always great to be at home. If you look at the goals we've scored this year we enjoy playing at home in front of big crowds every week and the fans get behind us and we thrive on that. Hopefully they come and we put on a good performance."

The 28-year-old believes the pressure and expectancy that rests on the players' shoulders is helping to inspire them to greater achievements, which is why Saturday's draw at Southampton was a little bit of a disappointment.

He said: "We got a good point, we were a little bit disappointed that we didn't win it. We had times through the game when we let them get the momentum again when we were on top, but we'll take the point against Southampton. You'd probably say that they'll be in the play-offs or round about there. They are a good side and if you keep picking up points on the road then you are going to be up there."

However, Holt, who was named League One player of the month for October, feels reassured by the fact that City have a plan B to turn to should they need to shake things up if the game, like on Saturday, is not going their way.

Stephen Hughes earned a valuable point with the 75th-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Southampton, just three minutes after being introduced. It was the sixth time a substitute has scored for the Canaries this season.

"We all know we have a squad that is strong enough," said Holt. "Like the other day, Wes (Hoolahan) went off and Chrissy Martin went in Wes' position and Cody (McDonald) came on and did really well.

"We've got Curo (Jamie Cureton) to come in as well and Hughesy (Stephen Hughes) who comes on and scores and that's what the manager has got at his disposal on the bench. We know that whoever goes in there is going to do the job the manager wants."