Chris Lakey Glenn Roeder has defended his right to stand up for his players as he prepares for another showdown with Leicester manager Ian Holloway today.Roeder and Holloway clashed on the touchline at Carrow Road just four weeks ago during a match which often threatened to boil over.

Chris Lakey

Glenn Roeder has defended his right to stand up for his players as he prepares for another showdown with Leicester manager Ian Holloway today.

Roeder and Holloway clashed on the touchline at Carrow Road just four weeks ago during a match which often threatened to boil over.

The City manager was angry that Holloway appeared to be trying to get midfielder Darel Russell sent off, but afterwards, Holloway said Roeder had been "bang out of order" and accused him of playing to the crowd.

Tensions are likely to be high at The Walkers Stadium this afternoon, and while Roeder yesterday claimed a mountain has been made out of a molehill, his comments suggests there will be little love lost between the two.

"It is not about what happens on the touchline tomorrow, it's about what happens on the pitch," he said. "Whatever happens or doesn't happen is of no concern for me.

"But when I think I need to stand up for my players I will stand up for them.

"I am assuming Ian didn't like me telling him the fact he was out of order trying to convince the referee that one of our players should have been sent off. It's something I wouldn't stoop to, so I was only standing up for my players.

"It's a mountain out of a molehill as far as I'm concerned. He is quite entertaining at times, I suppose, if you like that sort of humour."

Asked whether he had spoken to Holloway after the game at Carrow Road, Roeder said: "I don't know, I never saw him."

Roeder v Holloway ended as a draw, much like the game, although it was Norwich who would have won on points after what the City boss described as "one of the most one-sided goalless draws" he had even been involved with.

"I think even the manager in the end had to admit to that," said Roeder. "He said he was very grateful to get out of Carrow Road with a point and they were very fortunate. Now it is their turn to be playing on their cabbage patch. And it is up to us to make sure we put in a good performance and another away win, and if it's not a win we don't get beat. Without doubt the pressure is much more on them."

It was game nine in City's current 13-match unbeaten run, and a win today would guarantee City a place in the top half of the table for the first time since it became a meaningful reflection of the season.

Leicester, meanwhile, are just two places and two points above the drop zone - a position Roeder admits surprises him.

"They are absolutely desperate for a win. They are much too close to the bottom three and I have to say I am really surprised that so far they haven't done better. They have spent money and I am really surprised they have not done better and we have to make sure they don't do better tomorrow. We have got to be selfish and only worry about ourselves."