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‘I think we can really build on this’ - Vrancic optimistic for 2020 despite City sitting bottom
Mario Vrancic unleashes the superb pass which freed Teemu Pukki for a goal, which was disallowed by VAR, after stealing possession from Spurs defender Serge Aurier Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Starting 2020 at the foot of the Premier League table will not lessen Mario Vrancic’s belief that Norwich City are good enough to salvage survival.
The Canaries are six points from safety and have won just one of their last 15 games, however Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Tottenham added to recent draws with Leicester and Arsenal, as well as a victory at Everton.
With solid mid-table side Crystal Palace heading to Carrow Road on New Year's Day, taking a point against Champions League hopefuls Spurs has raised Vrancic's hopes of a successful second half of the campaign,
"I think we can really build on this point against a decent team like Tottenham and we are going to analyse Crystal Palace to be well prepared and hopefully get a win," said the midfielder.
"There's no point in us giving up now. I know we are on the bottom but we have proved many times that we can be competitive.
"We will try to keep going, hopefully with a few good results in the next weeks."
The 30-year-old scored his first Premier League goal when he opened the scoring against Spurs but was denied a wonderful assist after VAR disallowed Teemu Pukki's goal for offside, which would have made it 2-0.
Jamal Lewis congratulates Canaries team-mate Mario Vrancic on his first Premier League goal Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
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The Bosnia & Herzegovina international scored 10 Championship goals last season but had missed much of the first half of the season with a calf injury - scoring his first goal in top-flight football since opening the scoring as Darmstadt beat Schalke 2-1 in the Bundesliga in April 2017.
"Of course it always feels nice," Vrancic said of his goal. I'm just trying to do my job and that includes also some goals occasionally."
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While the classy passer may have been shy in acknowledging his strike, he made his impact as one of four players brought into the starting XI as the Spurs game followed just two days after a frustrating 1-0 loss at Aston Villa.
However, he was replaced by Tom Trybull in the 75th minute after receiving around five minutes of treatment following a collision with Giovani Lo Celso early in the second half.
"I don't know, I can't remember - I couldn't breathe for a minute, honestly," Vrancic said of that incident.
The collision which left Mario Vrancic and Giovani Lo Celso floored Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
"I think someone hit me on my belly and my tongue is bleeding and stuff. It was very tough for me, everyone was asking 'what's up?' but I couldn't talk."
The midfielder suggested he would be fine for the visit of Palace on Wednesday though, when he looks likely to retain his starting place.
