Disappointment to be narrowly beaten by champions-elect Liverpool may have outweighed pride for Kenny McLean – but the midfielder is determined to keep making Norwich City fans feel proud of their team.

The rock-bottom Canaries fought hard against the runaway leaders but were beaten by a Sadio Mane strike in the 78th minute.

Asked if City could take heart from the determined display into the survival scrap during the final 12 games, the Scot said: "I suppose so, but we've got nothing from the game so we're never going to be happy when we lose a game. We need to have that mentality, you can't be happy if you're not picking points up.

"So of course we did okay, we defended well and they're the best there is so it was always going to be a tough task, but it's always disappointing losing a game.

"In the end they showed a bit of quality to get the goal which won the game, so it's disappointing losing a game but we worked hard, showed our resilience at times, plenty of character.

"We'll keep fighting, that's the main thing."

The result moved Liverpool to within touching distance of their first title since 1990, sitting 25 points clear at the summit, but the Carrow Road faithful drowned out the celebrations in the away end with a loud show of solidarity for their team's efforts.

"It would be easy for them not to with the position we're in, but I think at this club if you are giving everything, 110 percent, the fans will be behind you," McLean continued.

"If we come off that five percent then they'll be entitled to their grumbles and their moans, they're entitled to say what they need to say.

"But you saw at the end of the game how much they are behind us because they know we're giving everything on the pitch every week."

The Scotland international made his sixth successive start and his fourth alongside Alex Tettey in central midfield, as good personal form continues - making his 50th appearance for the Canaries.

McLean is a hard man to please though, saying: "From a personal point of view I thought I did okay, first half especially, but I think we need to look at the team first.

"I thought we did well as a team, it's just disappointing not picking points up.

"Second half I did get a bit tired because they were working us hard, I lost the ball and got caught in possession a couple of times, which I think was a bit sloppy from me, but the way they play they press so hard that they're going to steal the ball from you at times.

"It was a risk I was taking and sometimes it came off and sometimes it didn't."