Norwich City can take on the Premier League leaders in a completely different frame of mind next week thanks to their stunning late comeback against Everton, manager Chris Hughton admits.

The Canaries turned what looked like a 1-0 defeat with six minutes to go into a 2-1 home victory over the Toffees, their first win in 10 league matches, thanks to goals from substitute Kei Kamara and skipper Grant Holt.

As well as pushing City up to 12th place in the table, eight points clear of the bottom three, the late drama transformed the mood of players and fans alike as they prepare for the trip to Manchester United on Saturday.

Instead of heading for Old Trafford on a run of 10 matches without a win, Hughton’s team can turn the statistic around and say they are now on a run of four league games unbeaten.

“Old Trafford is an incredibly difficult place to get a result but to go there on the back of a win is certainly better than going there on the back of a defeat,” said Hughton.

“There are pivotal games in the season and the run we’re on at the moment, I just felt we needed a win. That was today so it gives everybody a lift and a nice feel to go into what is in our football calendar the hardest game in the season next week.”

City beat United 1-0 at Carrow Road in November, and have saved some of their best displays for games against the big guns, beating Arsenal, drawing twice with Tottenham and now taking four points off Everton after trailing 1-0 very late in both games.

“I always know there is character in this team,” said Hughton. “We have very good individuals in the team and the squad but we are in a league where there is so much top-class quality, you know there are going to be games when it is going to be difficult to get what you want.

“So when these days happen they are valuable, really, in what this can do for the players – there is nothing better than winning a game so late because that certainly gives the players confidence. They are the ones who drove on towards the end to get the winner. They could quite easily have sat back and settled for 1-1. They are the ones who wanted to go and get the win and managed to do that.“