BRYAN Gunn says he hopes his side can maintain a positive frame of mind as the Canaries get set for battle at Loftus Road tomorrow (8pm).

Looking ahead to tomorrow evening's game, Gunn told canaries.co.uk he wanted his players to maintain a positive mental attitude.

He said: "We've got to make sure our players are prepared in the right way for the game and that their mental state is good, and then if we can continue the level of performance and receive our level of fortune, who knows.

"It's a difficult place to go at the best of the times and this is on the back of two recent defeats - they were beaten by Ipswich at Loftus Road a couple of weeks ago and they were beaten by Barnsley at the weekend.

"I'm sure their manager will be looking for a reaction from his players so it's going to be tough but it's one where we've got an opportunity to try and get something from it. We're going to go down there and try and gain three points, so hopefully our players realise it's on the back of a difficult time and we'll try and take advantage of that."

With three vital points on offer from their next game, Gunn told First News his side were fully focused on returning from the capital with as much from the game as possible: "We've got to get ready for a big game on Tuesday night, and preparations for that started yesterday and they're continuing today and we're focused on that game.

"We've got two away games now and hopefully we can do something in the first game and then take it from there - all I see, all I read is that people think we're relegated. I don't think we are, and I said after the game on Saturday we've got 11 games left, 33 points, and until mathematics makes it impossible, we have got to keep fighting and keep believing in each and every minute of each and every game."

He continued: "If you look back to the weekend, we got ourselves back into the game at 1-1 and for whatever reason the referee decided not to give us a penalty kick. It's very thin dividing lines, very crucial moments in games which have affected us and that can change - but we have to make sure we believe it can change and we have to work hard to make sure it changes."

Asked about Mark Fotheringham's reaction after he was substituted in the second half against Coventry, Gunn replied: "It's difficult for players in front of 25,000 people when things aren't going well and you can hear the moans and groans.

"I can understand his frustrations, but as captain of the Club I was disappointed with his reaction as well. Sometimes you have to be big and brave enough to take these knocks on the chin - it happens at football clubs, there's always someone the crowd will have issues with, whether it's their style in that particular game or whether it's more long-standing than that. It's something you expect experienced professionals to be able to cope with."

With Norwich currently in the bottom three, questions were put to Gunn by the media to find out how he was keeping things positive within the Canary camp. "We're doing all we can to raise the spirits, and we may need some players to help as well," he said.

"I'll be doing all I can because that's my character and that's the way I'll continue to be. I had a chat with my coaching team this morning and we know it's a case of changing the mood. The players have to realise that for 20, 25 minutes of the second half we were certainly the better team and had a decision gone our way, the result could have been completely different. It's that thin dividing line between success and failure. Coming off losing 2-1 when you feel you could have won 2-1 is a hard pill to swallow but we've got 11 games left and we need to regroup today and get stuck in again."