Boss: We'll play to win at Portman Road
NORWICH City will travel to Ipswich Town looking to take the initiative in their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final, says boss Alex Neil.For the first time in 30 years, East Angliaâs fiercest rivals meet in the last four of a knockout format, with both vying for a place at Wembley to then compete for a Premier League spot.
Speaking to Norwich City TV leading into the contest, Cityâs boss outlined his determination to set his team on the front foot from the outset come Saturday lunchtime.
âWe play to win every game, so weâll be going there looking for the result to give us an advantage going into the next game,â he said.
âWe want to go into the second leg having made sure that we did our job in the first leg. We donât play to draw any match, weâll be there to win.
âIâm confident going into every game. Weâve only lost three of 22, thatâs a good record and we need to make sure that we maintain that.Â
âWe know exactly how weâre going to go about the game, and in the main weâve worked really well. Itâs just about making sure that youâre fully prepared for the match, you know whatâs coming and that you perform on the day.â
Steven Whittaker and Alex Tettey missed the Canariesâ final two matches of the regular season against Rotherham United and Fulham, but Neil is âhopefulâ they will be able to make a return in time for Saturdayâs first leg (12.15pm).
âIt will be a last-minute call on both. Weâll have got a better idea after training on Friday, and that will determine where we are,â he revealed.
âI think they should be ok, Iâm really hopeful that theyâre going to make it but sometimes you donât really know until they get out on the field. That will be the true test.
âCameron Jeromeâs joined in this week so he should be fine.â
On Mick McCarthyâs Tractor Boys, Neil added: âThe one thing about Ipswich is they do compete, they are aggressive.
âEverybody has said weâre favourites but as long as we win, it doesnât matter what people say.
âI think itâs important that we donât get carried away and that the occasion doesnât get the better of us. However, weâve played in a number of games like this, and the boys have over their careers, so weâll be ready.
âI feel thereâs been momentum over the last three months. The fans have got behind us and I think the players have performed exceptionally well in the majority of the matches.
âWeâve got another opportunity now and we certainly donât want this one to pass us by.â