Norwich City centre forward Teemu Pukki says there’s still belief in the dressing room that the club can avoid relegation from the Premier League and won’t be happy with his season unless that’s the case.
“It’s been a big relief to win three of the last six matches,” he added. “We’ve been playing quite well for a longer period without being able to get the points we wanted. We’re starting to get those victories and that gives us the belief that we can still turn this around. We need to keep working until the end.
“I’m a team player, so even if I do well and score goals but we lose, it’s not going to make me happy. Whenever we get points, that’s what matters and that’s what we need. If we stay in the league, I can be really happy with my own season as well. If not, it will be a disappointment.
“I’m proud personally of how I’ve taken this challenge. I wasn’t sure how it would go but I’m happy I’ve been able to score goals and could have had more. Like I said, we’ll see how the season ends and if we stay up for sure I will be happy.”
As for this weekend’s opposition, Pukki is fully aware of the strength of Jurgen Klopp’s side, but insists the Canaries second half at Anfield earlier in the season is cause for optimism.
“The second half was good from us, but in the first half it was the first time in the Premier League for most of the players we had,” he explained. “When you’re playing against the Champions League winners, they punish you for your mistakes. We weren’t ready for that.
“This season has been similar – playing well but not getting the results we wanted. I think it’s right that they are the best team in the world. It’s a huge test for us but we’ve been doing well against the big teams at home. We know it’s going to be tough, but we still have to believe we can get something out of it.
“Only one team has drawn with them this season so it will take a lot for us to get something, but if we have the chance, we will take it.”