As Norwich City prepare to welcome promotion rivals QPR to Carrow Road this evening, it marks the start of a window of opportunity for them to grasp.

Following a poor run of form which ended with a 3-1 win over Stoke on Saturday - where the goals were impressive but the performance still raised plenty of questions - the aim will now be to back it up.

Those three points were vital to the outlook - now they are back in the top six and suddenly the world feels a brighter place.

Given the pressure that was mounting on Dean Smith, it was all about the result rather than the performance.

Hopefully, that result will ease the unhelpful grumble brigade that have been at Carrow Road this season. Some of the supporters have seemingly made their minds up on him and won't be altered in their outlook.

I argued last week that City's head coach required more time. But he still has work to do in winning over supporters and the next three games prior to the World Cup break feel like an opportunity to do just that - even if it is just to calm everyone down.

Primarily, it will be about positioning themselves inside the top six ready for a tilt at promotion in the second half of the campaign, with an acceptance from everyone that improvement is required.

No side is yet to grab hold of this division and run away with it, even Burnley proved last week they have issues that require addressing in the weeks ahead.

But with Watford beginning to improve and the top of the division getting tighter with every passing matchday, it is imperative that Norwich extract enough points in the next block of games to keep them firmly in the hunt.

This is a massive week in the context of Norwich's season.

Seven or nine points, with two of the game to come at home, will help shift the mood for the better. It's an opportunity for everybody to regain some much-needed belief and rhythm ahead of the break.

That would allow them to focus on pushing on the accelerator after the World Cup in pursuit of the automatic promotion places.

It will also afford Smith with a period of reflection and time on the training pitch to work with his squad.

You only need to look at the impact Smith had on his Aston Villa during the Covid-enforced in 2020. It was almost transformative and saw him move from being on the brink to keeping them in the Premier League.

There is no reason why he can't have a similar impact with Norwich.

A warm weather training camp should help refocus minds and builds togetherness.

With the relentlessness of the Championship schedule, more so than ever, those three weeks serve as a chance for the City boss to work on his principles and embed his ideas to a greater extent.

With only Josh Sargent poised to be called up for the World Cup, it leaves him with an almost full squad to get his teeth into.

The focus before that will be on the games to come and the opportunity that Norwich now have to push on again.

Saturday's win was such a relief. The whole club needed a victory after a spell of poor form.

But it will mean nothing if Norwich fail to back it up - starting against an exciting QPR side tonight.

QPR arrive at Carrow Road on the back of successive defeats. Micheal Beale, who turned down Wolves only a few weeks ago, has done a really impressive job and has a great coaching CV.

But this may be a good time to play them. Beale has placed a lot of focus on attack and with Norwich having some real joy on the counter at the weekend, it may actually be the type of game that suits the way Smith sets them up.

Then a tricky trip to Rotherham awaits Norwich - although with boyhood Canaries fan Paul Warne no longer steering the ship, maybe that game now doesn't have the edge it did previously.

They are an awkward side but Matt Taylor's methods are yet to really catch fire - that might work in Norwich's favour when they rock up to the New York Stadium this weekend.

A home clash against Middlesbrough, now managed by Michael Carrick, concludes a block of games before the World Cup break.

Carrick was an exceptionally talented player but there are still doubts about his credentials as a manager. He will still be getting his feet under the table when they arrive at Carrow Road.

All of those games represent different tests against teams who will play with different styles, but Norwich will be expected to control these games and emerge with a decent return of points.

If they could close that gap to the top two significantly and gain some momentum, suddenly the job ahead of them would look radically different.

It's an opportunity for them to produce consistent results but supporters will want to see an uplift in performances.

If Norwich can get that blend right, I have no doubt that Smith will begin to win over his doubters.

The opportunity ahead of them may shape the outlook of their season. A positive points return could see them push for the automatics. A spluttered attempt would leave the focus on a top-six finish.

With that in mind, the message couldn't be clearer - Norwich must seize this moment.

Eastern Daily Press: Todd Cantwell made a real difference in the second half of Norwich City's win over Stoke.Todd Cantwell made a real difference in the second half of Norwich City's win over Stoke. (Image: (C)Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +44 7813 022858)

SUTTON EXTRA

For all of the doubters over whether Dean Smith is the right man to lead Norwich City going forward, not even his biggest detractors could argue against the quality of his substitutions on Saturday.

The decision to bring on both Marcelino Nunez and Todd Cantwell in the second half was inspired. It flipped the contest on its head and ensured Norwich dragged themselves over the line.

I like Nunez. He knits Norwich's play in possession together and Cantwell made a real impact in a bright cameo that will surely see him start against QPR tonight.

I've written many columns on Cantwell. After he left for Bournemouth in January, I thought that would spell the end of his career at Norwich. It was different to shift the feeling that both parties needed a fresh start.

I described him as being on trial and said any return to Carrow Road would leave him a bit embarrassed. But he's knuckled down, worked hard and seems to be close to a return to the level we all know he is capable of - he deserves credit for that.

That's a good thing for his career but also for Norwich, who have been in desperate need of a creative presence in midfield.

If he can achieve a level of consistency in his output, then he may make Norwich's season. Smith's challenge to him will be to improve his numbers around goals and assists.

If that falls into place, then I am in little doubt that Norwich would reward him with a long-term deal to secure his future.

Smith deserves more credit for the impact he has made with substitutions this season.

Their squad has the quality to affect games positively if used in the right manner - as he displayed on Saturday.

It could hold the key to whether they achieve their objective of promotion or fall just short.

Not many teams at this level possess the ability to bring on a pair of summer signings in Nunez and Gabriel Sara that cost a reported £10m - but knowing when to bring them on and who for is arguably as important. Smith has proved he possesses those skills.

Right now, for Norwich, Cantwell and Smith, the focus has to be solely placed on the next three games, their performance levels and results.