Norwich City are out to prove that they continue their upward momentum as they travel to Coventry this afternoon. 

David Wagner's influence helped steer them to an impressive 4-0 victory over Preston North End last Saturday - a win that has lifted moods around the club and backed up a lot of statements uttered throughout the season about the quality within the Canaries' squad. 

After enduring some tough months and bruising results prior to the German's arrival, Norwich displayed why the bar of expectations has been pushed so high during their victory in Lancashire. 

Wagner is keen to ensure that his squad keep their feet on the ground despite the waves of praise that have been rightfully pushed in their direction over the last seven days. 

Norwich will need to produce more performances to that level if they are to turn around an under-par start to the Championship campaign - the trip to the CBS Arena represents a significantly tougher test than the one they experienced last weekend. 

The Canaries are out to prove it wasn't just a false dawn - with their head coach hoping that the confidence that Preston win has given his squad will lead to something more sustained. 

"I have to tell the truth, it was a good game but it was only one game. I was able to feel a relief after four or five weeks without a win," Wagner said. "All of us, especially the lads, needed it.

"The performance against Blackburn was okay without the right outcome. Now they have performed again on a good level with a positive result. This is good, it helps for sure but I also felt immediately their ambition and they know it was just a first step.

"They need to be very concentrated to go forward with some forward steps. We have done it in training, it was exactly what I hoped and expected but they have still shown focus and wanted to take messages on board. Hopefully, we can take another step on Saturday."The Pink Un: David Wagner has set high standards of his Norwich City group.David Wagner has set high standards of his Norwich City group. (Image: Focus Images Limited)

One commodity that Wagner knows he doesn't have at Norwich is time - if they want to strengthen their grip on the top six of the Championship, then putting a positive run together will be of the utmost importance. 

Throughout this season, the only consistency that Norwich have gathered is negative. Wagner is out to improve the record and change the narrative. 

He has wiped the slate clean and already been willing to make unpopular decisions, that level of leadership has been instantly refreshing, impactful and created a goodwill in both the squad and the stands. 

But, as is always the case in the first few weeks of a new head coach's tenure, there will be a willingness to attribute any positive uplift to the cliched managerial bounce. Norwich must prove that they can assemble something more sustained. 

When he walked through the doors at Colney, Wagner assumed responsibility for a group of players short of confidence and in a club that felt fractured. 

Nearly 3,000 supporters are making the trip to the Midlands on Saturday in spite of hefty pricing, an early kick-off time and the fact the game is televised. That level of support showcases the positivity and belief that Wagner has been able to harness in a short period of time, but also the potential if they can get it right. 

Expectation has been a regular theme of Norwich's campaign to date and acted largely as a burden on their work - but Wagner wants to instil some regular and recognisable characteristics into his Norwich side. 

If those become visible, coupled with a strong base of support, Wagner believes they can continue their progress this weekend. 

"The mood before (Preston) was good as well. I feel that they are very open-minded and they really want to get information across and try to deliver on the training pitch," Wagner said.

"You always hope and think that when they have done it in training that they should do it on the pitch as well but games are always a little bit different. They have done it but the most important thing is that they keep their hunger and desire.

"Apart from the performance, everyone felt that we were all together and wanted it. We were the ones who were aggressive, we were the ones who showed the energy and intensity and this is crucial in our game.

"It's what I expect from us every weekend and with this and the support we had and the energy we have, I have hope that we can perform on a good level again."

Coventry are hoping that an approved takeover by boyhood Norwich fan Doug King will free the shackles on the remarkable job that Mark Robins has overseen in his six years at the club. 

The ex-City striker has been heavily praised for the job he has done with the Sky Blues and, even though they sit 15th in the Championship table, they could close the gap to Norwich to three points with a victory on Saturday. 

The Pink Un: David Wagner's approach has already returned smiles to faces of Canaries fans.David Wagner's approach has already returned smiles to faces of Canaries fans. (Image: Paul Chesterton)

Wagner's change in messaging has been refreshing and definitive - he has opted to focus on the characteristics of his side and allowed the opposition to work out how to stop their gameplan, rather than that setting up his team to nullify the teams Norwich are set to face.

The German is a process-based coach who puts performances rather than results in the spotlight - and he is looking to ensure that his players' energy is spent on maximising their level of individual performance. 

"For us, it should be irrelevant whether we play at home or away or whether we're at Preston or at Coventry, if it's cold or sunny - these are all the circumstances that we cannot influence," he said.

"We have to make sure that we are focused on ourselves so every individual knows which position of the pitch we have to be in to pick up a certain pass.

"The moment that they are past the line that they have to make the right choices but we have to give them all the information so that they can focus on our game plan. Hopefully, we will prepare them in the right way for Saturday."