Johannes Hoff Thorup is out to avoid more Championship ‘chaos’ by relying on the likes of Kenny McLean and Shane Duffy to lead the way at Preston.

The Dane is keen not to be dragged into another physical tussle, after a 1-1 weekend draw at Stoke that saw first half composure give way to a second half scrap.

City’s experienced core have a crucial role to play this week, with two gruelling away trips and then Middlesbrough at Carrow Road.

“We do everything we can to prepare them, and, of course, we can tap into the experienced guys we have in the group,” said Thorup. “What impresses me is a guy like Kenny McLean can just play 90 minutes again after Saturday, a guy like Shane Duffy could just play 90 minutes again.

"We really have to rely on these boys, both in the performance they give to the group, but also the experience they can pass on to the young ones.

“They're really a huge part of the team at the moment, and will be even more for a game like this one at Preston, and also Sunday. It is a fine balance of experience and a fine balance of performance.

"But the exciting part is we get some answers now; we see which of the young ones can actually take the steps, and can actually be a player that can come in and give us a performance and give us some quality.”

Preston have not lost at home since the opening weekend of the season.

“A really exciting test,” said the City chief. “Like all the other games in the league, we’re going to need to be full power from the beginning, and it's going to be intense, and again come down to small margins. It's going to be a tough fight for us, but we have to do everything we can to make it a game decided with our quality.

“We need to make it a game picture where it's about our work on the ball, and if we do then we create chances. Preston is a physically strong side who will look to have that vertical style of play, where they go direct and look to create chances from second ball situations, crosses into the box and so on.

"If it becomes that type of game, then it will be hard for us. A bit like what we saw at Stoke. When we're good, we can be really, really good, and that's what we have to try to do as much as possible, with due respect to Preston because they're a good home team.”

Thorup has spoken liberally in recent weeks about Norwich’s tolerance to adversity.

“We know it is a tough league. So many good teams, the travel away from home. These are even games,” he said. “You have to be concentrated through the whole 90 minutes and accept there will be periods in the game where you have to defend more than you want. I am pleased with the discipline and the defending with all they can.

"Knowing on the backside of that, if we do it well there will be moments for us at the other end. That first half performance (at Stoke) is hopefully how we are going to play when we go away from home more and more.

“What we did brilliantly in the first half was against a team that wants a more chaotic type of game, with more fights and duels, we avoided that because we were quick in our movements and our positions and our passes. There were no duels in the game. There was not so much, in terms of second balls.

“We could see when we started to be a little bit too slow, a little bit too sloppy on the ball, it was like an invitation to Stoke, ‘Okay, please come in, take a fight, have some duels’. That's not what we want. How well can we start, and how quickly in the game can we find that rhythm?”

Johannes Hoff Thorup believes Preston will try and make it a physical encounter (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Marcelino Nunez is ruled out with a hamstring injury at Deepdale, but Thorup must also balance whether the time is right to refresh a starting line up which appeared to have some tired looking internationals at Stoke.

“It's a situation we have to look at,” he said. “It's never easy to go into a game where we have one day of preparation and we have a lot of players coming in late after national duty. That will always be a tricky one. Now we play, what is it, four days after again?

“It's that fine balance of highlighting the key moments of the Stoke game where we really think we can influence the performance leaning into Tuesday night. My feeling is that they are a little bit more fresh, a little bit more energetic, based on the Saturday game, and really looking forward to Preston.

“We didn't really do that much on Sunday, we were in and watching video to see if we can link it a little bit to the game on Tuesday night, and then the subs and the reserves had a short session out there.

"And then Monday, obviously we've tried to prepare for the game, but it is about having fresh legs and having energy, and then see if we can fix as many of the, I will not say, problems, but things that didn't go well in the game against Stoke.

“We can go out there and perform and fight hard as a group and be solid and support each other. And the mentality in the group has really impressed me, because they are doing so well for each other. They're working so hard, so we have to accept the difficult moments in the game, but that's also where you grow.”

 

Kenny McLean will be a key figure in Norwich's midfield at Preston (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Thorup’s former first team coach and now Stoke boss, Narcis Pelach, achieved the feat of preventing compatriot Borja Sainz from adding to the nine goal contributions in nine previous league games that saw the City flyer crowned the Championship player-of-the-month.

Thorup emphasized to Sainz during the recent international break that output must be only the start, after the 23-year-old’s cheeky request for a week off following the previous Hull hammering was shared on the club’s channels.

“I know it was a little joke for him to ask for a week off, but I think actually, if we ask him, then he prefers to have some days in and not rest too much,” said Thorup. “Especially in his situation, when you really feel on top, when you really feel in form and you just want to play.

“In football it is about continuing. The past is the past. You have scored these goals, yes, but it's about for him to continue. What I see in his eyes, and also when we talk to him, he has that motivation. He's only focused on how we can improve as a team and how he can be even better.”